Pictures for Part 2

Teacher’s notes

Level: upper-intermediate / lower-advanced (B2/C1).

Aim: six sets of pictures for practising Part 2 of the speaking exam for Cambridge
ESOL First Certificate in English (FCE) or Certificate in Advanced English /
Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE).

Timing: each practice test takes four to six minutes.

Preparation

1. Before the lesson/mock, go to Cambridge ESOL’s exams site

(www.cambridgeesol.org/exams/) and follow the links to the PDF versions of the
FCE/CAE handbook.
2. Make a copy of the script for Part 2 of the exam. This will give you the exact
words that the Interlocutor (examiner) is supposed to say to introduce the
pictures and address the candidates, but the questions will, of course, vary to fit
the pictures.
3. For classes of 3-11 students, you’ll need three sets of pictures; for classes of 12-
22 students, you’ll need all six sets. For FCE practice, you’ll need two pictures
from each set per candidate; for CAE, you’ll need all three pictures from each
set. It’s obviously best if you can print them out in colour.
4. You may also want to download the accompanying MP4 files (models of native and
non-native speakers doing the mock exam). The first recording is of native
speakers doing the mock FCE; the second is of a native and a non-native speaker
doing the mock CAE.

Procedure

The exam is done by pairs of students, or, in some cases, threes.

How you want to organise the practice will depend, of course, on the number of
students you’re teaching. You may want to do a mock with each pair/three, playing the
Interlocutor yourself and/or have students practice independently in groups of three or
four, with one of the students playing the Interlocutor. Below is a suggestion for how
you can combine both types of practice.

1. As a warmer, you could elicit from students the format of the FCE/CAE Speaking
exam Part 2*, and/or show them all three/six sets of pictures and brainstorm
useful vocabulary.
2. If students aren’t very familiar with the format of the exam, you might want to
play the models first. You could also ask students to comment on the strengths
and weaknesses.
3. Then get students to work in groups of three. (Let’s call the groups A, B, C, D,
etc.). If your class doesn’t divide neatly into threes, a fourth student can play an
independent assessor in some groups.
4. Launch the free Teachit Timer (downloadable from www.teachitworld.com) and
ask students to choose a final sound. Set the sliding scales to four minutes, and
click on ‘alerts’ so that they are ‘on’.

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 Pictures for Part 2

5. Hand out a copy of the exam script and two sets of pictures to each group, one
set for Candidate A and one set for Candidate B. The third student in each group
should play the Interlocutor, except in group A, where you will play that role. In
group A, you’ll need the third set of pictures for Candidate C.
6. Get students to do the mock exam in their groups of three.
7. Candidate A should end his/her turn when the half-way alert sounds on the
Teachit Timer and Candidate B should start.
8. Candidate B should stop when the final sound is heard on the Timer.
9. In group A, where you’re the Interlocutor and there are three students, you’ll
need an extra two minutes for Candidate C. During this time, the other groups
can give each other feedback on how they think the mock went.
10. Ask students to swap roles and pictures, so that the Interlocutor becomes
Candidate A, Candidate A becomes Candidate B and Candidate B becomes the
Interlocutor.
11. This time, work with group B as the Interlocutor and take with you the third set
of pictures for Candidate C.
12. Continue as above until you’ve been the Interlocutor for each group. Once each
group has played each role with the first three sets of pictures (food shopping,
eating out and day trips), give them the second three sets (listening to music,
free-time activities and children at school).
13. If you have more than 22 students, groups can repeat the mock with the same
roles and pictures, as this gives them the opportunity to improve on their first
attempt.
14. Finally, elicit impressions from the whole group on how they found the exam and
whether it got easier the more they practised.
15. Give praise on good points and correction of common errors or timing issues.
16. If you haven’t already played the audio recordings, you could play them as a
follow-up and ask students to comment on the strengths and weaknesses.

*Format of the exam:

FCE Speaking Part 2 CAE Speaking Part 2

1. The Interlocutor introduces 1. The Interlocutor introduces

the four photographs.
2. Candidate A compares his/her
two photographs for one
minute.
3. Candidate B answers a
question on A’s photographs
for 20 seconds.
4. Candidate B compares his/her
two photographs for one
minute.
5. Candidate A answers a
question on B’s photographs
for 20 seconds.
the six pictures.
2. Candidate A compares his/her
three pictures for one minute.
3. Candidate B answers a
question on A’s pictures for 30
seconds.
4. Candidate B compares his/her
three pictures for one minute.
5. Candidate A answers a
question on B’s pictures for 30
seconds.

For more information, please see the relevant handbooks on

www.cambridgeesol.org/exams/.

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 Pictures for Part 2

Set 1: Food shopping

FCE

Candidate A: The photographs show different places to buy food. What are the advantages of buying food in these places?
Candidate B: Where would you prefer to shop?

CAE

Candidate A: The pictures show different places to buy food.

 What are the advantages and disadvantages of buying food in these places?
 What environmental impact might each have?
Candidate B: Which of these ways of shopping is the least harmful to the environment?

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 Pictures for Part 2

Set 2: Eating out

FCE

Candidate A: The photographs show different places to eat. What sort of food will the people eat?
Candidate B: Where would you prefer to eat?

CAE

Candidate A: The pictures show people eating out.

 Which food is likely to be the healthiest?
 What might the relationship be between the people?
Candidate B: Which picture is the most typical of the way people eat today?

© Brad & Ying 2006 www.flickr.com/photos/madaboutshanghai/118738778/ © PhillipC 2007 www.flickr.com/photos/flissphil/352716816/ © oddsock 2006 www.flickr.com/photos/oddsock/232735694/

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 Pictures for Part 2

Set 3: Day trips

FCE

Candidate A: The photographs show different places to visit. Why are they interesting places to visit?
Candidate B: Which place would you prefer to visit?

CAE

Candidate A: The pictures show different tourist spots.

 What sort of activities can be done in each place?
 Who might enjoy each type of activity?
Candidate B: Which type of activity would be most suitable for a group of elderly tourists?

© lostajy 2009 www.flickr.com/photos/ajy/3665796214/

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 Pictures for Part 2

Set 4: Listening to music

FCE

Candidate A: The photographs show different ways of listening to music. What are the advantages of these ways of listening to music?
Candidate B: How would you prefer to listen to music?

CAE

Candidate A: The pictures show different ways of listening to music.

 Why is the music important to the people in each situation?
 How is the atmosphere different?
Candidate B: Which way of listening to music is the most sociable?

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 Pictures for Part 2

Set 5: Free-time activities

FCE

Candidate A: The photographs show people doing different free-time activities. Why do people enjoy these activities?
Candidate B: Which activity would you prefer to do?

CAE

Candidate A: The pictures show people doing free-time activities.

 What aspects of modern life do they show?
 How might the people be feeling?
Candidate B: Which picture do you think is most typical of people’s free-time activities today?

© dennis 2007 www.flickr.com/photos/dennis/381294389/ © rubenvike www.flickr.com/photos/vike/5223372316/

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 Pictures for Part 2

Set 6: Children at school

FCE

Candidate A: The photographs show children at school. What do you think they will learn?
Candidate B: Which school would you prefer to go to?

CAE

Candidate A: The pictures show children at school.

 What aspects of learning do they show?
 How might the children be feeling?
Candidate B: Which way of learning do you think will be the most common in the future?

© Mara 1 2003 www.flickr.com/photos/flametree/3938165658/ © woodleywonderworks 2010 www.flickr.com/photos/wwworks/5073550323/ © woodleywonderworks 2010 www.flickr.com/photos/wwworks/5073552229

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