Tóm tắt

Cấu trúc Diễn đạt Kỹ năng
used to / didn't use to Thói quen/trạng thái trong quá khứ, không còn nữa Speaking, Writing
has/have become Sự thay đổi đến hiện tại (present perfect) Cả hai
has changed significantly Thay đổi tổng thể rõ rệt Cả hai
compared with the past So sánh với trước đây Speaking Part 3
over the last/past [period] Khung thời gian của sự thay đổi Cả hai
used to be + now Đối chiếu cũ – mới rõ ràng Speaking, Task 2
no longer / not anymore Trạng thái cũ đã biến mất Cả hai

Tại sao quan trọng

Trong Speaking Part 3, examiner thường hỏi: - "How has [X] changed in recent years?" - "Do you think [X] is different now compared to the past?" - "How do you think [aspect of life] has changed over the generations?"

Trong Writing Task 1, line chart và map đòi hỏi mô tả sự thay đổi theo thời gian. Trong Task 2, nhiều đề bài yêu cầu phân tích xu hướng xã hội đã thay đổi.

PHẦN 1: USED TO — Quá khứ không còn tồn tại

[Subject] used to [verb].
[Subject] didn't use to / never used to [verb].
[Subject] used to be [adjective/noun].

"Used to" nhấn mạnh rằng điều gì đó đã từng xảy ra / tồn tại nhưng nay không còn nữa.

Speaking Part 3:

  • "People used to rely entirely on newspapers and television for news, whereas now most people get information from their phones."
  • "Families used to spend more time together at home because there were fewer entertainment options outside."
  • "Shopping used to be an entirely physical experience — now it's largely done online."

Writing Task 2:

  • "A generation ago, people used to change jobs far less frequently — a single employer for an entire career was not uncommon."
  • "Women used to be largely excluded from the workforce; today, they make up nearly half of the working population in most developed countries."

Kết hợp "used to" với "now" để tạo đối chiếu mạnh:

[Subject] used to [verb / be + adjective], but now [subject] [present situation].
Where [subject] once [past], [subject] now [present].
  • "Factories used to employ thousands of workers, but now much of the production process is automated."
  • "Where people once relied on local shops and markets, they now turn to global online platforms."

PHẦN 2: HAS / HAVE BECOME — Sự thay đổi đến thời điểm hiện tại

Present perfect với "become" mô tả sự chuyển đổi từ trạng thái cũ sang trạng thái hiện tại.

[Subject] has / have become [adjective / more + adjective / a + noun].
[Subject] has / have become increasingly [adjective].
[Topic] has become a [noun phrase].

Speaking:

  • "Remote working has become a much more common arrangement for office-based employees."
  • "Technology has become an indispensable part of everyday life."
  • "Mental health has become an increasingly important topic of public discussion."

Writing:

  • "Globalisation has become one of the defining features of the modern economy."
  • "Sustainable development has become an increasingly central concern for policymakers worldwide."
  • "Urban migration has become a major driver of population growth in capital cities."

PHẦN 3: HAS CHANGED SIGNIFICANTLY — Thay đổi tổng thể

[Subject] has changed significantly / dramatically / considerably.
[Subject] has undergone significant / major / substantial change.
[Area] has been transformed in recent years / decades.
The way [people do X] has changed enormously.

Speaking:

  • "The job market has changed dramatically over the past twenty years — new industries have emerged and old ones have disappeared."
  • "The way people communicate has changed enormously, moving from letters and landlines to instant messaging."
  • "Attitudes towards gender roles in the workplace have undergone significant change in my parents' generation."

Writing:

  • "The global food industry has been transformed by the rise of fast food chains and convenience culture."
  • "The way governments approach environmental policy has changed considerably, with more nations now committing to net-zero targets."

PHẦN 4: OVER THE LAST / PAST [PERIOD] — Khung thời gian rõ ràng

Over the last / past [decade / few years / century / generation], [subject] has [change].
In recent years / decades, [subject] has [change].
Since [year/event], [subject] has [change].
Over the course of [period], [subject] has [change].

Speaking:

  • "Over the past decade, smartphone use has completely changed how young people socialise."
  • "In recent years, the cost of renewable energy has fallen dramatically, making it far more accessible."
  • "Since the pandemic, attitudes towards remote work have shifted permanently for many companies."

Writing Task 1:

  • "Over the thirty-year period shown, car ownership in the region increased by nearly 200%."
  • "Between 1990 and 2020, the proportion of women in senior management roles rose significantly."

Writing Task 2:

  • "Over the past century, the nature of work has shifted from predominantly agricultural and manual labour to service and knowledge-based industries."

PHẦN 5: NO LONGER / NOT ANYMORE — Điều gì đó đã biến mất

[Subject] no longer [verb].
[Subject] is no longer [adjective/noun].
[Subject] doesn't / don't [verb] anymore.

Speaking:

  • "Young people no longer feel the same pressure to get married early as previous generations did."
  • "Traditional media is no longer the dominant source of news for most people under forty."
  • "People don't rely on encyclopaedias anymore — everything is searchable online."

Writing:

  • "Manufacturing no longer forms the backbone of many developed economies, having been largely replaced by service industries."
  • "National borders are no longer the barriers to trade and communication that they once were."

PHẦN 6: MẪU ĐẦY ĐỦ — SPEAKING PART 3

Câu hỏi: "How has the way people shop changed in recent years?"

"Shopping has changed enormously over the past decade or so. People used to go to physical stores as a matter of necessity — now, a huge proportion of purchases are made online, often without ever leaving home. Over the past few years in particular, the rise of same-day delivery has transformed expectations around convenience. I'd say traditional high streets are no longer the social and commercial hubs they once were — many smaller shops have become increasingly unable to compete with large online platforms. What's interesting is that this shift has also changed how brands communicate with customers, with social media now playing a central role in marketing."

PHẦN 7: MẪU ĐẦY ĐỦ — WRITING TASK 2

Đề: "Some people believe that traditional family structures are disappearing. To what extent do you agree?"

"Over the past several decades, the structure of the family unit has undergone a remarkable transformation in many societies. What was once the dominant model — a married couple with children living under one roof — has become just one of many recognised household configurations. No longer the near-universal norm, the traditional nuclear family now coexists with single-parent households, same-sex partnerships, and an increasing number of individuals who choose to live alone. This shift has been driven by a combination of economic independence, changing social attitudes, and higher rates of divorce."

Lỗi thường gặp

Lỗi 1: Nhầm "used to" với "was used to" (quen với)

  • "Used to + verb" = thói quen quá khứ đã kết thúc
  • "Be used to + V-ing" = quen với điều gì đó (hiện tại hoặc quá khứ)
  • ❌ "I am used to go to school by bus." → ✅ "I used to go to school by bus."
  • ❌ "People used to using smartphones." → ✅ "People are used to using smartphones."

Lỗi 2: Dùng "has changed" với thời gian quá khứ cụ thể

  • ❌ "The city has changed significantly in 1990." (có năm cụ thể → phải dùng past simple)
  • ✅ "The city changed significantly in 1990." / "The city has changed since 1990."

Lỗi 3: "No longer" đặt sai vị trí

  • ❌ "People no longer are relying on..." (sai vị trí)
  • ✅ "People are no longer relying on..." / "People no longer rely on..."

Lỗi 4: Chỉ mô tả thay đổi mà không giải thích tại sao

Trong Speaking Part 3 và Writing Task 2, mô tả thay đổi cần kèm lý do: - "The job market has changed dramatically, largely due to the rise of automation and digital technology."

Bài tập luyện

Hoàn thành câu bằng cấu trúc phù hợp:

  1. "People ___ write letters. Now everyone sends emails or messages." → used to
  2. "Urban areas ___ increasingly overcrowded over the past decade." → have become
  3. "Traditional newspapers ___ the primary source of news for most people." → no longer
  4. "___ the last twenty years, global temperatures ___ risen consistently." → Over / have

Trả lời câu hỏi Speaking Part 3:

  1. "How do you think work-life balance has changed compared to the past?"

Đáp án gợi ý:

  1. "People used to write letters."
  2. "Urban areas have become increasingly overcrowded over the past decade."
  3. "Traditional newspapers are no longer the primary source of news for most people."
  4. "Over the last twenty years, global temperatures have risen consistently."
  5. "Work-life balance has changed significantly over the past few decades, though not always for the better. People used to have clearer boundaries — when they left the office, work was finished. Now, smartphones mean that many employees feel they are always on call. That said, attitudes have also shifted: younger generations are no longer as willing to sacrifice their personal lives for their careers, and flexible working has become increasingly accepted."

Tóm tắt nhanh

MÔ TẢ THAY ĐỔI THEO THỜI GIAN:

QUÁN KHỨ → HIỆN TẠI:
  used to [verb] → now [present]
  "used to be X... now Y"
  "Where people once..., they now..."

SỰ THAY ĐỔI ĐẾN HIỆN TẠI (present perfect):
  has/have become [adjective/noun]
  has changed significantly/dramatically
  has undergone major change
  has been transformed

KHUNG THỜI GIAN:
  over the past/last [decade/few years]
  in recent years/decades
  since [year/event]

ĐIỀU ĐÃ BIẾN MẤT:
  no longer [verb]
  is no longer [adjective]
  doesn't [verb] anymore

CÔNG THỨC ĐẦY ĐỦ:
  [change] + because/due to/as a result of + [reason]
  [change], with + [consequence/further detail]