LANGUAGECERT IESOL EXAM

EXAM HELP BOOKLET

SPEAKING
1
How to use this booklet
This booklet has been created to help you prepare for the tasks featured in the LanguageCert ISESOL
exam. The booklet will focus on three exam levels, B1, B2 and C1.
The booklet has 3 sections with each section having been designed to guide you through the preparation
process.

Table of Contents
1. The structure of LanguageCert ISESOL exams
2. The assessment of LanguageCert ISESOL exams
3. Preparing for the four criteria of assessment

2
1. The Structure of speaking tasks

When you are preparing for a language exam, it is important to familiarise yourself with the structure of the
exam, so lets have a look at some of the things you can expect when taking a B1, B2 or C1 ISESOL exam.
The exam has 4 parts each part having a different aim and focus. Each part is strictly timed, so dont worry if
the interlocutor politely tells you to stop. It only means that the time allocated for that part is up. This section
of the booklet will explain the focus of each part of the exam and the requirements you will be measured
against.

Marks and features of each speaking task

B1 B2 C1 Maximum
marks (to
be divided
by two)
Part Giving personal Giving personal Giving personal Maximum
1 information information information mark: 12
A warm-up activity to A warm-up activity to A warm-up activity to
help relax candidates. help relax candidates. help relax candidates.
Answering questions on Answering questions on Answering questions on
familiar topics and familiar and abstract familiar and abstract
expressing some topics and expressing topics and expressing
opinions and ideas opinions and ideas opinions and ideas on a
wide range of topics
Part Communicating in Communicating in Communicating in Maximum
2 everyday situations everyday situations everyday situations mark: 12
Acting out short role- Acting out short role- Acting out short role-
plays in familiar formal, plays in formal, neutral plays in formal, neutral
neutral and informal and informal settings. and informal settings.
settings. Candidates Candidates respond or Candidates respond or
respond or initiate as initiate as required. initiate as required.
required. Candidates Candidates dont need Candidates dont need to
dont need to play the to play the role of play the role of another
role of another person another person but person but must
but must understand must understand the understand the context
the context and role context and role that and role that the
that the interlocutor the interlocutor plays. interlocutor plays.
plays.

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Part Exchanging Exchanging Exchanging Maximum
3 information and information and information and mark: 12
opinions to perform a opinions to perform a opinions to perform a
task task task
The candidate and The candidate and The candidate and
Interlocutor each have Interlocutor each have Interlocutor each have
the same copy of six a similarly themed set the same written
visual inputs around a of information. Each set prompts. Both use these
central theme, topic or of information contains to ask and answer
question. Both use the some different details. questions, expand and
inputs to ask and Both use the inputs to justify opinions, challenge
answer questions, ask and answer and ask for clarification,
discuss and reach a questions, discuss and and reach some kind of
conclusion. The task agree 2-4 plans/ conclusion. The task
involves making arrangements/ requires sufficient
personal decisions decisions. The task language to discuss
about the choices. involves making abstract concepts.
personal decisions
about the choices.
The candidates do not
see the Interlocutors
information.
Part Speaking about a Speaking about a Speaking about a Maximum
4 selected topic selected topic selected topic mark: 12
30-second preparation 30-second preparation 30-second preparation
time - note-taking time - note-taking time - note-taking
allowed. allowed. allowed.
Candidates Candidates Candidates demonstrate
demonstrate their ability demonstrate their ability their ability to speak on a
to speak on a topic for a to speak on a topic for a topic for a long turn, to
long turn, to describe, long turn, to describe, describe, narrate or
narrate or explain narrate or explain explain something and
something and respond something and respond respond to questions.
to questions. to questions.

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 2. The Assessment of ISESOL exam

The 4 parts of the ISESOL exam are evaluated with the help of task-specific mark schemes. Each level has
a task-specific mark scheme with descriptors for Task fulfilment and coherence, Accuracy and range of
grammar, Accuracy and range of vocabulary and Pronunciation, intonation and fluency. There are four levels
of performance with a corresponding mark in each of the above criteria: First Class Pass (3), Pass (2),
Narrow Fail (1) and Fail (0). The total marks awarded for the task are the sum of the marks awarded to each
criterion. Each of the 4 tasks is evaluated separately and the final grade is reached by dividing the total
marks awarded for all 4 parts by two and rounding it up. In order to pass, a candidate needs to achieve a
Pass (12 points).

Grade table for B1, B2 and C1

Grade Total marks:

24
FCP 20-24
PASS 12-19 (50%)
NF 11
F 0-10

The four criteria of the mark schemes explained

Criterion Task fulfilment and Accuracy and range Accuracy and range Pronunciation,
coherence of grammar (0-3 of vocabulary (0-3 intonation and
(0-3 points) points) points) fluency (0-3 points)
The ability to engage The ability to vary The ability to vary The ability to
in effective and demonstrate and demonstrate produce the sounds
communicative control of control of lexis and of English in order
exchanges and grammatical register as to be understood
connect utterances structures as appropriate to the with appropriate
coherently appropriate to the task stress and
task intonation and
maintain the flow of
speech

Apart from the mark scheme, markers also rely heavily on the CEFR descriptors for the given level, so it might be a
good idea to see if you satisfy the criteria.

5
CEFR descriptors for B1, B2 and C1
Accuracy Range Pronunciation Fluency and interaction

B1 Uses reasonably Has enough Pronunciation is Can keep going comprehensibly,

accurately a language to get clearly intelligible even though pausing for
repertoire of by, with sufficient even if a foreign grammatical and lexical planning
frequently used vocabulary to accent is and repair is very evident,
routines and express sometimes evident especially in longer stretches of free
patterns him/herself with and occasional production.
associated with some hesitation mispronunciations Can initiate, maintain and close
more predictable and occur. simple face-to-face conversation on
situations. circumlocutions topics that are familiar or of
on topics such as personal interest.
family, hobbies Can repeat back part of what
and interests, someone has said to confirm mutual
work, travel, and understanding.
current events.
B2 Shows a Has a sufficient Has acquired a Can produce stretches of language
relatively high range of clear, natural, with a fairly even tempo; although
degree of language to be pronunciation and he/she can be hesitant as he/she
grammatical able to give clear intonation. searches for patterns and
control. Does not descriptions, expressions. There are few
make errors which express viewpoints noticeably long pauses.
cause on most general Can initiate discourse, take his/her
misunderstanding, topics, without turn when appropriate and end
and can correct much conversation when he/she needs to,
most of his/her conspicuous though he/she may not always do
mistakes. searching for this elegantly.
words, using Can help the discussion along on
some complex familiar ground confirming
sentence forms to comprehension, inviting others
do so. in, etc.
C1 Consistently Has a good Can vary intonation Can express him/herself fluently
maintains a high command of a and place sentence and spontaneously, almost
degree of broad range of stress correctly in effortlessly. Only a conceptually
grammatical language allowing order to express difficult subject can hinder a natural,
accuracy; errors him/her to select a finer shades of smooth flow of language.
are rare, difficult to formulation to meaning. Can select a suitable phrase from a
spot and generally express readily available range of discourse
corrected when him/herself functions to preface his remarks in
they do occur. clearly in an order to get or to keep the floor and
appropriate style to relate his/her own contributions
on a wide range of skilfully to those of other speakers.
general, academic,
professional or
leisure topics
without having to
restrict what
he/she wants to
say.

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Mark Scheme for B1 level
Task fulfilment and coherence Accuracy and range of Accuracy and range Pronunciation,
grammar of vocabulary intonation and
fluency
Maintains the interaction well, Reasonable range of Sufficient range of Pronunciation is clearly
turn takes naturally, and gets grammar expected at B1 vocabulary to deal intelligible even if a
the message across. and sufficiently with the tasks at B1 foreign accent is
Addresses the topic well. accurate. successfully. Errors sometimes evident and
Contributes relevantly to the Errors occur, but they occur, but they do not occasional
conversation/topic in all the do not impede impede communication. mispronunciations
situations. communication. occur.
3 AND Links ideas into a linear Intonation contributes
FCP sequence of points. to conveyed content.
AND
Is able to keep going
effectively without help
and does not need to
pause very often in
order to search for
language.
Maintains the interaction quite Reasonable control of a Good control of the Pronunciation is
well, although may occasionally relatively limited vocabulary expected sufficiently
have to ask for repetition or repertoire of the at B1, but major errors intelligible, and is
clarification. grammar expected at still occur when generally understood.
Addresses the topic B1. handling unfamiliar Influence of L1 on
sufficiently well. Turn takes Major errors still occur topics and situations. intonation may be
with a degree of independence. when expressing more The errors do not strong, but this does
Contributes relevantly to the complex thoughts, generally impede not often impede the
conversation/topic in most although the message is communication. communication.
2 situations, although some always communicated. AND
P misunderstanding may occur Is able to keep going
occasionally. comprehensibly, even
AND though pausing for
Connects ideas in simple grammatical and lexical
ways and can generally be planning or repair.
followed by a sympathetic Speaks without
listener. undue hesitation,
except in longer
stretches of free
production.
Fails to meet most of the task Range of grammar too Range of vocabulary Pronunciation is
requirements. Has difficulty limited to deal with the too limited to deal with unclear in places and
communicating at times and tasks at B1. the tasks at B1. at times may be difficult
needs constant support from Frequent grammatical The errors sometimes to understand.
the interlocutor. Contributions errors occur, and these make the message OR
are often irrelevant to the sometimes make the difficult to follow. Unnaturally sounding
1 conversation/topic. Often message difficult to intonation often
misunderstands what is being follow. impedes
NF
said. communication.
AND/OR OR
Does not link ideas and is often Long pauses, while
difficult to follow. searching for language
which should be
available at B1, are
noticeable.
Even with undue effort on the Lack of control even Range of vocabulary Poor pronunciation
part of the listener, the message when using very simple severely limited and and/or intonation
is often lost. Utterances mainly structures. insufficient to deal with makes utterances
consist of disconnected The message is mostly the interaction. The difficult to
phrases or sentences. lost message is mostly understand.
0 OR OR lost. OR A great deal of
F Insufficient sample of spoken Insufficient sample of OR hesitation and
language. spoken language. Insufficient sample of repetition puts undue
spoken language. strain on the listener.
OR
Insufficient sample of
spoken language.

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Mark scheme for B2 level
Task fulfilment and coherence Accuracy and range of Accuracy and range Pronunciation,
grammar of vocabulary intonation and
fluency
Handles the interaction with Wide range of the Wide range of Pronunciation and
ease and confidence. Relates grammatical structures vocabulary and a intonation clear and
own contributions, which are expected at B2, a consistently high level natural.
fully relevant to the consistently high level of accuracy. AND
conversation/topic, skilfully. of grammatical Language use is fluent
Takes turns spontaneously and accuracy. and effective. Does
3 integrates relevant detail into Occasional minor not need to search for
FCP the conversation. Addresses the syntactical problems and language.
topic well, appropriately non-systematic errors
highlighting significant points, occur, which are usually
and supporting with relevant corrected.
detail. Produces clearly
organised and coherent
speech, in an appropriate style.
Handles the interaction with Sufficient range of the Sufficient range of Pronunciation
relative ease, managing the grammatical structures vocabulary to deal reasonably clear and
conventions of turn-taking, using expected at B2, a with the tasks at B2 is understood without
appropriate phrases, well, relatively high degree with a degree of difficulty.
though not always very of grammatical control. formality appropriate to AND
elegantly. Expresses his/her AND/OR the circumstances. Intonation is natural,
message clearly, with relevant Errors occur, but they AND/OR has a fairly even tempo
supporting detail where do not impede Some errors occur, but and contributes to the
appropriate. communication. they do not impede content.
2
Content/contributions are communication. AND
P mostly relevant to the Few noticeably long
conversation/topic, and it is rare pauses, although there
that any misunderstanding may be some
occurs. Uses a limited range of hesitation when
cohesive devices to link his/her searching for patterns
utterances into clear, coherent and expressions.
discourse but there may be No undue strain on the
some jumpiness in long listener.
contributions.
Fails to meet most of the task Range of grammar too Range of vocabulary Undue strain on the
requirements. Has difficulty in limited to deal with the too limited to deal with listener because:
conveying the message, often variety of tasks at B2. the variety of tasks at influence of L1 is
relying heavily on the AND/OR B2. This results in lack strong on
interlocutor to keep the A number of errors, of detail and/or pronunciation,
interaction going or for support. some of which impede clarity. intonation and/or stress
1 Contributions are often communication. AND/OR patterns.
NF irrelevant to the conversation or Errors occur, some of OR
topic. Often misunderstands which impede A substantial part of the
what is being said. Connects communication. message is unclear.
ideas relatively simply and OR
may be difficult to follow in Frequent hesitation,
places. repetition and attempts
to repair language.
Clearly fails to meet the task The range of The range of language Extreme strain on the
requirements. Has difficulty grammatical structures is is so restricted that the listener because:
linking ideas into connected extremely limited for B2 candidate consistently Influence of L1
speech. Is often difficult to level. There are a lot of finds it difficult to impedes most of the
follow. errors, which interfere express him/herself. message.
0 OR with the meaning and Errors impede OR
F Insufficient sample of language. most of the message is communication and Continuous hesitation
affected. most of the message and/or reliance on the
OR is affected. interlocutor.
Insufficient sample of OR OR
language. Insufficient sample of Insufficient sample of
language. language.

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Mark scheme for C1 level
Task fulfilment and coherence Accuracy and range Accuracy and range Pronunciation,
of grammar of vocabulary intonation and fluency
Interacts clearly, flexibly and Effective use of a Effective use of a very Natural and clear
spontaneously, sometimes very wide range and broad range of pronunciation.
incorporating complex, supporting a consistently high vocabulary, including Stress and intonation
detail, with precision and level of accuracy of collocations and patterns are sufficiently
relevance and without having to grammatical idiomatic expressions clear to be able to convey
impose any restrictions on the structures. where appropriate. finer shades of meaning.
message. Relates his/her Errors are very rare Errors are very rare AND
3
contributions skilfully to those of and unobtrusive. and unobtrusive. Language use is fluent,
FCP the interlocutor. Contributions natural and
are always relevant to the spontaneous, without
conversation/topic. any effort.
Produces very clear, smoothly-
flowing and well-structured
speech, using cohesive and
linking devices very effectively.
Interacts flexibly and effectively. Wide range of Broad range of the Clear pronunciation,
Confidently manages the grammar expected at vocabulary expected at Stress and intonation
conventions of turn-taking and C1 used with a C1, used effectively. patterns sufficiently clear
relates contributions skilfully to consistently high This enables the to be able to convey
those of the interlocutor. Produces level of grammatical candidate to finer shades of
detailed, complex descriptions, accuracy. compensate for meaning.
connects the subtopics, supports Few errors occur, occasional gaps in AND
each point of an argument and mainly when using vocabulary through Language use is fluent
closes with an appropriate more complex circumlocution. and spontaneous.
2 conclusion. structures, and are Occasional minor No noticeable pauses.
P Content/contributions are generally corrected. slips, but no major AND
relevant to the conversation or errors of vocabulary. Compensation strategies
topic, and misunderstandings do are rarely used.
not occur. Only conceptually difficult
Displays controlled use of subjects hinder a natural,
discourse organisation, smooth flow of language.
connectors and cohesive devices
to produce clear, smoothly
flowing, well-structured
contributions.
Fails to meet most of the task Range of grammar Range of vocabulary Pronunciation and
requirements. Communication is too limited to deal too limited to deal intonation are heavily
unclear in places and some adequately with the adequately with the influenced by L1.
strain is put on the listener. tasks at C1 level. tasks at C1 level, no Intonation and stress
There is undue reliance on AND/OR reformulation. patterns sometimes put
support from the interlocutor. Some noticeable AND/OR a strain on the listener
Contributions are sometimes errors, which are not Some noticeable AND/OR
1 irrelevant to the conversation/ corrected. errors, which are not Hesitation is noticeable
NF topic and/or sometimes he/she corrected in places.
misunderstands what is being OR
said. Sometimes reliance on
Uses only a limited number of the interlocutor to
cohesive devices to link speech maintain discourse.
into coherent discourse, resulting
in unnatural and/or poorly flowing
contributions.
Fails to meet the task Range of grammar Range of vocabulary Strong influence of L1
requirements. extremely limited extremely limited and/or unnatural
OR and insufficient to AND/OR intonation and stress
Mostly fails to link his/her deal with the tasks. Mostly inappropriate patterns put great strain
utterances into organised Frequent errors put use of vocabulary, on the listener and may
speech. a strain on the even in relatively sometimes even impede
OR listener. simple situations. meaning.
0 Insufficient sample of language. OR OR OR
F Insufficient sample of Insufficient sample of Not fluent or
language. language. spontaneous.
Hesitation while
searching for language is
very evident.
OR
Insufficient sample of
language.
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3. Preparing for the four criteria of assessment

In this section, we will give you some ideas and guidance on how you can score the highest marks for each of the 4
criteria we mentioned in the previous chapter.
1. Task fulfilment and coherence

Task fulfilment and coherence measures how well you handled the interaction, if you managed the conventions of
turn-taking appropriately, connected your ideas into coherent utterances and if you could initiate and respond
naturally. It also measures how well-structured your speech was in Part 4. Lets see some tips regarding task
fulfilment and coherence.

TIP #1

Practise speaking as fluently and coherently as possible. Use a stopwatch to measure the time you can fill with
continuous talking. Start with one minute and a familiar topic and build it up to 2 minutes and a more complex topic.
At first, just focus on solving the task and talk as much as you can and then when you are comfortable with this, try
to focus on arranging your ideas into a more cohesive speech.

TIP #2

When practising speaking, make some notes before you start talking. Sometimes candidates break the flow of
speech not because of a language problem, but because they have run out of ideas. Avoid this by learning to take
notes effectively. It will prove to be effective in the exam where youll have 30 seconds to take notes. This might not
be a lot of time, but you can learn to use it to the full. Try not to write full sentences, but write a list of bullet points
or a mind map instead. This way you can generate ideas and at the same time create links between your ideas.
Heres an example for you.

TIP #3

Speaking the required amount is also important and it takes practice to be able to do that. The required amount
of time depends on the exam level you are taking. At C1 level, for instance, youll have to talk for 2 minutes. You
can practise the art of talking about practically anything by playing the Just one minute game. The rules of the
game are simple. You have one minute to talk about a topic that has been chosen for you. The difficulty of the topic
depends on your level. What you cannot do is deviate from the topic, hesitate or repeat an idea youve already
mentioned (no hesitation, deviation or repetition). This game is excellent at building fluency and practising talking
without any hesitation. You can start with easier topics such as my family, a country I'd like to visit, my favourite
food, If I had three wishes, I'd like and then at C1 level, you can try more difficult topics such as The
healthcare system in my country.

10
TIP #4

Turn-taking skills are important as well. Turn-taking skills involve knowing when to talk and when to let the other
person talk. Thats where different discourse markers come in. Discourse markers can be used to create a link
between your input and the other persons input in an interaction.

Interrupting or reacting to other Accepting, taking and keeping Getting other people to talk
people the turn
Before I forget What I wanted to say was Id like to hear your opinion.
Before you continue, (can I just What was I going to say? Oh yes, I'll let you go first.
say)
Can I/ Could I come in (here/ Id like to start the discussion by Please go ahead.
there)?
Can I/ Could I (just) say something I just want to make one more point/ Id be interested to hear your views
(here)? say one more thing (on)/ what you think (about)

Can I/ Could I stop you there? The next point I want to make is , but Id be interested in hearing
your take on it.
Id like to make a point here (if I can/ And thats not all. , but Im sure you have another
could/ may/ might). point of view.
Me too! In fact, And whats more, Can you give me your thoughts
on?
That reminds me of Not only that, but Do you agree?
(Im) sorry to hear that. Mmm. Good point. Also, Do you have an opinion on?
Amazing! As I was saying Do you/ Did you want to add
anything?
How wonderful/ exciting/ To get back to the point in hand/ to How about you?
depressing/ embarrassing/ ironic! what I was saying
I know what you mean. Have you considered?
Oh my goodness! What do you reckon?
That sounds great/ awful/ horrible. Whats your take on?

TIP #5

Using cohesive devices effectively is useful in a spoken exam too even though they are usually associated with
writing essays. In Part 4, you will need to talk for a fixed period of time, but if you are to succeed, youll need to do
more than merely talk for the required time. In the Task fulfilment and coherence criterion, youll be measured
against whether or not you can provide a detailed and complex description and this will involve connecting the
subtopics, supporting each point of argument and closing with an appropriate conclusion. Linking words and other
organisational patterns can help turn your speech into an effectively organised presentation. That is if you can use
them consistently, correctly and without repetition. What do you need to know about a linking word to be able to
use it?

- its meaning
- its function within the speech eg to express contrast, results etc.
- its position within the sentence, eg: However,

You dont need to know every linking word here, but you should learn 2 or 3 expression for each important function.
Choose the ones you will be comfortable with using and make sure you dont end up repeating it throughout your
speech in Part 4.

Cause and effect

Sequence
because,
- so, therefore, thus, consequently, hence, as a result,

11
To start

First,
- at first, once, once upon time, to begin with, at the beginning, starting with, initially, from this point, earlier,
last of all, at last, at the end, in the end, final finally, to finish, to conclude, in conclusion,

To add a point

- also, as well as, moreover, too, furthermore, additionally, in addition to, at the same time, again, too,
and,
-
equally importantly, in addition, likewise, above all, most of all, least of all, and, eitheror, neithernor,
-
nevertheless, to continue, second, secondly, in the second place, next, the next time, then, after that, following
that, subsequently, on the next occasion, so far, later on, third, in the third place, consequently, last,

Repetition

So- briefly, in short, in fact, in particular, that is, in simpler terms, to put it differently, in other words, again, once
-
more, again and again, over and over, to repeat, as stated, that is to say, to retell, to review, to rephrase, to
-
paraphrase, to reconsider, to clarify, to explain, to outline,

To generalise

ToOn the whole, in general, generally, as a rule, in most cases, broadly speaking, to some extent, mostly, above all,
illustrate
chiefly, essentially, largely, primarily, usually

To give an example
- Cause and effect
For example, as an example, for instance, in this case, in the case of, to illustrate, as illustrated by, as revealed
-
by, to show, to demonstrate, in particular, such as, namely, for one thing, indeed, in other words, to put it in
another way, thus, to explain, suppose that, specifically, to be exact, that is to say

To conclude or summarise

To- conclude, in conclusion, to close, last of all, finally, to end, to complete, to bring to an end, thus, hence,
-
therefore, as a consequence of, as a result, in short, to sum up, to summarise, to recapitulate consequently,
-
To compare
As, as well as, like, in much the same way, resembling, parallel to, same as, identically, of little difference, equally,
-
matching,
- also, exactly, similarly, similar to, in comparison, in relation to

To express attitude

Frankly,
- honestly, I think, I suppose, after all, no doubt, Im afraid, actually, as a matter of fact, to tell the truth,
-
unfortunately, I believe, in my opinion, to be honest,

To contrast, disagree and qualify

Though, although, and yet, but, despite, despite this fact, in spite of, even so, however, in contrast, by contrast,
on one hand, on the other hand, on the contrary, in one way, in another way, although this may be true,
nevertheless, nonetheless, still, yet, a striking difference, another
12 distinction, otherwise, after all, instead, unlike,
while it is true,
To emphasise

Above all, after all, indeed, as a matter of fact, the main issue is, chiefly, especially, actually, the most significant,
the chief characteristic, to emphasise, more importantly, most important of all, most of all, significantly,
without a doubt, certainly, to be sure, surely, absolutely, obviously, in truth, to add to that, without question,
unquestionably,

Time 1

Before, earlier, previously, formerly, recently, not long ago, at present, presently, currently, now, by now, until,
today, immediately, simultaneously, at the same time, during, all the while, in the future yesterday, tomorrow,
henceforth, after, after a short time, after a while, soon, later, later on, following, the following week,

Time 2

Suddenly, all at once, instantly, immediately, quickly, directly, soon, as soon as, just then, when, sometimes,
some of the time, in the meantime, occasionally, rarely, seldom, infrequently, temporarily, periodically,
gradually, eventually, little by little, slowly, while, meanwhile, always, all of the time, without exception, at the
same time, repeatedly, often, frequently, generally, usually,

TIP #6

Make sure you pay attention to the instructions of each part of the exam so that you dont end up talking about
something else or not meeting the aim of a task. The instructions themselves are always the same so the best
thing to do is to use the practice papers to fully familiarise yourself with them so that you will know what to expect.

Eg Now, Part Two. Im going to read some situations. I want you to start or respond as necessary. First situation

TIP#7

You will also need to make sure you understand the key words in the questions in Part 1, the scenarios in Part 2,
the task sheet in Part 3 and the topic in Part 4 otherwise you may end up talking about something else. Lets see
some examples of key words for each part.

Part 1
How do you think online news could threaten the future of newspapers?
Part 2
Im your waiter/waitress. You think there is a mistake in your bill. You start.
Part 3
Were members of an organisation to raise money and public awareness for an animal charity.
Part 4
An influential figure from your countrys history.

You are allowed to ask for clarification, so you need to be prepared with the language necessary for you to be able
to do so.

Could you explain what you mean by ... ?

Sorry, could you repeat what you said please?
I am not sure if I understood it correctly. Do you mean?
Im afraid I dont understand
What does mean?

13
TIP #8

There are different functions you have to perform in the course of any scenario in Part 2 ranging from asking for
directions to apologising. The good thing about functional language such as apologising or making a request is that
it is not dependent on the topic, and therefore is transferrable to any situation irrespective of the topic of
conversation. Use our Topics and requirements booklet to prepare for all communication functions you can be
asked for.

TIP #9

In Part 3, youll have to discuss something with the examiner. Depending on the level, this might be a discussion
with the aim of reaching a compromise or at higher levels, exchanging ideas on more complex topics. A discussion
involves more than merely stating your opinion. You will have to show that you know how to come to a
compromise: state your opinion, ask for the others opinion and work towards an outcome.

Asking for someone's opinion Expressing opinions Summarising

What do you think (of / about ... I think (that) ... So what it comes down to is ...
)?
Have you considered .. . ? In my view / opinion, .. .
What's your view / opinion / take I'm convinced / positive that .. The point I'm trying to make is ...
on.?
Don't you agree that ... ? To my mind, ... Let me just recap what's been said
so far.
Personally, I think .. . In short ...
As I see it, .. . In other words ...
From my point of view, . To sum up ...
As far as I'm concerned
I don't think .. .
I'm not sure (about / if) ..
I don't have a strong / definite opinion
about that.
I firmly believe
I have reason to believe
Im a great believer in

Agreeing Disagreeing
I share your opinion on I have doubts about that
I entirely agree I have a different opinion
I agree up to a point We are poles apart
I can go along with that I tend to disagree
We are in complete agreement I strongly disagree
I tend to agree I'm afraid I disagree / can't agree with you
I couldn't agree with you more I take / see your point, but ...
That's exactly what I think I see what you mean, but ...
My point exactly I'm not sure about that
I agree to some extent I'm not sure that's true / correct / right

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TIP #10

Build your ideas up and dont just make a statement without properly supporting it. Practise supporting each idea
with further sentences. For instance, if your topic is The importance of the arts, and you are not a big fan of ballet
or the opera, you might think this will be difficult. However, if you learn the tripod technique whereby you support
each idea with at least two more sentences, you will be able to talk about anything. Lets take the above example of
the topic of arts.

Dont say: I dont really like the arts.

Do say: Well, I must admit I have never been a big fan of the arts, because I have never been able to relate to
them. For instance, I could never understand what a ballet performance was about. However, I believe it must have
a place in life otherwise it wouldnt be so popular.

Can you see how the main idea (I dont like the arts) was communicated in the second case? The speaker started
with one sentence, but then supported it by saying why he/she feels that way and provided an example. Finally, the
speaker closed with a contrasting opinion (statement + why + example)

Now lets see some tips from the examiners themselves

Make sure you understand the question in Part 1 before you answer it. If you dont understand a word, ask
for clarification (in English)
Focus on the instructions in Part 2. Its imperative that you understand what your role in the scenario is,
who is supposed to start and what you need to say. If you didnt understand the scenario, ask the
interlocutor to repeat it.
In Part 2, there's no need to take on a persona or act in an unnatural way. Make sure you focus on the
register you have to use, and initiate or continue a dialogue as naturally as you can.
Dont talk about the first question in Part 1 for two minutes, because you might end up repeating yourself or
going off topic. Just talk for about 30 seconds and when you stop talking, the interlocutor will ask you
another one.
Dont do a monologue in Part 3. Instead, ask and answer questions about the topic and try to reach a
compromise.
Remember that Part 3 is about taking an active part in a discussion, so dont be afraid to take the initiative
and move on to the next item on the task sheet once you have agreed on it. You do not have to wait for the
interlocutor to do so.
The aim of Part 3 is to reach some sort of an agreement or make a rank order. Instead of just reading out
the key ideas, tell the interlocutor any ideas you might have on the topic and always support your views.
Use the time you get for preparation in Part 4: gather your thoughts, make sure you understand the topic
you are supposed to talk about, and make notes about the key ideas you wish to highlight. Again, check
the topic areas listed for your level, as this task should be related to one of those, too. Practise beforehand:
you should be comfortable talking for two minutes about a given topic.

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2. Accuracy and range of grammar

TIP #1

When you are preparing for the exam, practise making your speech in line with the requirements of the attempted
level. Remember that you have to show the examiner that your language skills are at the level and therefore it is
vital that you show them what you know. You need to level up your language.

Use the grammar table in our Topics and Requirements document to identify the grammar requirements of your
level and make sure you are fully familiar with those structures and all others that are below your own level. Just as
an example, present simple and present continuous tenses are already required at A1 Preliminary level, so if
these two tenses occupy the majority of your speech, youll end up not meeting the range of grammar required at
B2 and C1.

The table below shows only some of the structures required at these levels. Remind yourself to try and use them
during the spoken exam to demonstrate that you know them.

B1 B2 C1
Relative clauses
eg: My neighbour, who was good friends
with my father at the time, was knocking on
the door.
Participle clauses - Present Participle clauses - Past
Opening the window, I accidentally cut my When taken twice, this pill can reduce
finger. anxiety.
Present perfect with Present perfect simple and continuous
since/for; ever/never; I have been working for this company for 5
yet/already, just years.
I have never seen him This is the first time I have flown on an
before. aeroplane.
Future simple verb Past perfect Would expressing past habit
forms They had already left by the time I realised I remember the childhood summer I
I will go there tomorrow this. spent at my grandmas. We would get
up early to go to the market, then we
would go home and make breakfast.
0, 1st, 2nd, 3rd conditionals All conditionals including mixed
If I knew him, Id call him. conditionals
If I had studied harder, I would have passed If I knew him, Id call him.
the exam. If I had studied harder, I would have
passed the exam.
If I had finished university, I would have
a better job now.
Simple passive with a number of tenses All passive structures
This book was written by Jane Austen. This book is said to be good.
Question tags
You love him, dont you?
Causative with have and get
I got my uncle to fix my car.
Verb + infinitive or gerund
I suggest going to the cinema.
I want to go home.
Reported speech
He said he would do it.
He asked me to go with him.
Range of modals Range of modals Range of modals, past and present
(possibility and should/might/may/neednt/need to/Id should have/might have/may
probability in the future) rather/ought to/must/mustnt/cant have/neednt have/must have/cant have
might, may, will probably

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TIP #2

Dont be afraid to go back and correct an error you made instead of pretending it never happened. Remember
that the exam is recorded so it is unlikely that the markers will miss it anyway, so you might as well show that it is
not a systematic error, but merely a slip.

TIP #3

A lot of students find it hard to level up their grammar while speaking even when they are confident using more
complex structures in speaking. Practise speaking using help cards with specific grammatical structures that you
have to use and use the card to remind yourself to use them.

TIP #4

Listen to a recording of you talking and use it to pinpoint your areas of weaknesses. For example, you talk about
one question in Part 1 for too long and as a consequence you start repeating yourself or you go off topic because
you have run out of ideas or you give a monologue in Part 3 instead of asking and answering questions to solve the
task together.

Now lets see tips from the examiners themselves

Correct your mistakes if you notice them

Do not feel embarrassed if you make a mistake - just correct it and go on. Also, ask for clarification if need
be
If you have difficulties finishing a sentence, try to backtrack and reformulate the sentence. In other words,
do not struggle for minutes with a sentence that you cannot finish. Start a new one instead.
Do not talk to the interlocutor using your mother tongue. Solve problems in English. For example, say Can
you explain what enhance means?
During preparation, try to eliminate basic errors, such as errors made in present or past simple tenses,
using present tense to describe a past event, omitting to be in front of adjectives, etc.

3. Accuracy and range of vocabulary

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TIP #1

When you are preparing for the exam, practise making your speech more in line with the requirements of the
attempted level. Remember that you have to show the examiner that your language skills are at the level and
therefore it is vital that you show them what you know. Replace generic words such as nice, good, big etc. with
more descriptive and more specific vocabulary. The below table might help you with this.

nice great, wonderful, lovely, brilliant

pleasant/perfect/beautiful /sunny weather
a cosy/a comfortable/an attractive/bright room
a pleasant/an interesting/an enjoyable experience
expensive/fashionable/smart clothes
a kind/a charming/an interesting man
delicious/tasty/spicy food
bad terrible, horrible, awful / dreadful
an unpleasant/a foul/a disgusting smell
appalling/dreadful/severe weather
an unpleasant/a frightening/a traumatic experience
a terrible/serious/horrific accident
an awkward/an embarrassing/a difficult situation
We were working in difficult/appalling conditions
I feel unwell/sick/terrible. I dont feel (very) well
interesting fascinating, compelling, stimulating, gripping, absorbing
good excellent, amazing, wonderful, marvellous, outstanding, terrific
sad down, unhappy, gloomy, upset
happy cheerful, delighted, pleased, glad, content, thrilled
like admire, adore, fancy, cherish, desire, enjoy
say reply, remark, declare, state, explain, announce
big huge, giant, large, massive, enormous
small tiny, petite, teeny, wee
pretty beautiful, gorgeous, cute, attractive, handsome, stunning
scared afraid, frightened, horrified, petrified

TIP #2

If you are struggling with a sentence, remember you have several options. You can abandon the idea. You can
paraphrase/restructure the sentence. You can start from the beginning.
If the problem is caused by a lack of vocabulary, try to solve it by circumlocution (describing the word in question),
generalisation (using more general words instead of the specific one you cant remember eg stuff) or approximation
(using collective terms instead of the specific item eg flower instead of rose).

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TIP #3

A lot of students find it hard to level up their vocabulary while speaking even when they are confident using
more complex structures in speaking. Practise speaking using help cards with specific vocabulary that you have to
use and use the card to remind yourself to use them.

TIP #4

Learn at least a handful of vocabulary for every topic and subtopic of the exam. As an example, if you want to be
able to talk about the topic Diets, you should possess at least a basic range of vocabulary related to dieting.

TIP #5

Try to practise words in various ways. For example, when you are covering the topic of dieting, it will help you
memorise the words faster if you read articles about the topic where you can see the target words in context.
Furthermore, you can also use online word learning tools to practise the words.

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Now lets see some tips from the examiners themselves

Make sure you check the list of topics for your level. While preparing for the exam, devote some time to all
the topic areas. However, if you don't think you can comment on a question related to a certain topic, just
tell the interlocutors, who will then continue the exam with another question.
Do not waste time searching for words that you cannot remember. Try to solve the task in an alternative
way
Try not to translate from your mother tongue into English because you may end up not finding the right
words to express what you want to say. If you cannot remember the exact word you are trying to use, use a
more general one or a synonym. Eg Flower instead of rose

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4. Pronunciation, intonation and fluency

TIP #1

Pronunciation can be improved by studying the pronunciation of individual sounds. One aspect of the pronunciation
of individual sounds is the concept of minimal pairs. Minimal pairs are words that vary by only a single sound (e.g.
sit /st/ and seat /sit/). Using minimal pairs is useful to practise the pronunciation of different sounds and it will also
help you not to make impeding errors which may cause misunderstanding. Practise the pronunciation of the
minimal pairs below and use a dictionary to help you with any pronunciation you are unsure of.

BID BEAD SLICK SLEEK

DIP DEEP FIND FIEND
FIST FEAST SKID SKIED
PILL PEEL SKIM SCHEME
SIN THIN MISS MYTH
You can find further examples of minimal pairs on the Internet.

TIP #2

Homophones are words which are pronounced in exactly the same way, but which might be spelt differently. By
studying homophones, you might be able to get rid of systematic and fossilised pronunciation errors. A very
commonly mispronounced word is the past tense of win (won) which should be pronounced /wn/, but is very often
pronounced /won/. If you memorise a homophone pair for won (one), and you practise them regularly, it will be
easier for you to pronounce won correctly. You might also try and use them together in the same sentence, eg I
have won one and a half million pounds!

allowed / aloud heard / herd

bare / bear higher / hire
billed / build I'll / isle
boar / bore knead / need
board / bored knot / not
bread / bred pause / paws
cereal / serial peer / pier
fir / fur rapper / wrapper
flew / flu saw / sore
flour / flower sew / sow

TIP #3

Apart from having various other benefits, watching films can also help you improve your pronunciation and
listening comprehension as well. If you can, make sure you turn the English subtitles on so that you can identify the
difference between connected speech and the pronunciation of separate chunks of language. At first, this will help
you understand connected speech better and after a while, you will pick up some of the features of connected
speech without noticing.

You do not have to dedicate hours to this. Instead of feature films, you can watch TV shows too which vary greatly
in length, genre, topic and difficulty.

TIP #4

Recording yourself can help you to improve your intonation and to get rid of any unwanted features in your
speech such as using Um too much. Record yourself speaking and then listen to the recording and ask yourself
Am I easy to listen to? Is it easy to understand me?

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TIP #5

Its perfectly acceptable to hesitate at times and to stop to look for words. However, long pauses may cost you
valuable marks as they will break your fluency. Thats where fillers come in. Fillers can be used to buy you time
while at the same time show the other party that you are still in charge.

Well, let me think for a second.

This is a very interesting question.
How shall I put it?
Well, it depends, really..
I have never really thought about this issue/question before, but
Let me see
Well, let me think about that for a moment

Now lets see some tips from the examiners themselves

During preparation, use authentic listening materials such as films. They will help you acquire a natural
intonation.
Try to vary your tone following at least the basic rules of intonation (yes/no questions have rising intonation
and wh-questions have falling intonation)
Do not talk monotonously. Try to use your voice as an instrument to express yourself, your message, your
feelings.
Use your intonation to convey feelings (excited, sad, worried). This will be especially useful in Part 2 where
the scenario might require you to comfort a sad friend or congratulate someone on passing an exam.
Remember that the exam is recorded, so you need to communicate using your voice and not body
language or gestures.
Use music to help improve your pronunciation. It can help with the pronunciation of individual sounds as
well as word stress, sentence stress and intonation. Download the lyrics too as they can help you the same
way as subtitles can help you understand films. You can also try singing along and imitating the artists
accent and intonation.

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