This document provides information about the structure and assessment of the Cambridge English: First Speaking test. The test contains 4 parts: short exchanges with an interlocutor, a 1-minute individual response, a collaborative task between candidates, and a discussion section. Candidates are assessed on 5 criteria: grammatical resource, lexical resource, discourse management, pronunciation, and interactive communication. Examiners focus on individual candidate performance and award marks for degree of grammatical control, vocabulary range, response length, fluency, relevance, repetition, organization, and clarity.

2. Paper Format
The Speaking test contains four
parts.
Timing 14 minutes
Task Types
Short exchanges with the
interlocutor and with the other
candidate; a 1-minute ‘long turn’;
a collaborative task involving the
two candidates; a discussion.
Marks
Candidates are awarded a mark
for each of five criteria: 4
analytical and 1 global.
Cambridge English: First Speaking Description

3. Cambridge English: First Speaking - How it's marked
Speaking tests are conducted by trained examiners
Although candidates take the test in pairs or
groups of three, throughout the test they are
assessed on their individual performance and
not in relation to each other.
The assessor awards marks for five individual criteria:
Grammatical Resource
Lexical Resource
Discourse Management
Pronunciation
Interactive Communication.

5. Assessing Speaking Performance
Does the speaker use simple grammatical forms with control?
Does the speaker use complex grammatical forms?
Does the speaker use a range of appropriate vocabulary?
Are the answers of an appropriate length for the task?
Is there much hesitation?
Are the contributions relevant?
Is there much repetition?
Is it well organized?
Are the answers clear?
Can the speaker be generally understood?

6. One examiner
(the assessor)
focuses on the
candidate's
performance.

7. FCE Speaking Test:
Part 1 (Interview)
Tests ability to:
Use language for social purposes
‘Getting-to-know-you' questions perhaps to find out
in 3 minutes where you come from, your interests,
your family or your studies etc.
Q: Where are you from? Q: Tell me something about your family.
Q: What did you enjoy most when you were at primary school?
Q: Do you have any plans for a holiday this year?
Q: Do you play any musical instruments?

8. Avoid short, 'yes', 'no' answers to closed questions.
Offer examples to help you explain a statement.

9. FCE Speaking Test: Part 2
Tests ability to:
Speak at length coherently, use language
to describe, compare and contrast and
comment upon a topic.
The examiner gives you two photographs.
You have to speak about your two photos without interruption
“I'd like you to compare the two photographs and say why…”

10. Notice there are TWO instructions here:
First to 'compare' the two photographs and also
'to say why' something is important to people.
Candidates need to show they can compare but also give an opinion.
Which sport would you most like to try?
Listen to the instructions carefully and make
sure you know what you have to talk about. If you
don't understand the instructions you should ask
the examiner to repeat them:

11. FCE Speaking Test:
Part 3: (Collaborative Task) Tests ability to:
Use language to discuss, express an
opinion, to agree and disagree, speculate
and evaluate etc.

12. First talk to each other about how
useful each of these forms of
transport might be for your holiday.
Then decide which one would be best.

13. FCE Speaking Test
Part 4: (Discussion)
Tests ability to: use language to express and
justify an opinion, to agree and disagree etc.
Q: Which sports are popular with young
people in your country?
Q: Do you think team sports are more fun
than individual sports

14. Date to be administered
Cambridge English: First (FCE)
October 12th, 2014