FCE Speaking practice

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 2

What to expect in the FCE Speaking exam

• It is approx 14 minutes long
  
• You do the speaking exam in pairs
• There are two examiners in the room, one gives you instructions and asks you questions, the other just listens.
• The speaking exam has four parts

Part 1

Part 1 is a conversation between the examiner and you and lasts two minutes. You are asked questions about yourself and your family, your hobbies and interests, your studies, your likes and dislikes. 

How to do part 1

•  Don't prepare detailed answers before you go to the exam.
  
• Do make sure that you know the vocabulary you need to talk about your family, your town, your studies and your free time activities. 
• Listen to the examiners questions carefully
• Look confidently at the examiner and perhaps smile a little when you answer the questions

Part 1 - Example questions

1. Question: Where are you from? 

Advice: Don't just answer the questions, give some extra information if you can. 

Suggested Answer: I'm from Volendam, a very pretty, small town situated on the water. It is a short distance from Amsterdam. It is very popular with tourists. 

2. What do young people do in your town? 

Advice: You can offer several ideas or answers to one question.

Example questions and advice

3. Do you like doing sports? 

Advice: Avoid giving simple Yes/No answers which end the conversation.

4. Question: Tell us about something you really enjoyed doing recently. 

Advice: When you speak about things you enjoy sound enthusiastic. Be ready to use past tenses. 

Part 2 - In Part 2 you work alone

• The examiner gives you two photos on the same topic to speak about. 
• He/she asks you to speak for one minute, compare the photos and answer a question about the topic of the photos.
• The question is also printed above the photos
• When you partner speaks about his photos, you should listen carefully as you have to answer a question about them too.

How to do Part 2

• Talk about the general ideas in the photos, don't try to describe them in detail.
• Compare the ideas the two photos show in relation to the question.  Say what is the same and what is different.
• When you are not sure what is happening in a photo, speculate (She seems to be ....., He might be ......)

Comparing the photos

1 minute per candidate

• In the first photo, there is a girl who looks as if she's chatting on the internet or sending an email, whereas, while in the second photo two oldish people are sitting on a park bench gossiping or telling each other stories. 
  
• Discuss photo one
• Discuss photo two
• Discuss both: The people are probably communicating with friends and that is usually fun. However,....... Whereas, .........

Speculating language

In the first photo I see a girl who looks as if .........

While the girl seems to be concentrating hard, perhaps because she is writing .....

I think the girl might be talking to a friend about school work or their boyfriends. 

On the other hand the old people are probably talking about their grandchildren, or they could be talking about things they did when they were younger.

                    Part 3 - You work with the other candidate

• The first part of the task takes two minutes, the examiner gives you a page with a question and five prompts.
  
• You have 15 seconds to consider them before you speak.
• You should discuss each of the options in turn
• In the second part you have to summarise, for example, choosing the option that is best - you have one minute for this. 

How to do Part 3- first part

• Listen carefully to the question
  
• In the 15 seconds thinking time, consider how you can start a discussion, perhaps with a suggestion and a reason for your ideas
  
• Remember to ask your partner what he/she thinks. 
• When your partner says something, react to his ideas.
• Try to make the discussion sound natural and DON'T TRY TO DOMINATE THE CONVERSATION.
• Keep the discussion moving by saying: What do you think? / Shall we move on? 

Second Part

1. Don't discuss each option again, but just the ones that seem most reasonable to you. 
2. Try to reach a decision but remember it is not essential to agree. 

Involving your partner

• What do you think?
• Do you agree?
• What about (a music festival)
• I think ..... What about you?

Keeping the discussion moving

• What about (a theme park)What do you think?
• Let's move on to the next option
• Shall we move on to the next option?

Useful language

How do you think ....

Well perhaps ..... 

I imagine students would see ...

That's a good point.

Yes, I see what you mean.

 I suppose that might be ....

You're right. 

          Part 4 - In Part 4 you continue to work together

The examiner asks both of you your opinions connected with the topic you discussed in Part 3. 

Part 4 lasts about 4 minutes. 

How to do Part 4

• Listen carefully to the questions, If you don't understand, say "sorry, can you say that again. please?"
• Give general answers to the questions
• If you don't know the answer to the question, don't just say " I don't know", Say "I don't know a lot about this subject but  I think .... and then give some ideas. 

Example questions

• Some places attract a large number of tourists. What are the problems of having too many tourists? 
• Do you think it is better for people to spend their holidays in their own country or travel to other countries? 

Useful language

Introducing an opinion and giving a reason

• I think...
• Well, in my opinion
• I'm not sure. I think.....

Giving an example

• For example
• For instance
• ... such as....

Speaking in general

• In general
• Generally,...
• As a rule, ....
• .... tend to ....

Introducing an explanation

• I mean
• You see .....