The three parts, and what each one is testing
Part 1 — answer, then add one reason
- Four to five minutes of questions about you: home, family, work, study, and two or three familiar topics.
- A one-word reply to Do you like cooking? gives the examiner little language to assess. Add a relevant detail when you can; no single reply determines a band.
- A useful practice pattern is answer + one reason or example, often in two or three sentences: Yes, I do — I cook dinner most evenings because it's the one part of the day I'm not looking at a screen.
- Keep the answer responsive rather than turning every question into a speech. The examiner has several questions to ask and may move you on.
- You may need present, past or future language. Choose the tense that fits the time you mean, even if you briefly move between times.
A one-word answer is a door opened just wide enough to close again.
'Do you like cooking?' Which answer stays on topic and provides more language to assess?
Answer plus a relevant reason or example develops the response naturally. A one-word reply gives little language to assess; a long speech may be interrupted.
Part 2 — the long turn, in one line
- One minute to prepare and up to two minutes to speak; the examiner stops you when the time is up.
- Use short keywords to cover the card points and leave enough time to explain the requested aspect. There is no fixed four-paragraph rule.
- If you finish early, add detail: what it looked like, who else was there, how you felt, what you would do differently.
- There is a whole lesson on this one; it is the part most worth practising with a timer.
Part 3 — develop, hedge, disagree
- Four to five minutes of abstract discussion on the Part 2 theme, at a higher level.
- A short answer can leave an opinion undeveloped. Use the discussion to explain, compare or speculate when the question invites it.
- One useful shape is state a view → give a reason → name an example → consider the other side. Adapt it rather than forcing every answer into four moves.
- Hedging can make an answer more precise and show grammatical range when it fits your meaning: it tends to be, it depends on, broadly speaking, on the whole, that's probably truer of… than of….
- You may politely disagree or qualify an idea when you have a reason: I see why people say that, but I'd argue…, That's true up to a point, although….
Arrange one useful way to develop a Part 3 answer.
A view, reason, example and qualification can develop an answer. Adapt the shape to the question rather than reciting it.
Which of these are hedging phrases that show grammatical range? Choose all that apply.
The other three qualify a claim. 'I don't know' alone leaves the idea undeveloped, though it can be followed by a relevant example.
What each part is really testing
| Part | The question type | What it checks |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | short, familiar topics | can you answer naturally and add relevant information? |
| 2 | one topic, up to two minutes | can you speak at length and organise your ideas? |
| 3 | broader discussion | can you explain, analyse, discuss and speculate? |
- The test assesses spoken English rather than specialist knowledge. The examiner considers all four Speaking criteria across your performance.
- You do not need a spectacular opinion. A clear, developed answer gives you more opportunity to show your English.
The Speaking test rewards more interesting opinions.
Examiners assess spoken English using four criteria, not the novelty of your opinion. Give a clear, relevant, developed answer.
When something goes wrong
- You did not understand the question. Ask briefly for clarification, for example: Sorry, do you mean…? Then respond to the question as clarified.
- You cannot think of anything immediately. Give yourself a short bridge, such as That's not something I've thought about, but one example might be… Then make a relevant point; repeated fillers can interrupt fluency.
- You do not know the word. Paraphrase it out loud — the material you put in a wall to stop heat escaping. Effective paraphrase is part of the vocabulary criterion.
- You made a mistake. Correct it briefly if needed, then continue. Repeated restarts can interrupt the flow of an otherwise clear answer.
Complete the repair phrase for a question you did not understand: 'Sorry, do you ___ …?'
If a question is unclear, ask briefly for clarification, then answer it. Repeated requests can interrupt the flow of the discussion.