Module 03 —Reading for Opinion
Reading Part 3 (writer's opinion) · attitude language · Speaking Part 4 link
PET parts in this lesson · mixed-skill spiral
Why this lesson now? Extends Reading 3 into opinion questions.
CEFR Pathway · You are here
Get ready · 01
5 minGet talking
Tell your partner one fact and one opinion about your town. Can they tell which is which?
How do you feel about early mornings — thrilled, not bothered, or frustrated? Explain why.
Which word shows a writer's opinion: 'The film runs for two hours' or 'The film is disappointingly slow'?
Grammar for the Exam · 02
8–10 minRecognising a writer's opinion (PET Reading Part 3)
Look for opinion adjectives and adverbs ('surprisingly', 'disappointing', 'in my view') rather than just facts.
In Reading Part 3, you read one longer text and answer multiple-choice questions, some of which ask about the writer's opinion or attitude, not just facts. Writers rarely state their opinion in one obvious sentence like 'I think this is good.' Instead, they use opinion adjectives ('impressive', 'frustrating'), adverbs ('surprisingly', 'unfortunately'), and phrases like 'what struck me most was...' or 'I couldn't help but feel...'. To answer these questions correctly, you need to notice this attitude language and work out how the writer really feels, even when they don't say it directly.
→ Surprisingly, the queue moved quickly, and I was inside within ten minutes. (positive surprise)
→ What struck me most was how unhelpful the staff seemed. (negative attitude)
→ In my view, the new system is a clear improvement, although it took time to get used to. (mixed but ultimately positive)
Question 1.Which word signals a writer's opinion rather than a fact?
Question 2.'____ , the film was much better than I expected.' Which fits?
Question 3.Which phrase introduces a personal opinion?
Question 4.'I couldn't help but ____ that the service had improved.'
Question 5.Which sentence shows a mixed opinion?
Quick check 1.In Reading Part 3, do all questions ask only about facts?
Exam Vocabulary · 03
5–7 minWords & phrases to own
causing admiration because of size, skill or quality
Describe something impressive you've seen recently.
not as good as expected
Tell your partner about something disappointing you experienced.
annoying because you can't do or achieve something
What's the most frustrating thing about learning English?
the thing that impressed or affected me the most
What struck you most about your last holiday?
used to express an opinion you found hard to avoid
Finish: 'I couldn't help but feel that...'
Tap an item on the left, then tap its match on the right.
Activation · Personalise · Recycle
Use attitude vocabulary in full opinion sentences before reading the passage.
Ask your partner
- Describe something impressive about your school.
- Describe a disappointing meal you've had.
- What's frustrating about public transport where you live?
"In my view, the best way to learn a language is..."in my view
Overall, was your last school term a good one? Give a reason and an example.
Give your answer + one reason.
Write 35 words describing your opinion of a film or book, using at least two attitude phrases.
Pronunciation for Speaking · 04
3–4 minStress on opinion adverbs
Stress the first syllable strongly in adverbs like 'SURprisingly' and 'DISappointingly' to signal your opinion clearly.
- • Surprisingly, the trip was excellent.
- • Disappointingly, the museum was closed.
- • Frustratingly, the bus was late again.
- • Overall, it was a great experience.
Reading Skills · 05
8–10 minReading Part 3 — my week volunteering at an animal shelter
When I signed up to volunteer at the local animal shelter, I honestly expected a fairly quiet week of feeding cats and walking dogs. What actually happened surprised me completely.
On my first morning, I was handed a mop and told the kennels needed cleaning before anything else could happen. Disappointingly, nobody had mentioned this part of the job when I applied, and for the first hour I wondered whether I'd made a mistake. However, once the cleaning was done, I was introduced to Barney, an elderly dog who had been at the shelter for over a year. What struck me most was how patient the staff were with him, even though he was nervous around new people and took ages to trust anyone.
By Wednesday, something had changed. Barney let me clip on his lead without flinching, and one of the long-term staff members told me this was huge progress. I couldn't help but feel proud, even though I'd only been there three days. The staff explained that dogs like Barney often get overlooked by visitors who prefer younger, more energetic animals, which I found genuinely frustrating to hear.
By the end of the week, I'd mucked out kennels, walked six different dogs, and answered phones for confused visitors — none of which I'd pictured when I signed up. Overall, though, it was one of the most rewarding weeks I've had in a long time, and I've already booked to go back next month.
Question 1.What did the writer expect before starting the volunteering week?
Question 2.How did the writer feel about the kennel cleaning at first?
Question 3.What impressed the writer most about the staff and Barney?
Question 4.How did the writer feel when Barney let them clip on his lead?
Question 5.What did the writer find frustrating?
Question 6.What is the writer's overall opinion of the week?
Listening Skills · 06
8–10 minListening — talking about a volunteering experience
Listening audio
Tap play to listen. Replay as many times as you need.
Show transcript
Dan:So how was your first week volunteering at the shelter?
Ella:Honestly, surprisingly different from what I imagined. I thought I'd just be walking dogs.
Dan:What actually happened, then?
Ella:A lot of cleaning, to be honest — that was disappointing at first, nobody warned me.
Dan:That does sound frustrating. Did it get better?
Ella:It did. What struck me most was this one dog, Barney — really nervous around people.
Dan:Did he warm up to you eventually?
Ella:Yes, by Wednesday he let me put his lead on. I couldn't help but feel really proud.
Dan:That's lovely. Would you say it was worth it, overall?
Ella:Definitely. In my view, it was one of the most rewarding weeks I've had — I'm going back next month.
Question 1.What did Ella think the volunteering week would involve?
Question 2.How did Ella feel about the cleaning at first?
Question 3.Who is Barney?
Question 4.What happened by Wednesday?
Question 5.How did Ella feel about that moment?
Question 6.What is Ella's overall opinion of the week?
Exam Strategy · 07
5 minReading Part 3 — identifying the writer's opinion
Facts tell you WHAT happened; attitude language tells you HOW the writer felt about it.
Task
You read one longer text and answer multiple-choice questions about detail, opinion, and attitude.
Example
Question: 'How did the writer feel about the kennel cleaning?' Text clue: 'Disappointingly, nobody had mentioned this part of the job...' — this tells you the feeling was disappointment, not simply that cleaning happened.
Writing Task · 08
5 minPut it in writing
Q1.Give an adverb that shows positive surprise, starting with 'S...'
Q2.Give a phrase meaning 'the thing that affected me most', starting with 'What...'
Write a short paragraph (35–45 words) giving your opinion of an experience you've had (a trip, an event, a class), using at least two attitude words or phrases.
Your writing draft
0 words SavedShow model answer & examiner comment
Surprisingly, the school trip to the science centre turned out to be brilliant. What struck me most was how interactive everything was — we could touch and test almost every exhibit. In my view, it was far more enjoyable than a normal lesson, and overall a fantastic day.
Examiner comment
| 5 | All content points covered; consistent style; range of structures; minor errors only. |
| 3 | Content mostly covered; mostly suitable style; some range; errors don't stop the reader understanding. |
| 1 | Limited content; intrusive errors; very basic structures; under-length. |
Speaking Task · 09
10–15 minMake it a real conversation
Speaking Part 4 link: in pairs, discuss your opinions about an experience using attitude language from this lesson.
Examiner
"Now, talk together about whether it is a good idea for young people to do volunteer work."
Talk together about
Is it a good idea for young people to do volunteer work?
Share opinions, agree and disagree — you do not have to talk only about yourself.
Ideas you could discuss
- What young people could learn from it
- The time it takes away from school or hobbies
- How it might change how they see other people
Round off the discussion
Together, agree on one thing volunteering teaches that school lessons usually don't.
Useful discussion language
Optional · Teacher-led
Teacher Activities
Use these if the reading and speaking practice finishes early. ~12 min total
Homework · 10
Take-homeTake it home
Self-study — everything you need is included below. All four skills are covered so you keep the spiral going between lessons; pick the order that suits you.
Read a short online review (film, restaurant or product) and highlight three attitude words or phrases the writer uses.
Your response
0 words SavedMaterials included
Instructions
Attempt the task first, then check your answers.
Complete the gap-fill sentences with attitude vocabulary, then write one original sentence for each.
Your response
0 words SavedMaterials included
Gaps
Attempt the task first, then check your answers.
Listening recycle: read the Dan and Ella script aloud twice, then answer the quiz questions from memory.
Your response
0 words SavedMaterials included
Questions
Attempt the task first, then check your answers.
Recap · 11
2–3 minWhat you've learned
- Reading Part 3 questions often ask about the writer's opinion or attitude, not just facts.
- Look for opinion adjectives ('impressive', 'frustrating') and adverbs ('surprisingly', 'disappointingly') to spot attitude.
- Phrases like 'what struck me most' and 'I couldn't help but feel' signal a personal opinion.
- Facts tell you WHAT happened; attitude language tells you HOW the writer felt about it.