APTIS Speaking Part 3

USEFUL LANGUAGE

COMPARE AND CONTRAST

Differences (CONTRAST)

Unlike
Unlike the first photo the person in the bottom one is practising his activity indoors.
in contrast to
In contrast to the top photograph the person in the bottom photo won’t get wet if he falls.
while
While the surfer needs a good sense of balance the climber depends more on his strength.
whereas
The climber at the bottom is trying to reach the top whereas the surfer probably wants to stay in contact with the water as we
would fall otherwise.
but
The surfer is in nature, but the climber is moving in a man-made environment.
on the other hand
The surfer is practising his sport outdoors. On the other hand, the climber seems to be indoors.

Comparatives

Not as .... as
They are not as happy as.....
More/-er .... than
They look more excited than

Similarities (COMPARE)
In both pictures there are / I can see…
In both pictures there are men being physically active.
both
Both men could be in danger if they make a mistake.
as well (as)
The second man is practising a sport as well.
like
Like in the first photograph the man in the second one seems to be very focused.
Likewise…
The man in the first photo is using a surfboard to practise his sport. Likewise, in the other picture the person is using
some equipment.
also
Not only does the man in the first photo seem to enjoy the activity, but also the person in the second picture.
too
In the first picture the man seems to be fully immersed in his experience.In the second photo the athlete appears to
be very focused too.
 SPECULATING/DEDUCING
modal verbs (must, might, may, could, can’t) + be + -ing/adjective
The climber might be a bit scared because he can hurt himself if he falls.
look(s)/seem(s)
The surfer looks very focused because of his body language.
The man in the second photo seems as if he is more advanced because there aren’t many holds on the wall.
appear(s)
Both athletes appear to be very skilled.
maybe/perhaps/possibly/probably
Maybe the surfer generally enjoys being outdoors.
Perhaps the man in the photo below can’t continue because he looks trapped.
They’ve possibly been training for a very long time.
I can imagine
I can imagine that both of the men are exhausted after an intense practice like the ones in the photos.
I think/believe/guess
I think/believe that climbing is more tiring than surfing.
for me
For me, surfing looks as if it is more fun than indoor climbing.
Perfect tenses
They look as if they’ve just arrived….
She seems she’s already studied

EXPRESSING YOUR OPINION

This picture makes me feel (+adj)

This one makes me think….

He comes across as a ……(adj) person

He looks like a (noun)

To be honest/In my opinion/to my concern

As far as I’m concerned

Compare the pictures.
Both pictures depict two different groups of people involved in different
communicative situations, The first picture shows three young women who
are sitting on a sofa indoor, they are chatting friendly.
On the other hand, the second picture depicts three young people, a man in the
middle and two girls, one on each side. The girl on the right and the man are
talking on their mobile phones, and the girl on the left is using a tablet. They
may be at their workplace, since they are wearing suits.
In the first picture the girls seems to be in a much more relaxing and
confortable situation and their clothes are casual. They may be chatting about
personal matters while in the second picture they must be talking to a
customer, a boss or an employee on work-related issues.
What kind of comunication do you like most?
I prefer face-to-face communication. In a real conversation I can see other
people’s gestures, facial expressions and even the way that they behave. All
this gives me a lot of information which mobile communication lacks.
Moreover, I believe that this type of communication is more reliable when
you need to purchase any product or service.
However, I am aware of the advantages of mobile communication, as with it
we can talk to anyone from any place at any time, and is not costly. There are
many people who are living far from their relatives or friends and the
smartphones are a good manner to keep in touch.
Do you think new technologies can improve people’s
relationships?
From my view, it is not clear whether new technologies can improve people’s
reationships. There is no question that technology has had a positive impact
on communication as a whole in many ways. It has
increased the reliability of sending messages to others, made it easier to meet
new people and keep in touch with friends and also it has saved lives.
Communication has become faster, easier, and more efficient due to advances
in technology. Smartphones, social networking websites, e-mail, and instant
messaging are examples of technology which enable communication.
However, a large number of people have decided to interact only by
technological means, which have caused a lack of social, authentic face-to
face-communication. Many people do not meet friend or chat with them
outside their technological devices, which I consider to be, in some way, as a
fake reality.