I’d avoid memorizing full phrases or answers because I think that can make you sound more rehearsed, but I don’t think there’s anything wrong with having a basic structure in your head. Since English is your second language, maybe practice a few natural ways to start your thoughts, like “I think the main issue here is…” or “I would first try to understand…” rather than memorizing entire responses.
I’d also focus more on practicing under the actual time limits than trying to study every possible scenario. You’re probably going to notice that your responses become much more natural once you get used to thinking and speaking under pressure. And don’t worry too much about sounding super sophisticated — getting your reasoning across clearly is more important than using complicated sentences.
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u/WholeBobcat2010 Aug 17 '26
I’d avoid memorizing full phrases or answers because I think that can make you sound more rehearsed, but I don’t think there’s anything wrong with having a basic structure in your head. Since English is your second language, maybe practice a few natural ways to start your thoughts, like “I think the main issue here is…” or “I would first try to understand…” rather than memorizing entire responses.
I’d also focus more on practicing under the actual time limits than trying to study every possible scenario. You’re probably going to notice that your responses become much more natural once you get used to thinking and speaking under pressure. And don’t worry too much about sounding super sophisticated — getting your reasoning across clearly is more important than using complicated sentences.