CÔNG THỨC CHUNG: SCARF

(Setting – Character – Action – Result – Feelings)

1. Setting (Bối cảnh)

​ •​ Khi nào? Ở đâu? Trong hoàn cảnh gì?

​ •​ Câu mở đầu tự nhiên:

​ •​ “Let me take you back to a time when…”

​ •​ “This happened a couple of years ago when I was…”

2. Character (Nhân vật)

​ •​ Ai liên quan trong câu chuyện? (Bản thân, bạn bè, người thân…)

​ •​ Thêm tính cách, nghề nghiệp, sở thích để làm rõ nét nhân vật:

​ •​ “My cousin, who’s a super creative person and always full of

ideas…”

3. Action (Hành động chính)

​ •​ Chuyện gì đã xảy ra? Diễn biến ra sao? Giải thích chi tiết.

​ •​ Đây là phần dài nhất. Có thể chia theo trình tự:

​ •​ What led to the situation?

​ •​ What you did / What happened?

​ •​ Any challenge or turning point?

4. Result (Kết quả)

​ •​ Kết quả cuối cùng là gì? Thành công, thất bại hay bài học?

​ •​ “Eventually, I managed to…”

​ •​ “In the end, we realized that…”

5. Feelings (Cảm xúc và bài học)

​ •​ Em cảm thấy thế nào? Học được gì từ trải nghiệm đó?

​ •​ “Looking back, I feel really grateful because…”

​ •​ “This experience taught me that…”

Từ vựng nâng cao & tự nhiên (tuỳ theo chủ đề):

​ •​ Diễn tả cảm xúc: over the moon, frustrated, on edge, relieved,

thrilled, nostalgic

​ •​ Miêu tả người: witty, down-to-earth, strong-willed, easygoing

​ •​ Miêu tả nơi chốn: vibrant, secluded, rundown, tranquil, cozy

​ •​ Miêu tả sự kiện: once-in-a-lifetime, unforgettable, nerve-racking,

chaotic

Ví dụ áp dụng (chủ đề: A person who likes to read a lot)

Bài này từ vựng còn đơn giản do promptly thinking =))) nên mọi người thay
từ thoải mái, miễn đúng collocation và idiomatic

The first character that springs to my mind is my cousin Minh who is truly an
avid reader. And let me take you back to a rainy afternoon last summer when I
visited my aunt’s house in the countryside. => SETTING BỐI CẢNH

She lives in a peaceful village and has this magical little library in her living
room. Minh is her nephew and he has a strong passion to be a bookworm. Like
he can curl up on the couch all day with a thick fantasy novel. He reads
everything—from classic literature to science fiction. => CHARACTER NHÂN
VẬT

That day, he told me about a book he’d just finished that completely changed
his mindset about life. He talked so passionately about it that I ended up
borrowing it from him. => Action (in here we can see it as influence) => thể
hiện mối liên hệ

Eventually, that book became one of my all-time favorites too.

Looking back, I really admire how Minh treats reading as both a hobby and a
way to explore the world. He’s the reason I started reading more seriously.
 MẤY ĐỀ GẦN ĐÂY HAY VÀO

I.​ PERSON

STT Đề bài

1 A well-known person in your country

who is very popular

2 A family member you might like to

work with in the future

3 A friend you enjoy talking with

4 Describe a person who likes to read a

lot

5 Describe a person who likes to make

things by hand

6 Describe a person who always has

strong opinions

7 Describe an old friend you had lost

touch with

8 Describe a person who has chosen a

career in the medical field
9 An old person that you know

II.​ EVENT

STT Đề bài

1 A time when someone asked you for

your opinion

2 A time when you helped a child

3 A time when you had to spend a long

time in a traffic jam

4 A time when you used a phone to do

something important

5 A time when you were very busy

6 A situation when somebody said

something positive about some work
that you did

7 A time when you asked someone for

advice

8 A time you lost a valuable item

9 A time you won an award

10 A time you faced difficulty/challenges

11 An occasion when you helped a

family member/relative

12 A time when you answered a phone

call from someone you didn’t know in
a public place

13 An occasion when you received good

service

14 Describe a crowded place you went to

15 Describe a room you really like in

another person’s home

16 Describe a movie you watched

recently

III.​ ACHIEVEMENT

STT Đề bài

1 A difficult decision you made that had

a good result

2 A competition you would like to take

part in
3 A change you made in your daily life
that saved you time

4 Something you did to keep fit and

healthy

5 An invention which has changed the

world

6 Something that surprised you and

made you happy

7 An important event in your life that

you celebrated

8 A change you made in your life

recently that was positive

9 Something that made you feel

confident

10 The most expensive item you’ve ever

bought
 GIỜ APPLY CÁI METHOD NÀY VÀO TỪNG ĐỀ

I. Describe a person who likes to read a lot

Band 8.5 – Upgraded Version

Let me tell you about my cousin Linh, who is, without a doubt, the most avid
reader I know. She’s a university student majoring in literature, and books are
literally her life.

Linh is the kind of person who finds comfort in the smell of old pages and the
silence of libraries. Her room? It’s like a miniature bookstore—books stacked
high on every surface, categorized by genre and even author. She mostly
devours historical fiction and biographies, but she’s also into self-help books
and psychology.

One time, during a family gathering, she handed me "Educated by Tara

Westover”, saying, “You need this in your life.” I was skeptical at first, but I gave
it a shot. And wow—it was a page-turner. It left me deeply moved and inspired.

Thanks to her, I began to see reading not as a task, but as a portal into new
perspectives.

What I really admire about Linh is that she doesn’t just read for
entertainment—she reads to grow. Her thoughts are always articulate and
thought-provoking, and honestly, she’s made me a better thinker.

Từ vựng xịn:

​ •​ Avid reader, devour books, page-turner

​ •​ Thought-provoking, articulate, find comfort in

​ •​ A portal into new perspectives

II. A time you lost a valuable item

The first thing that spring to my mind was the time that I lost my inseparable
item which is my phone. This happened during a weekend trip to Đà Lạt- a
charming highland city in Vietnam
On the second night, I noticed my phone was missing. Not just any phone it had
all my documents, banking apps, and irreplaceable photos. I was in absolute
panic mode.

We retraced our steps, from a vintage-style café to the bustling night market. It
was raining, and the streets were slippery, but we kept searching. Eventually,
someone messaged my mom saying they found a phone under a bench. Turns
out, a street vendor picked it up and decided to track down the owner the
old-fashioned way.

When I met her, she handed it over with a smile and refused to accept any
money. She just said, “I know how it feels to lose something important.”

I was blown away by her honesty and kindness. That experience reminded me
that even in a chaotic world, there are still people with integrity and
compassion.

Từ vựng xịn:

​ •​ In absolute panic mode, retrace my steps

​ •​ Track down the owner, blown away

​ •​ Integrity, compassion, irreplaceable, vintage-style café

2. A time when you asked someone for advice

I clearly remember the time when I was torn between two career
paths—marketing and education. I felt stuck, overwhelmed by the pressure to
“get it right” at age 21.

So I reached out to my mentor, Mr. Tuấn, who had worked in both industries. He
invited me over for coffee and listened patiently as I poured out my confusion.

What struck me was that he didn’t give me a straight answer. Instead, he asked
me questions—deep, uncomfortable ones like “What kind of problems do you
want to solve?” or “What drains your energy vs. what fuels it?”

That conversation didn’t solve all my problems, but it gave me clarity. I realized
that I craved human connection more than metrics, so I eventually chose
education.

Looking back, I’m grateful he didn’t “advise”—he guided. And that made all the
difference.

Từ vựng hay:
 torn between, poured out my confusion, human connection vs
metrics, guided not advised, clarity, life-changing talk

3. A situation when you had to spend a long time in a traffic jam

Oh, that day is still vivid in my mind. I was on my way to a university entrance
exam—a pretty high-stakes moment—when I got caught in a massive traffic jam
in the heart of Hanoi.

It was one of those classic mornings: blaring horns, engines idling, motorbikes
weaving through like water in a clogged pipe. My heart was pounding. I was
sweating bullets in my ao dai, watching the clock tick like a bomb.

Instead of panicking, I took a deep breath, called the exam office, and explained
the situation. They told me not to worry—latecomers would be admitted with
valid reasons.

I eventually arrived 15 minutes late, breathless but allowed in. Funny enough, I
ended up scoring higher than I’d expected. Maybe the adrenaline helped?

The whole thing taught me a lesson in staying calm under pressure and
controlling what I can, rather than freaking out over what I can’t.

Từ vựng đắt giá:

sweating bullets, high-stakes moment, engines idling, clogged
pipe metaphor, staying calm under pressure, adrenaline boost