SPEAKING FCE EXAM

PART 1
In part 1 the interlocutor (examiner) will ask for your name and then say something like:
"First we'd like to know something about you. So I'm going to ask you some questions about yourselves."
Some examples could be:
Free time:
What are your hobbies?
What activities do you usually do when youre 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 youd 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?

You dont need to memorise all your answers, but you have to justify them. Dont answer a question with
yes/no. Give reasons and explanations in order to avoid more questions by the examiner.
PART 2
In part 2 you will be asked to:

1. Compare 2 photographs and answer a question about them; you will be stopped after 1
minute.
2. The other candidate will have 20 seconds to answer a follow-up question about your photographs.
Then you will do the same after the other candidate has compared their photos.

You have to compare and contrast both photographs, using some phrases such as:
In the first picture I can see/ there is a in the second picture I can see.
Remember that you can describe what you can see in the picture:
In the foreground I can see (en primer plano)
In the background there is (en el fondo).

Words and phrases used to compare and contrast

In the first photo we can see.... whereas/but/however, in the second photo...
While/Whereas in the first photograph. In the second one
On one hand, we can see // On the other hand
In contrast
Both photos show...

The ... in photo one looks more... than... in photo 2

This photo doesn't look as...as the other because...
You also can speculate if you are not sure what is happening in the picture. You can use some of these phrases:

She might be doing sport (quiz est haciendo deporte)

She seems to be in a natural space (parece estar en una zona natural)
She could be taking photos or walking (podra estar tomando fotos o paseando)
It looks like a park (tiene pinta de ser un parque, parece un parque)
It looks as if she was/She looks as if she was (parece como si estuviese)

PART 3
You have to talk to you partner about 3 minutes. The examiner will give you some items and one or two questions you
have to answer. You have to talk to your partner and decide which will be the best option, giving your personal opinion
and explaining your own reasons.

You have to:

1. Choose one of the items and give your opinion, providing reasons.
2. Ask your mate about his/her opinion.
3. Listen to your mate and then, repeat again with another item.
4. When both have commented all items, answer the question(s).
First at all, you have to be polite. Use these phrases:
- Do you want to speak first?
- Shall I start?
- Should I speak first?

In order to ask about your mates opinion:

- What do you think?
- Do you agree with me?
- Whats your opinion?
- What about you?

If you agree:
- Thats true
- youre right
- youve got a point there
- Yes I agree with you
- I think so too,
- Exactly!
- Definitely!
- I was just thinking the same thing,
- I know, me too, me neither, so do I, neither do I, you're right, It's true...

If you disagree:
- Well, Im not sure (about that)
- Perhaps, but
- You might be right, but I think
- I dont really agree with you because

To express your personal opinion:

- In my opinion
- Personally
- From my point of view
- As far as I can see
- I think
- I strongly believe that
- I used tountil I found outand now I see it a different way
- I really like/dont like

When you want to change /talk about another item, we can use so:
- Sowhat about this other photo?
- Sowhat about this one?
- Ok, now what about this option?
PART 4
In this part, you have to carry out a discussion which stems from the topic featured in part 3. You are asked different
questions that you have to talk about with your partner.

How to express your opinion:

Introducing your opinion

- I think./ I feel..
- Well, in my opinion.
- Im not sure about that, I think
- I dont really think so because.
- I know a lot of people think X, but .

Introducing an explanation
- I mean
- What I mean is.
- You see.

Giving an example
- For example.
- For instance.
- Such as.