Speaking Boost · C1 · Lesson 37 of 50
Speaking Boost C1 · Block 8: Work and Creativity

Is talent overrated?

Do champions and artists succeed because of talent or because of practice? Discuss the evidence, and learn to express preferences with would rather, would prefer and would sooner, including preferences about other people's actions.

1

Warm-up

5 min
1.1

Talent and effort

Answer each question with 2–3 sentences.

  1. Do you think you have a natural talent for something?
  2. Would you rather be talented or hard-working?
  3. Did you have a teacher who believed in you?
  4. Have you ever given up on something because you thought you lacked talent?
  5. Which famous person do you think succeeded through effort?
  6. Do you think children should be tested for talent?
2

Words and phrases

12 min
2.1

New words

Read each word and the example. Then say a sentence about talent.

2.2

Which word?

Choose the word that fits.

  1. She has a natural for languages and learns them quickly.
  2. The quality of continuing to try despite repeated failure is called .
  3. A child who shows exceptional skill at a very young age is a .
  4. An ability is one that a person is born with.
  5. Complete control of a subject or skill is called .
  6. Some students at maths without trying very hard.
  7. A belief that abilities can grow through effort is called a growth .
  8. Teachers try to help every child fulfil their .
2.3

Opposites and pairs

Choose the right answer, then press Check answers.

  1. an aptitude is a natural
  2. perseverance = continuing to try despite
  3. a prodigy is a
  4. innate = present from
  5. mastery = great
  6. to excel = to be exceptionally
2.4

Useful phrases

Use these phrases to express what you prefer.

  • I'd rather...Я б краще...I'd rather work hard than rely on talent.
  • I'd rather you...Я б хотів, щоб ти...I'd rather you didn't call it a gift.
  • I'd rather have...Я б краще... (в минулому)I'd rather have practised than waited.
  • I'd prefer to...Я віддав би перевагу тому, щоб...I'd prefer to study with a coach.
  • I'd prefer you to...Я хотів би, щоб ти...I'd prefer you to give honest advice.
  • I'd sooner... than...Я б скоріше..., ніж...I'd sooner fail than copy someone.
  • I'd rather be... than...Я б краще був..., ніж...I'd rather be hard-working than lucky.
  • Would you rather...?Чи вам би більше хотілося...?Would you rather be gifted or determined?
3

Read and react

8 min
3.1

Talent or effort?

Read the text. Hover over the dotted words for help.

Is talent overrated?

Is talent overrated? Many people believe that great achievements need a rare gift, yet a number of researchers argue that practice matters more than we think. In the early 1990s, the psychologist Anders Ericsson and colleagues studied violin students at a music academy in Berlin. The best students had, on average, spent many more hours in deliberate practice by the age of twenty than the less successful ones. A popular book later turned this into the "10,000-hour rule", though Ericsson himself said that this was a simplification.

More recent work offers a more balanced view. A 2014 analysis combined many studies and concluded that practice explained a substantial part of the differences in performance in some fields, such as music and games, but much less in others, such as education and professions. In other words, practice matters a great deal, but it does not explain everything. Some researchers would rather speak of a mix of training, opportunity, health and, perhaps, innate differences.

Beliefs also matter. The psychologist Carol Dweck has argued that a growth mindset, the belief that abilities can improve, encourages learning from setbacks, although later studies have found that the effect is smaller than first claimed. Even so, many teachers would prefer that students think "not yet" instead of "I can't".

What about prodigies? Mozart is often presented as a pure genius, yet his father, a professional musician, taught him intensively from a very early age. Many coaches would rather look for perseverance, curiosity and good support than for early signs of talent.

So is talent overrated? Perhaps it is misunderstood: it may open doors, but effort and support keep them open.

Would you rather be talented or hard-working, and why?

3.2

True or false?

  1. Ericsson studied violin students in Berlin.
  2. The text says that practice explains everything about performance.
  3. Ericsson said that the 10,000-hour rule was a simplification.
  4. The text says that later studies found the growth mindset effect to be larger than first claimed.
  5. The text suggests that talent and effort both matter.
3.3

What do you think?

  1. Which matters more, talent or effort?
  2. Should schools identify talented children early?
  3. Can anyone master a skill?
  4. What does a good coach do?
4

Grammar for speaking

10 min
4.1

Grammar for speaking

Would rather and would sooner

Use would rather (or would sooner) + base verb to say what you prefer to do yourself. Use would rather + subject + past simple for someone else's action now or in the future, and would rather + subject + past perfect for the past. Use than + base verb for the comparison.

I'd rather work alone. I'd rather you didn't interrupt. I'd rather have stayed at home yesterday. I'd sooner fail than copy someone. I'd rather you had told me yesterday.

Would prefer

Use would prefer + to-infinitive for yourself, would prefer + object + to-infinitive for others, and would prefer + noun. For a comparison use would prefer to... rather than + base verb.

I'd prefer to study with a coach. He'd prefer me to join the team. I'd prefer tea. I'd prefer to practise rather than wait.

Block 8 review

Use the grammar from this block.

wish and if only (L36)

Common mistakes: would rather + base verb (no to), would rather + subject + past simple for another person's action now, would rather + subject + past perfect for the past, and would prefer + to / object + to. ✗ I'd rather to work alone → I'd rather work alone. ✗ I'd rather you don't interrupt → I'd rather you didn't interrupt. ✗ I'd rather stay yesterday → I'd rather have stayed. ✗ He'd prefer me join → He'd prefer me to join.

4.2

Choose the right form

  1. I'd rather
    alone.
  2. I'd rather you
    me.
  3. She'd prefer
    with a coach.
  4. I'd rather
    at home yesterday.
  5. He'd prefer
    the team.
  6. I'd rather work than
    what to do.
  7. They would sooner
    than copy others.
  8. I'd rather you
    me yesterday.
4.3

Fix the mistake

Each sentence has one mistake. Type the correct words.

  1. I'd rather to work alone. →
  2. I'd rather you don't interrupt me. →
  3. I'd rather stay at home yesterday. →
  4. He'd prefer me join the team. →
  5. They would sooner to fail than copy. →
  6. I'd rather you told me yesterday. →
4.4

Talk about it

Answer in detail. Use would rather, would prefer and wish.

  1. Would you rather be gifted or determined? Why?
  2. Would you rather your children practised every day, or enjoyed themselves?
  3. What would you rather have done differently in your training or studies?
  4. Who would you prefer to learn from, a famous expert or a good teacher?
  5. Would you sooner fail trying something hard or succeed at something easy?
  6. What would you rather people said about you: talented or hard-working?
5

Three views and a short talk

8 min
5.1

Three views on talent

Three people discuss talent and effort. Compare them. Who values talent most? Who values effort most? Whose view is closest to yours?

Person 1

Mina, 15

  • Plays the violin
  • Practises two hours a day
  • Would rather practise than watch TV
  • Says she is not a prodigy
Person 2

Mr Brooks, 48

  • Is a sports coach
  • Looks for perseverance
  • Would sooner train a hard worker than a gifted idler
  • Says talent can disappear
Person 3

Dr Osei, 56

  • Studies expertise
  • Says practice matters but not alone
  • Warns about the 10,000-hour myth
  • Would rather speak of many factors
5.2

Mini-talk: talent or effort

Your teacher will time you.

  1. Plan for one minute, then speak for one or two minutes.
  2. Part 1: say whether you think talent or effort matters more.
  3. Part 2: give your own example and use would rather or would prefer at least three times.
  4. Part 3: say what you would like a young person to do who wants to succeed.
2:00
6

Personal questions

10 min
6.1

Part I: Me

  1. Do you think you have a talent?
  2. Would you rather practise or rest?
  3. What skill would you like to master?
  4. Do you prefer working alone or with a coach?
  5. Do you give up easily?
  6. Would you rather have talent or luck?
  7. Who do you think has more potential, you or your friends?
  8. What would you rather be doing right now?
6.2

Part II: Other people

  1. Who in your family has a talent?
  2. Who believed in you when you were young?
  3. Who is the most hard-working person you know?
  4. Who would you prefer to learn from?
  5. Who in your life never gives up?
  6. Who do you wish had encouraged you more?
6.3

Part III: A bit deeper

  1. Is talent overrated?
  2. Should schools create special classes for gifted children?
  3. Is it unfair that some people are born with advantages?
  4. Is it better to be a master of one skill or good at many?
  5. Would the world be better if everyone worked harder?
7

Roleplay

12 min
7.1

Advising a young musician

You

Teacher

A student (your teacher) wonders whether to continue with music:
  • listen to the problem
  • say what you would rather the student did
  • give advice about practice
  • encourage the student
Speak for at least 2 minutes in total. Use would rather and would prefer.
Your teacher

Student

Says things like:
  1. I am not sure I have talent.
  2. Practice is hard.
  3. What should I do?
  4. Thank you.
7.2

Debating talent

You

Speaker

You are in a debate (your teacher):
  • state your view
  • give an example
  • respond to an objection
  • use I'd rather and I'd prefer
You do most of the talking. Use: I'd rather... · I'd prefer you to... · I'd sooner... than...
Your teacher

Opponent

Says things like:
  1. Talent is everything.
  2. Can you prove it?
  3. But some people are born gifted.
  4. So what is your advice?
8

Homework

at home

Your homework score

Do all four exercises, then press Check all homework. Correct answers will appear next to your mistakes.

– / 30
H1

Complete with a word

aptitudeperseveranceprodigyinnatemasteryexcelmindsetpotential
  1. She has a natural for languages and learns them quickly.
  2. The quality of continuing to try despite repeated failure is called .
  3. A child who shows exceptional skill at a very young age is a .
  4. An ability is one that a person is born with.
  5. Complete control of a subject or skill is called .
  6. Some students at maths without trying very hard.
  7. A belief that abilities can grow through effort is called a growth .
  8. Teachers try to help every child fulfil their .
H2

Choose the correct form

  1. I'd rather at home today.
  2. I'd rather you here.
  3. He'd prefer until tomorrow.
  4. I'd rather yesterday.
  5. She'd prefer early.
  6. I'd rather walk than the bus.
  7. They would sooner than hurry.
  8. I'd rather you last night.
H3

Correct or incorrect?

Decide if each sentence is grammatically correct.

  1. I'd rather work alone.
  2. I'd rather to work alone.
  3. I'd rather you didn't interrupt.
  4. I'd rather you don't interrupt.
  5. He'd prefer me to join the team.
  6. He'd prefer me join the team.
  7. They would sooner fail than copy others.
H4

Match the two halves

  1. I'd rather
  2. I'd rather you
  3. I'd rather have
  4. I'd prefer
  5. I'd prefer you
  6. I'd sooner fail
  7. Would you rather

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© Yevheniia Kolesnykova, Academy of Languages. All rights reserved. No copying or reuse without written permission.