14 minutes long

4 parts

2 candidates and 2 examiners

the interlocutor the assessor
(speak) (listen)
Part 1 (2 minutes)

The interlocutor asks you and your partner questions

about yourselves. You may be asked about things like
your home town, your interests, your studies, etc.
 Grammar and Vocabulary

Are you using a range of grammatical structures and vocabulary?

Are you using these structures and vocabulary correctly?
Are you using vocabulary which is appropriate for a range of
familiar topics?
 Discourse Management
Are you using both long and short answers, depending on the task?
Is everything you say relevant to the task?
Are your ideas expressed clearly?
Are you using some language to link and organise your ideas?
Are you able to speak fluently and with very little repetition?
 Pronunciation
You don't need to have an English accent, but it is important
to be clear.

Are you pronouncing individual sounds clearly?

Are you placing stress on the right parts of words and on the
right words in sentences?
Does your voice go up and down at the right times?
Interactive communication
Are you able to interact with the other candidate easily and
effectively?
Are you listening to the other candidate and answering in a way that
makes sense?
Are you able to start a discussion and keep it going with your partner?
Can you think of new ideas to add to the discussion?
 How to succeed?
Listen and pay atention.

If you don’t understand, just ask again! Excuse me, could you
repeat that?
Practise giving information about yourself. You can give short
answers, but it is good to extend them if you can.
Don’t give answers which you have learned, as they don’t
sound very natural.
Reasons (justify your answer)
Examples (personal past experiences)
Feelings (describe emotions, say why you like certain things)
Give extra information
Example: if you are asked: Where are you from? what do you like to
do to there? Answer: I am from Chillán. I like going out with my
friends at night and do some sport sometimes.
This answer is too far to be a good answer. EXTEND IT.
Where are you from? What do you like to do to there?
I’m from Chillán. It’s a beautiful town in the south of Chile,
not very far from Concepción. I was born in Santiago but I’m
living in Chillán at the moment. I usually go there during
vacations. It’s so fun to be there. For example, last month I
spent some time with my family and friends and I went
shopping with my cousin, things are way too cheaper than in
Chillán.
This answer seems to be quite bright and full.
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?
The examiner can “widen the scope” of the
conversation…
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.
Useful phrases and vocabulary for Cambridge CAE
and FCE Speaking Module (Part 1) On 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 prepared a short
explanation about your city.
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.
This is also a great opportunity to use the Present Perfect
Continuous.
Example: 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.
 On Your Childhood Examples

Speaking about your childhood is a great opportunity to use phrasal

verbs like GROW UP.
It’s also a great way to use the Past Passive.
- 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.
 On Your Personal Life Examples

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.
Examples of what you are going to be
asked
Hometown: Where are you from? Where were you born?
Free time: What are your hobbies? What activities do you usually do when
you’re at home? Do you enjoy being outdoors?
Past experiences: Tell me something you enjoyed doing recently. What did you
do last weekend?
Travelling: do you enjoy travelling? Tell me about a place you’d love to visit.
Work: what would be your ideal job? What would you like to do in the future?
Do you have a job or do you study?
Sports: do you enjoy doing sports? What activities can you practice where you
live?
Family: tell us a little bit about your family.
Books and TV: do you watch TV? What are your favourite shows? Do you prefer
watching TV or reading?
 Useful phrases and tips

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.
 Asking for clarification
Sorry, I’m not sure what you mean.
I don’t (really) understand
Can you say that again, please? I’m not (quite) sure what I have to do.
Can I ask a question?
Do you want me to....? Correcting yourself
What I mean is...
What I meant was...
What I’m trying to say is...