2. The Speaking test is 14 minutes
long and consists of four parts.
The standard test format is two
candidates and two examiners.
One examiner (the interlocutor)
will speak to you and your
partner and the other (the
assessor) will be listening.
3. Part 1 (2 minutes)
The interlocutor asks you and
your partner questions about
yourselves. You may be asked
about things like your home town,
your interests, your studies, etc.
4.
5. Grammar and Vocabulary
Are you using a range of
grammatical structures and
vocabulary?
Are you using these structures
and vocabulary correctly?
Are you using vocabulary which is
appropriate for a range of familiar
topics?
6. Discourse Management
Are you using both long and short
answers, depending on the task?
Is everything you say relevant to the
task?
Are your ideas expressed clearly?
Are you using some language to link
and organise your ideas?
Are you able to speak fluently and with
very little repetition?
7. Pronunciation
You don't need to have an English accent,
but it is important to be clear.
Are you pronouncing individual sounds
clearly?
Are you placing stress on the right parts of
words and on the right words in
sentences?
Does your voice go up and down at the
right times?
8. Interactive communication
Are you able to interact with the other
candidate easily and effectively?
Are you listening to the other candidate
and answering in a way that makes sense?
Are you able to start a discussion and
keep it going with your partner?
Can you think of new ideas to add to the
discussion?
9. How to succeed?
Listen and pay atention.
If you don’t understand, just ask again!
Excuse me, could you repeat that?.
Practise giving information about yourself.
You can give short answers, but it is good to
extend them if you can.
Don’t give answers which you have
learned, as they don’t sound very natural.
10. Reasons (justify your answer)
Examples ( personal past experiences)
Feelings ( Describe emotions, say why you like
certain things)
Give extra information
Example :
if you are asked: Where are you from? what do you
like to do to there?
Answer: I am from Chillán. I like to go out with my
friends at night and do some sport sometimes.
This answer is too far to be a good answer.
11. Where are you from? what do you like to
do to there?
I’m from Chillán. It’s a beautiful town in the
south of Chile, not very far from Concepción.
I was born in Santiago but I’m living in
Chillán at the moment. I usually go there
during vacations. It’s so fun to be there. For
example, last month I spent some time with
my family and friends and I went shopping
with my cousin, things are way too cheaper
than in Chillán.
12. Example Speaking Part 1
Questions
What is your name?
Where are you from?
And what do you do there/here?
How long have you been studying English?
What do you like most about studying
English?
Is English important for your future?
13. The examiner can “widen the
scope” of the conversation…
Tell me about your experience arriving here today.
What was your day like today?
Where do you see yourself in five years?
Tell me about something you celebrated recently.
Tell me about a story you heard in the news lately.
14. Useful phrases and vocabulary
for Cambridge CAE and FCE
Speaking Module (Part 1)
On Your City
Speaking about your city is a great way to show that you
know how to use Relative Clauses correctly. Make sure
you have prepared a short explanation about your city.
Examples:
I’m from Umbria, which is a region in Central Italy.
I’m originally from Daegu, which is a small college town
in South Korea.
I’m from Maresme, which is a region just north of
Barcelona.
15. This is also a great opportunity to use the
Present Perfect Continuous.
Example:
I’m from Umbria, which is a region in Central
Italy. But I’ve been living here in San Diego for
four months.
I’m originally from Daegu, which is a small
college town in South Korea. However, I’ve been
studying English in San Francisco for the last
three months.
I’m from Maresme, which is a region just north of
Barcelona. But for the last few months I’ve
been living in California.
16. On Your Childhood
Examples
Speaking about your childhood is a great
opportunity to use phrasal verbs like GROW UP. It’s
also a great way to use the Past Passive.
- Born in
I was born in Berlin.
- Raised by
I was raised by my mother and stepfather.
- Grew up in
I grew up in a small town, just north of Zurich.
- Born and raised
I was born and raised in Seoul.
17. On Your Personal Life
Examples:
The Cambridge employee will want to know a little about
you, so be prepared to talk about your likes, dislikes, and
interests. Here are some useful phrases.
- I’m an avid ________________.
I’m an avid reader. I have hundreds of books in addition to
plenty of files on my e-reader.
- I’m a ________________ lover.
I’m a huge soccer lover, so I usually play with my friends
on weekends.
- I’m a big fan of ________________.
I’m a big fan of music, and in my free time I often go to
concerts.
- I’m a ________________ fan.
I’m a fitness fan, so I’m often found at the gym or outdoors
doing something exciting, like hiking.
18. Examples of what you are
going to be asked
Hometown: Where are you from’ where were you born?
Free time: What are your hobbies? What activities do you usually
do when you’re at home? Do you enjoy being outdoors?
Past experiences: Tell me something you enjoyed doing recently.
What did you do last weekend?
Travelling: do you enjoy travelling? Tell me about a place you’d
love to visit.
Work: what would be your ideal job? What would you like to do in
the future? Do you have a job or do you study?
Sports: do you enjoy doing sports? What activities can you
practice where you live?
Family: tell us a little bit about your family.
Books and TV: do you watch TV? What are your favourite
shows? Do you prefer watching TV or reading?
19. Useful phrases and tips
There is one very important thing to remember: it’s
completely natural that you might not understand
everything the interlocutors say! If you don’t
understand a question, you can always ask for
clarification. Here are some ways to do so:
I’m sorry, I didn’t quite catch that. Could you please
repeat the question?
My apologies, I didn’t hear that last bit. Would you
mind repeating the question?
Would you mind repeating the question once more?
Thank you.
20. Asking for clarification
Sorry, I’m not sure what you mean.
I don’t (really) understand
Can you say that again, please? I’m not
(quite) sure what I have to do.
Can I ask a question?
Do you want me to....?
Correcting yourself
What I mean is...
What I meant was...
What I’m trying to say is...