Words and Phrases to Help You Pass Your Cambridge Speaking Test.

 

Overview of Speaking Part 1

In Part 1 of the Speaking Module, which is only about one minute per candidate, you are asked very basic questions about yourself. Questions can include the following:

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? 

From there, the examiner can “widen the scope” of the conversation, asking you questions that are not directly related to the questions he or she has just asked. Here are some examples.

• 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. 

There is little we can do to specifically prepare for these wider-ranged questions (other than come to class every day, immerse yourself in English, and make lots of American friends)! However, we can very easily prepare ourselves for questions about our lives, our careers, and our experiences with English. To help, here are some useful phrases that you should know.

Helpful Vocabulary and Expressions.

About 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 a short explanation about your city prepared.

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.

• 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.

• About Your Childhood

  Speaking about your childhood is a great opportunity to use phrasal verbs like GROW UP. 

  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.
  
  

• About Your Job

  When speaking about your job, make sure that you know which preposition to use when speaking about the industry, your company, and your position in the company.

  I work in (INDUSTRY)

  • I work in sales.
  • I work in advertising.
  • I work in the marketing industry.
  • I work in Human Resources.

  I work for (COMPANY)

  • I work for a marketing company in Germany.
  • I work for an international law firm.
  • I work for Nestle.

  I work at (COMPANY)

  • I work at the Nestle headquarters in (CITY).
  • I work at Coca Cola.
  • I work at Samsung.

  I work on (JOB DUTIES)

  • I work on sales reports and payroll.
  • I work on new advertising campaigns.
  • I work on providing job training to new employees.

  I work as (JOB TITLE)

  • I work as a banker.
  • I work as a lawyer.
  • I work as a banker.

  Remember that the best thing to do is to combine the above sentences to create longer, more complex sentences.

• I work as a lawyer at a law firm in Tokyo.
• I work on sales at an advertising firm in Paris.
• I work in the banking industry. Specifically, I am a mortgage broker for HSBC.

• About Your Personal Life

  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.

• Speaking to the Interviewer (Interlocutor)

  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.
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  Overview of Speaking Test Part 2

  Part 2 consists of four parts:

  1. Student A speaks for one minute about two photos (in FCE, the student is given two photos; in CAE, the student is given three photos and chooses two)

  2. Student B speaks for 30 seconds about the same photos

  3. Student B speaks for one minute about two NEW photos

  4. Student A speaks for 30 seconds about the same new photos from #3

  Let’s look at each of these sections in detail:

  Section 1: Student A speaks for one minute about three photos

  Students are shown three photos. Each of the photos has something in common; for example, all three photos will show people holding a possession that is important to them.

  Student A will be asked to do two things: 1. describe the photos, and 2. answer another question about the photos; for example, in the case of three photos with people holding important possessions, the interlocutor may ask the student to say why they think the people in the photos value their possessions so much.

  Describing some photos may not seem too difficult, but the real challenge with this part of the test is that the student only has one minute to speak. The student must adequately describe the photos in detail and give the answer to the question in the minute provided and must also make sure he/she uses the full minute to showcase his/her English skills.

  After the minute is up, Student A is finished and it is Student B’s turn to speak.

  Section 2: Student B speaks for 30 seconds about the same photos

  The interlocutor will ask Student B a follow-up question about the set of photos; in the example of the photos of people with possessions, the question may be “Which of the people in the photos seems to value their possession the most?”. The question will almost always be one where the student must choose one photo as the “best” and explain why. The student has 30 seconds to answer.

  Now, the first round is over.

  Sections 3 and 4: Student B speaks for one minute about three NEW photos; Student A speaks for 30 seconds about the same new photos

  The interlocutor will produce a new set of photos and Steps 1 and 2 will be repeated; this time, Student B speaks for one minute and Student A responds for 30 seconds.
  

  Top Tips for Cambridge CAE and FCE Speaking Test Part 2:

  – The most important thing in this section of the test is to speak for the entire time you are given. Students sometimes become nervous and do not use the full minute or 30 seconds. Remember: this is your time to show off your English skills! Practice timing yourself by giving yourself impromptu one-minute speeches. In time, you will gain a “feel” for how long one minute is and how long 30 seconds is.

  – Remember to fully answer the questions. In the one-minute section, you will have to describe ALL of the photos AND answer an additional question.

  – During the 30-second answer, students are asked to choose one of the photos. It is a question of personal preference, so be prepared to say why you think that this photo is the one that best answers the question you were asked. Often students answer this question and are left with some time: use it! If you have said all that you can about this particular picture, then move on and say why you DIDN’T choose the other ones. Never let there be silence during your speaking test!

  Cambridge CAE and FCE Speaking Test Part 2 Example:

  Interlocutor: Candidate A, here are your photos. They show vacations. I would like you to say how the people in these photos might be feeling, and which of the three vacations looks the most enjoyable.

  (Candidate A speaks for one minute.)

  Interlocutor: Candidate B, which of these vacations do you think required the most preparation?

  (Candidate B speaks for 30 seconds.)

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