Speaking Test Finished

Part 1 · Personal questions

Part 1: Personal information. You will answer three short questions about yourself. You have 30 seconds for each answer. Speak after the beep.

1. Please tell me about a job you would like to do. (30 s)
2. What skills are useful in the workplace today? (30 s)
3. Do you prefer working in a team or on your own? (30 s)

Part 2 · Describe a photo

Part 2: Describing a picture. Look at the photograph. You will answer three questions, with 45 seconds for each answer.

1. Describe this picture. (45 s)
2. Tell me about someone you know who works with their hands. (45 s)
3. Do you think practical skills are valued enough? Why? (45 s)

Part 3 · Compare two photos

Part 3: Comparing two pictures. Look at the two photographs. You will answer three questions, with 45 seconds for each answer.

1. Describe these two pictures. (45 s)
2. Which of these two working environments would suit you better? Why? (45 s)
3. What are the demands of a job where you work under pressure with others? (45 s)

Part 4 · Long turn: Work and careers

Part 4: Discussion. You will see three questions on one topic. You have one minute to prepare and two minutes to answer all three questions together.

1. Tell me about the first job you had or would like to have.
2. How has the way people work changed in recent years?
3. Is it better to stay in one job for a long time or to change often? Why?

60 s to prepare, 120 s to answer all three questions together.

How to assess yourself

In the real exam each part gets a mark, and the examiner listens for the same four things in every answer. Play each recording and ask yourself:

• Fluency and cohesion: did I speak for the whole time without long pauses, and did I link my ideas (because, although, however, on the other hand)?
• Vocabulary: did I use varied, precise words, or did I repeat the same ones?
• Grammar: did I use the right tenses, and did I try structures beyond the simplest ones?
• Pronunciation: would a stranger understand me easily at first listen?

And one that is not a language criterion but costs marks every time: did I actually answer the question that was asked, or did I talk around it?

Tip: in Parts 2 and 3, describe first (who, where, what is happening), then compare or give your opinion. Running out of things to say usually means the description was too short.