Section №4

Speaking

Three parts, sample answers, topic vocabulary.

№1Daily RoutineA1parts 1–3 · 8 questions · 6 words · begin →№2Your HometownA2parts 1–3 · 8 questions · 6 words · begin →№3Travel and HolidaysB1parts 1–3 · 8 questions · 6 words · begin →№4Technology in Daily LifeB2parts 1–3 · 8 questions · 6 words · begin →№5Education and LearningC1parts 1–3 · 8 questions · 6 words · begin →№6The Media and Public OpinionC2parts 1–3 · 7 questions · 6 words · begin →

Notes on technique

Fluency Beats Perfection

The speaking test rewards communication, not flawless grammar. A candidate who talks willingly, with natural pauses and a few mistakes, scores higher than one who produces short, perfect sentences separated by long silences.

Extend every answer. For Part 1, aim for two to three sentences: answer the question, then add a reason or example. “Do you like cooking?” → “Yes, especially at weekends — it helps me relax, and I love trying recipes from other countries.”

Buy thinking time naturally. Phrases like “That’s an interesting question…” or “I’ve never thought about that, but I’d say…” are perfectly acceptable and sound far better than silence.

Paraphrase when stuck. Forgetting a word costs nothing if you talk around it: “the machine that keeps food cold” communicates refrigerator perfectly well. Stopping to search your memory is the only real failure.

Owning the Part 2 Long Turn

Part 2 gives you a card, one minute to prepare, and up to two minutes to speak alone. Many candidates dry up after thirty seconds; the secret is to treat the minute of preparation as seriously as the talk itself.

Use that minute to jot a few keywords — not sentences — against each bullet on the card, plus one personal detail or short story. The bullets are a ready-made structure: cover them in order and you will never run out of things to say.

Then aim to go beyond the card. The examiner wants extended, natural speech, so don’t just answer the bullets mechanically — add a reason, a feeling, or a memory. The phrase “the reason I … is that …” is a reliable way to keep talking, because explaining why almost always produces another two or three sentences.

Finally, don’t fear running long: it is far better to be gently stopped at two minutes than to finish early in silence. If you lose your thread, buy yourself time with a natural filler such as “Let me think…” rather than freezing — a brief, fluent hesitation costs you nothing.