Exam Practice
Duration: 2-3 minutes
In Part 3, the examiner describes a situation, and you and your partner talk about It for two or three minutes.
The examiner gives you some pictures to help you. Be ready to:
give your opinion and reasons
ask your partner's opinion.
Sample interview: choosing a present
You are going to hear Lucia and Antonio doing Part 3 of the test
here is a picture of a person and some objects, Can you say what the objects are?
Listen to the instructions in first part of the recording
What does the examiner tell the candidates to talk about?
Listen to Lucia and Antonio.
Do they talk about aII of the objects In the picture?
Functions
Expressing an opinion
Lucia and Antonio give their opinions about the things in the picture. Look at the expressions they use.
I think the X is best
I like the X best
I'm not sure.
I don't know.
I don't think X Is a good idea.
I don’t like that idea
Which expressions are positive and which are negative?
Which expression means you aren't sure ?
Listen again to Lucia & Antonio. What are their opinions about the objects below.
Necklace
Photo frame
Flowers
Mug
CD
book
Do they agree?
What does Lucia want to buy?
What does Antonio want to buy?
Giving reasons
Lucia and Antonio give a reason for their decisions. Underline the reason in these examples:
l think the necklace is best because it's very pretty.
If we get that, she'll remember us every time she wears it.
I don’t think the flowers are a good idea as they'll die quickly.
If she goes home on the bus, It will be difficult to carry them.
But It will be difficult to choose a CD if we don't know what kind of music she likes.
because, as or if
We can give reasons using because, as or if.
I think… because/as/if…
Look at the six objects in the picture and decide which you will choose.
What about the other five?
Will you have something positive or negative to say?
Think of reasons for your decisions and write some notes.
EXAM TIP!
Don't just give your opinion, Give a reason too.
Exam task
Work with a partner
Decide together what you would buy.
Ask your partner for his/her opinions and give yours.
After you've finished the exam tasks discuss the following:
Was it easy or difficult to talk about the topic?
Did you or your partner speak more?
Did you take turns to speak?
Did you and your partner have the same ideas or different ideas?
More Exam tips
The topics are chosen to be relevant to typical PET Preliminary (B1) candidates, so they should be quite easy to talk about.
You should take turns to speak with your partner, it is not a competition to see who can speak the most.
It’s good to agree and disagree with your partner’s ideas as long as you give reasons for your ideas.
Assessment Criteria
What is the examiner assessing?
Grammar and Vocabulary
Discourse Management
Pronunciation
Interactive Communication
Global Achievement
Grammar and Vocabulary
Are you using a range of grammatical structures and vocabulary?
Are you using these structures and vocabulary correctly?
Are you using a range of vocabulary which is appropriate for 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 and easy to understand?
Are you using some language to link and organise your ideas?
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 well with the other candidate?
Are you listening to the other candidate and answering in a way that makes sense?
Are you able to add ideas to the discussion and help keep it going with your partner?
Global Achievement
This is the overall assessment of how well the candidate does the tasks in all four parts of the speaking test.
Exam Tips!!
Don’t worry if you sometimes make mistakes or hesitate when you are speaking, as long as your ideas are clear.
The examiners give you marks for your own performance – they don’t compare you with the other candidate.
Interactive communication - useful phrases
In Part 3, interactive communication is important because you are speaking together, and this means using phrases for:
Starting the activity
Suggesting
Asking your partner
Showing preferences
Agreeing
Disagreeing
Choosing/summing up
match the phrases with the above functions.
I prefer…
I think this is better because…
Yes, that’s a good point.
I see what you mean.
That’s a good idea!
Shall we start with this one?
Let's start with this one, shall we?
So, what do you think?
Do you think that’s a good idea?
Do you agree?
Which one shall we choose?
So, shall we choose this one?
Do you agree that this is the best one?
Well, I’m not so sure about that.
I don’t think that’s such a good idea.
I think this would be good because…
This wouldn’t be such a good idea
because…
his might work…
Do part 3 of the test again with your partner
This time trying to talk for two minutes and using the phrases above.
Remember to keep the phrases in front so you don’t forget to use them.
Change partners and repeat the activity so that everyone is working with a new partner.
Sample Task
Your classmate is moving abroad
Decide together what you would buy.
Ask your partner for his/her opinions and give yours.
Discuss in pairs.
In Part 3, do you think it is a good or bad idea to:
Try to talk more than your partner
Give reasons for your ideas
Ask for your partner’s opinion
Continue talking about your partner’s idea
Ignore your partner’s opinion if you don’t agree with it
Ignore one of the pictures if you don’t know the vocabulary for it
Talk about other related ideas that are not in the pictures
Come to a decision very quickly
Exam Practice
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Or you can practice for free with a friend
One student reads out the instructions. Your partner should describe the photograph in as much detail as possible, using the ideas from above for one minute.
The listening student should pay attention and identify one good thing and one weaker thing about how their partner organises their ideas.
listening student should now give their feedback to their partner, being as positive or constructive as possible.
Then change roles – this time the speaking student should focus on their range of vocabulary.
Change partners and repeat activity.