In part 1 the examiner asks you general questions
about things like your family, home, job/studies, hobbies, holidays,
future plans etc. Obviously he or she will ask your name and where
you’re from. This part lasts about 2 minutes. Try to relax, be
friendly and smile. It’s only English!
Here’s Nacho and Tatiana.
PART 1 (2 Minutes)
Good afternoon. My name’s Craig and this is my colleague Jonathan.
And your names are…. Can I have your mark sheets, please? Thank you
Where are you from? and you…?
First we’d like to know something about you.
How do you like to spend your weekends?
Tell us about a place you like to go with your friends.
Do you like cooking? What kind of things do you like to cook?
Do you prefer to watch TV or use the Internet? What do you like to
use the Internet for?
Are you going to do anything special this weekend?
I thought that Tatiana and Nacho did part 1 very well. They sounded
relaxed and natural. They answered the questions well.
Nacho said, “I live in a near town”, it’s better to say, “I live in
a town quite near here.”
Tatiana said, “I used to cook traditional food, like rice…” It’s
better to say, “I usually/often cook traditional food…”
Before you do your speaking test, make sure you know how to talk
about your job or studies. How do you say your profession or your
course of study in English?
Can you talk briefly about a hobby you have or something new you
would like to take up (start doing)?
You might be asked about a film you’ve seen, a book you’ve read, a
party you’ve been to and you may be asked about things you’re
planning to do in the future.
Don’t learn long sentences and repeat them like a parrot “I’m from
Valencia which is the third largest city in Spain and has a
population of 900,000 – No! Don’t do that.
Moving on to Part 2. This part lasts for about 4 minutes and you
have to speak about 2 photographs and then make a comment about your
partner’s photographs for about 30 seconds.
If you don’t understand the question, ask for repetition (gives you
a few seconds to think).
I’m sorry, could you repeat that, please?
Would you mind repeating the question?
You have to COMPARE the photos, so speak about the differences and
similarities.
1. Compare
2. Answer the question
3. Personalize
Keep speaking until the examiner stops you
Let’s listen to Tatiana and Nacho
In this part of the test, I’m going to give each of you two
photographs. I’d like you to talk about your photographs on your own
for about a minute
and also to answer a short question about your partner’s photographs.
Tatiana, it’s your turn first. Here are your photographs. They show
people who are doing different things in the evening
I’d like you to compare the photographs and say what the people are
enjoying about doing these things in the evening.
All right?
Thank you
Nacho, Which of these things would you prefer to do in the evening?
(30 secs)
Thank you.
Now….here are your photographs. They show people spending time in
the city in different ways
I’d like you to compare the photographs and say why you think the
people have chosen to spend their time in these ways
All right?
Thank you.
……do you enjoy spending your free time in the city? (30 secs)
Did you notice that Nacho asked me to repeat the question? I suspect
he wanted a second or two to think. This is ok, but if you ask the
examiner to repeat the question too many times, you’ll probably lose
marks.
Keep speaking until the examiner stops you. Remember CAP
1. Compare
2. Answer the question
3. Personalize (I prefer this photo/situation because…. I don’t like
this one because….)
Listen to your partner. When you have to comment for 30 seconds on
your partner’s photos you can say, for example, I agree with
Nacho/Tatiana because….. or as Nacho said, “Well, as Tatiana said
before, I would prefer…”
Possible improvements:
Tatiana:
I think it’s a photo which shows….
XI’m not feeling to fishingX – I’m not keen on fishing / I don’t
like fishing very much
Nacho
A basketball court in the middle of the city which is surrounded by
big buildings
XAsian people which are in the marketX – who are in the market
It’s very difficult not to make small mistakes in the speaking. You
have to think quickly, be fluent. But you should try to be as
accurate as you can. If you hear yourself making a mistake, correct
it immediately
“The people is shopping – Sorry, I mean the people are shopping.”
Let’s move on to Parts 3 and 4 which are about 7 minutes altogether
Give your opinion and ask your partner’s opinion.
Asking for an opinion
What do you think?
How about you?
Do you agree?
Do you think it’s a good idea?
What’s your opinion?
Giving your opinion
In my opinion…
I think we should…
As far as I’m concerned…
On the other hand I think that…
From my point of view…
Remember, you can say if you agree or disagree with your partner:
Disagreeing
I don’t think so because….
I’m sorry but I don’t agree because…
Yes, but maybe it would be better if we….
I can’t agree with you because…
Agreeing
I completely/totally/absolutely agree with you.
I’m 100% in agreement with you.
That’s right/true.
I couldn’t agree more.
Remember that after 2 minutes you have about a minute to decide
something. Let’s see how Tatiana and Nacho do the final parts of the
test.
Examiner’s transcription
Now I’d like you to talk about something together for about two
minutes.
Here are some modern inventions and a question for you to discuss.
First you have some time to look at the task.
Now, talk to each other about why these inventions
are important in our everyday lives.
Thank you. Now you have about a minute to decide which two
inventions you think it would be most difficult to live without.
Thank you.
PART 4 (about 3 and a half – 4 minutes)
• What do you think is the most important invention for your family?
• Do you think that mobile phones are becoming too popular these
days? Why?
• Which way do you prefer to travel? Why?
• What’s your opinion?
• One final question, how do you both think that technology will
develop in the future?
• Can you think of other ways where technology may develop?
Thank you. That’s the end of the test.
LANGUAGE FEEDBACK
Nacho
Good language
The Internet is probably the most important invention in our daily
lives.
Yes, I’m with you
It makes our lives easier
I agree with you up to a point because I consider the Internet….
Possible improvements
XI would prefer the car because of the comfortableX …because of the
comfort (noun) (a car is more comfortable, and convenient)
XThe last decade has been very improving the technologiesX –
Technology has improved a lot during the last decade.
Tatiana
Good language
Would you like to start, Nacho?
What do you think about it?
Let’s move on to…..
Possible improvements
X…my mum, who hadn’t a washing machine when she was youngX – …my mum,
who didn’t have a washing machine (it’s not usual to contract ‘have’
when it’s a full verb)
Xour lives without them were very, very differentX – our lives
without them would be very, very different
Xwe can keep the contactX – we can keep in touch
XI feel more safety in a carX – I feel safer in a car than in a
plane (‘THAN’, not ‘that’)
XI can’t imagine how much can improve technologyX – I can’t imagine
how much technology will improve…
XI hope the improvements were get betterX – I hope we will see
better improvements (in technology) |
|
|
