ENGLISH LANGUAGE

COURSE

TIPS FOR Aptis

TIPS for APTIS ;-)

Welcome to your Aptis introductory course. We are here to show you the format
of the APTIS exam, the question types, and to give you a quick review of some
basic grammar points and essential vocabulary. The duration of this course is
10 hours.

Grammar and vocabulary will be looked at as we go along. You will be assigned

exercises to do at home. Although we highly recommend it, it is NOT
compulsory to do them. We will not have time to correct them all in class, but if
you have any questions, please ask.

Day 1 :
 An overview of the exam
 Grammar and Vocabulary test: structure & sample questions

Day 2 :
 Writing test : structure & sample questions

Day 3 :
 Reading test : structure & sample questions
 Speaking test part 1

Day 4 :
 Listening test : structure & sample questions
 Speaking test part 2

Day 5 :
 Speaking test parts 3 & 4
 Aptis – TEST STRUCTURE

Aptis consists of 5 components: core (grammar and vocabulary), reading, listening, writing
and speaking.

The structure of the Aptis test is:

TEST TEST DESIGN ACTIVITY FORMAT

Core Part 1 Grammar Sentence completion (25 questions) 3-option multiple choice - formal English
25 minutes Part 2 Vocabulary Word matching (similar meaning). Sets of 5 target words with 10 options.
Match words to definitions.
Sentence completion.
Word pairs or Word combinations (words
commonly used together). (25 questions)

Reading Part 1 Sentence
30 minutes comprehension
Part 2 Text cohesion
Part 3 Short text
comprehension
Part 4 Long text
comprehension
Listening Part 1 Word and number
Approximately recognition
25 - 50 Part 2 Identifying specific
minutes information
Part 3 Inference
Writing Part 1 Word-level writing
50 minutes Part 2 Short text writing
Part 3 Three written
responses to questions.
Part 4 Formal and
informal writing
Speaking Part 1 Personal
12 minutes information
Part 2 Describe, express
opinion and provide
reasons and
explanations
Part 3 Describe, compare
and provide reasons and
explanations
Part 4 Discuss personal
experience and opinion
on an abstract topic
Choose words to complete sentences.
Put sentences into the correct order to make
a story.
Choose the best word from a list to make a
sentence.
Match headings to paragraphs.
Listen to a phone message to identify specific
information.
Listen to monologues or conversation and
identify specific information.
Listen to monologues and conversations and
identify the attitude, opinion or intention.
Respond to messages using individual words.
Write personal information.
Respond to written questions on a social
network-type website.
Write an informal email to a friend and a
formal email to an unknown person.
Respond to 3 personal information questions.
Describe a picture and answer 2 additional
questions of increasing difficulty.
Describe two contrasting pictures and answer
2 additional questions of increasing difficulty.
Answer 3 questions on an abstract topic.
3-option multiple choice.
7 sentences jumbled up.
10 options and 7 empty spaces.
7 paragraphs and 8 headings.
4-option multiple choice.
1-5 words for each question.
20-30 words.
30-40 words for each question.
40-50 words for the informal email.
120-150 words for the formal email.
30 seconds for each response.
45 seconds for each response.
45 seconds for each response.
1-minute preparation time.
2-minute response time.
GRAMMAR
&
VOCABULARY
Sample grammar questions
There are two question types. The first focuses on written English grammar and the second focuses on the use of English
grammar when speaking.

Here are some examples:

1. Written grammar
He ______ me that the machine was broken.
 told
 spoke
 said

My boss says that I ______ to finish the report by Friday.

 must
 have
 should

My new computer works _____ faster than my old one.

 many
 more
 much

I have worked for this company _____ I left university.

 since
 after
 from

2. Spoken grammar
John: She's French, isn't she?
Ahmed: No, _______ she's from Belgium.
 exactly
 actually
 anyway

Zeynep: I really don't feel like going to see that movie tonight.
Peter: Ok. __________ we can go next week instead.
 Maybe
 However
 Nevertheless
Sample vocabulary questions
The first question type tests your ability to match words with similar meanings from a list of options. You need to click on
the arrows and choose the similar word.

Here is an example:

For the next question type you need to match a definition to a word. Click on the arrow and choose the word that
matches the definition.

Here is an example:
The next question type asks you to identify a word from a list that is commonly used with the given word.

There is a final question type that asks you to complete a sentence using a word from a list.
 GRAMMAR
Exam practice & useful language
GRAMMAR PRACTICE

CHOOSE THE CORRECT ANSWER IN EACH QUESTION.

1 Mary is asleep. ___________________ make any noise!

a) Do b) Don’t c) Not d) No

2 Listen! The teacher _________________ to you.

a) is talking b) talking c) talks d) talk

3 What is that? Oh! It’s _______________ dog.

a) ours b) of us c) our d) us

4 That is _____________________ sister.

a) Alice b) of Alice c) the Alice’s d) Alice’s

5 How do the children normally go to school? ________________

a) by foot b) walking c) in car d) by car

6 Please send the fax to ___________________ .

a) them b) their c) they d) theirs

7 ___________________ do you go to the gym? Four days a week.

a) What frequency b) How often c) How long d) What time

8 __________________ is this? It’s not mine.

a) Of who b) Who c) Who’s d) Whose

9 Michael ____________________ home at 5 o’clock every day.

a) gone b) go c) goes d) going

10 Do the soldiers work at the weekend? No, ______________________ .

a) they do b) they don’t work c) they don’t d) they not work

11 Paul __________________ start his new job on Tuesday.

a) ´s going b) going c) going to d) ´s going to

12 Do you live in Paris? Yes, _____________________ .

a) I do b) I live c) I do live d) I am

13 What ______________ do after his military service?

a) is Ron going b) ‘s Ron going to c) Ron is going d) Ron is going to

14 The blue dress costs €64 and the red one costs €84. The red dress is _______________ the blue one.

a) ‘nt as expensive as b) cheaper than c) more expensive that d) n’t as cheap as

15 My brother Peter plays tennis ____________ my brother Sam.

a) best than b) more well than c) better that d) better than

16 The exam ____________ at the correct time.

a) don’t started b) didn’t start c) didn’t started d) doesn’t started

17 The child _____________ to the party alone last Saturday.

a) gone b) goes c) did go d) went

18 A: It’s very cold in here.

B: Don’t worry, I ______________ the heating

a) ‘ll turn b) ‘m going to turn on c) turn on d) ‘ll turn on

19 _______________ call a doctor for you?

a) Won’t I b) Would I c) Am I going d) Shall I

20 When the exam results come out, who _____________ with?

a) are going to celebrate b) you celebrate

c) you will celebrate d) will you celebrate

21 The soldiers ________________ stay in the barracks last weekend.

a) didn’t have to b) didn’t need c) must d) had

22 Must the soldiers get up at 6 o’clock on Sundays? No, they _______________ .

a) don’t b) needn’t c) mustn’t d) can’t

23 My little brother will be five when he __________________ to France.

a) will go b) go c) goes d) ´s going to

24 The twins __________________ swim when they were three years old.

a) could b) can c) knew d) could to

25 The company has worked with us __________________ a long time.

a) since b) for c) during d) while

26 We __________________ buy alcohol since we were 16 years old.

a) been able to b) ´ve been able c) ´ve could d) ´ve been able to

27 ___________________________ America?

a) Have you ever been in b) Has you ever been in

c) Have you ever been to d) Have you ever been
28 I ______________________ the picture when Roger called.

a) was looking at b) were looking at c) was looking d) was seeing

29 Most people think that __________________ is an interesting hobby.

a) travelling b) to travel c) the travel d) to travelling

30 Those are the people __________________ we sent the letters to.

a) whom b) which c) who d) whose

31 Those are the men _____________________ wives are in prison.

a) whose b) of whose c) who d) of who

32 The boy’s mother told him ___________________ the disco.

a) not to go to b) to not go to c) not going to d) not to going

33 “What can I do for you?”

The shop assistant asked the man what _______________________.

a) can he do for him b) he can do for him

c) could he do for him d) he could do for him

34 The man wanted to know if the client objected to __________________.

a) his opening the window b) he opening the window

c) him to open the window d) his to open the window

35 Mary normally has her hair _______________ at the hairdresser’s in town.

a) done b) did c) to do d) doing

36 Before arriving at the flat, Mike and Paula ________________ had supper.

a) didn’t b) did c) had d) have

37 Before you got the job in that company ___________________ anywhere else?

a) did you work b) had you work

c) has you worked d) had you worked

38 _____________________ you pay the bank now, they won’t give you another loan.

a) If b) Unless c) If not d) If don’t

39 The doctor said that his patient _________________ have an operation on his foot.

a) ought to b) ought c) should to d) had better to

40 The employees __________________ sign their names in the book before leaving.

a) supposed to b) should to c) are supposed to d) are supposed

41 The building ____________________ finished by next April.

a) should been b) ought be c) should to be d) should be

42 The car _______________ in the explosion.

 a) was destroy b) was destroyed c) were destroyed d) destroyed

43 A new government _______________ next month.

a) ´s formed b) ´s going to be formed

c) will formed d) going to form

44 The criminal ________________ to prison for life.

a) has sent b) has sending c) has been send d) has been sent

45 If I __________________ a bad timetable, I won’t work.

a) ´m given b) ´m giving c) ´ll be given d) ´ll be giving

46 Tom would travel more if he _____________________ a car.

a) own b) would own c) had owned d) owned

47 The accident wouldn’t have happened if the driver ___________ more careful.

a) would have been b) would be c) had been d) wouldn’t have been

48 When we were children we ___________________ to the beach every summer.

a) used go b) used to go c) was used to go d) was used go

49 When I’m not feeling well, I ___________________ in bed.

a) usually stay b) use to stay c) used to stay d) normally to stay

50 Monica _______________ because her car keys aren’t here.

a) must already left b) must have already left

c) can’t left d) must to have left
KEY:

1. B
2. A
3. C
4. D
5. D
6. A
7. B
8. D
9. C
10. C
11. D
12. A
13. B
14. D
15. D
16. B
17. D
18. D
19. D
20. D
21. A
22. B
23. C
24. A
25. B
26. D
27. C
28. A
29. A
30. C
31. A
32. A
33. D
34. A
35. A
36. C
37. D
38. B
39. A
40. C
41. D
42. B
43. B
44. D
45. A
46. D
47. C
48. B
49. A
50. B
GRAMMAR PRACTICE

1. The product manager usually ___________ a report to the client on Friday morning.

a. sends b. send c. sent

2. Bill ______________ lunch with the Irish President the day before yesterday.

a. hadn’t b. didn’t have c. hadn’t got

th
3. Your English test will be __________ the 8 of June __________ 5 p.m.

a. on / at b. at / on c. in / at

4. His salary is the same ____________ mine.

a. like b. than c. as

5. All the employees _____________ to London tomorrow to do a training course.

a. fly b. flew c. are flying

6. Rafael Nadal has won ____________ tennis matches.

a. too many b. a lot of c. much

7. I ____________ the report yet.

a. haven’t finished b. finished c. didn’t finish

8. They ______________ in the International Department.

a. ‘d like working b. like working c. like work

9. There ______________ more jobs if the company gets the contract.

a. will be b. can c. may

10. How ______________ is your house from the office?

a. distant b. far c. long

11. _______________ the chief engineer who signed the contract.

a. Was he? b. Was it? c. Did he?

12. My job ______________ exciting but now I find it boring.

a. is usually b. use to be c. used to be

13. I was brought up in Ireland but I’ve been living in Germany ____________ the past 15
years.

a. since b. for c. during

14. You didn’t tell me you needed the tickets this afternoon. But don’t worry!
______________ them right now!.
 a. I’ll book b. I’m going to book c. I’m booking

15. The junior executive felt very _________________ when he understood very little at the
meeting.

a. embarrassing b. embarrass c. embarrassed

16. A mechanic is a person ________________ job is to repair car engines.

a. whose b. who c. who’s

17. There’s _____________________ fresh air in the countryside.

a. full of b. plenty of c. a lot

18. Did the manager send the products? Michael asked: ___________________

a. if the manager did send the products

b. if had the manager sent the products
c. if the manager had sent the products

19. James didn’t get accepted for the job. He ________________ improved his computer
skills.

a. should’ve b. would’ve c. may have

20. If your company ____________ you to move to Alaska, _________________?

a. asks/are you going b. asked/would you go c. had asked/will you go

21. John Lennon _________ in 1980. His records _____________ increasingly popular
since then.

a. died/became b. dead/are becoming c. died/have become

22. IT Corp. is ___________________ by Megacorp.

a. being taken over b. taking over c. been taken over

23. Mary goes to the hairdresser’s every Friday evening.

a. She’s having her hair done once a week.

b. She does her hair once a week.
c. She has her hair done once a week.

24. He’s studying _____ degree in _____ Law at _____ University of Leeds.

a. ___ / ____ / the b. a / ____ / the c. a / the / the

25. While he ____________ on the phone, the thief _________ into the house and
__________ the jewels.

a. chatted/broke/robbed
b. was chatting/broke/stole
c. was speaking/had broken/stolen
26. You handed in the report on time, _______________ ?.

a. didn’t you b. haven’t you c. weren’t you

27. She _________________ for the national team in 25 tournaments so far.

a. has been playing b. has played c. is playing

28. By the year 2010, the company ________________ into the U.S.A.

a. will have expanded b. will be expanded c. will expand

29. The computer crashed, so we ______________ a technician.

a. must call b. must have called c. had to call

30. If you _______________ the service, we ________________ a lot of money.

a. ‘d outsourced/had saved
b. had outsourced/‘d have saved
c. outsourced/would have saved

31. Remember _______________ your passport before ______________ to the U.K.

a. to check/travelling b. checking/travelling c. check/to travel

32. Being bilingual doesn’t guarantee a job. _______, it will help to be shortlisted.

a. Nevertheless b. Moreover c. Furthermore

33. I wish they ______________ me on my mobile at weekends.

a. will call b. do call c. wouldn’t call

34. “Have you heard that Eva is having a baby at 50?”

a. “You joke!” b. “You’re joking!” c. “You’ve been joking!”

35. “Hi, Johanna. I _________________ if you had any plans for the weekend.”

a. am wondering b. was wondering c. wonder

36. Half the population are thought ________________ bird flu from eating imported
chicken.

a. to have caught b. to be caught c. having caught

37. I’ve told you before. ____________ I need is help, not sympathy.

a. That b. Which c. What

38. You _________________ me you weren’t coming to the party. I _____________ John
to accompany me.

a. wouldn’t told/would ask

b. could’ve told/could’ve asked
c. must have told/could have asked

39. That model is ____________ gorgeous. At 15, she’s got an ____________ huge career
ahead.

a. absolutely/absolutely b. extremely/absolutely c. absolutely/extremely

40. The secretary took ________ my mobile number but never called me ________.

a. up/up b. down/back c. away/up

41. They like nothing _____________ having a long break.

a. more than b. more that c. more as

42. Employees _____________ clock in by 8:30 a.m.

a. are supposed to b. should to c. are supposed

43. It’s time you ________________ some of your responsibility. You’ve too much on your
plate.

a. will hand over b. hand over c. handed over

44. Not only __________________ promotion, he also got a new company car.

a. had he got b. did he get c. he got

45. The _____________ political situation is deplorable. Well, ___________, it’s on the
verge of collapse.

a. current/actually b. actual/presently c. present/currently

46. I’ve been living here for 3 years and I just can’t get ______________ so late.

a. use to eating b. used to eating c. used to eat

47. __________________ that Sally was accepted into the Harvard Business School.

a. So intelligent was she at 15

b. Such was she intelligent at 15
c. So was her intelligence at 15

48. _______________ to send the e-mail, he _____________ in trouble with the boss.

a. Were he to forget/would have been

b. If he hadn’t forgotten/had been
c. Had he not forgotten/wouldn’t have been
49. ________ my colleagues don’t object, I’ll ask for a reduction in working hours.

a. Providing b. Unless c. Despite

50. No doubt you’d rather he scheduled the meeting after lunch, _______________?

a. hadn’t you b. didn’t you c. wouldn’t you

KEY:

1. A
2. B
3. A
4. C
5. C
6. B
7. A
8. B
9. A
10. B
11. B
12. C
13. B
14. A
15. C
16. A
17. B
18. C
19. A
20. B
21. C
22. A
23. C
24. B
25. B
26. A
27. B
28. A
29. C
30. B
31. A
32. A
33. C
34. B
35. B
36. A
37. C
38. B
39. A
40. B
41. A
42. A
43. C
44. B
45. A
46. B
47. A
48. C
49. A
50. C
VOCABULARY
Exam practice & useful language
VOCABULARY PRACTICE FOR APTIS

WORD MATCHING :

Match the words on the left with words that have a similar meaning on the right. There are 5 extra
words.

SAMPLE 1 :

tall talk

speak bring

finish high

make arrive

leave do

choose walk

pick

end

go

sell

begin

SAMPLE 2 :

watch attempt
catch desire
enjoy bring
want listen
tell look
try take
sing
like
receive
say
plan
SAMPLE 3 :

short overweight

sad taste

fat upset

stand angry

try pleased

weak order

send

tiny

get up

fragile

busy

SAMPLE 4 :

lie purchase

hate sell

pleased angry

difficult advise

prize loathe

buy deceive

tough

careful

present

award

thrilled
MATCH WORDS TO DEFINITIONS :

SAMPLE 1 :

Complete the definition using a word in the box :

adjust stay lend apply steal amuse reject keep cough look after

To take something illegally _____________________

To cause to laugh ________________________

To continue to be in a place ______________________

To take care of __________________________

To make a formal request ________________________

SAMPLE 2 :

argue lend regret degree career afford wealthy share expensive download

Academic qualification ____________________

To have enough money _____________________

To be sorry for ___________________

Rich ______________________

To transfer data from a computer ______________________

SAMPLE 3 :

argue throw tracksuit lend bargain spend cheat borrow suit reject

To use up ____________________

To act dishonestly ____________________

Clothes worn for doing sport _____________________

To receive something you will return ____________________

Something bought at an advantageous price _________________

 SAMPLE 4 :

cope warn freeze discuss speed miss choose realise complain settle

To convert into ice ______________________

To express dissatisfaction _________________________

To select ___________________________

To move rapidly _________________________

To manage difficulties ____________________________

SENTENCE COMPLETION :

Complete the sentences in the exercises using one of the words in the list. There are 5 extra words.

SAMPLE 1 :

aggressive healthy talented talkative lively sociable ugly self- confident hardworking boring patient

Example : Peter is not very sociable ; he hates meeting new people

1. Teachers need to be very _____________________ with their students when they’re having
problems understanding.
2. My father was always very ______________________ . He only took one week’s holiday a year.
3. This film is very _____________________ . Can we watch a different one ?
4. Sally’s ___________________ personality makes her an ideal candidate for working with
children.

SAMPLE 2 :

noisy traffic crime accommodation booking cottage pollution wildlife neighbourhood countryside quiet

Example : There’s so much traffic in this city – just thousands of cars all day.

1. I can’t concentrate here because it’s too ___________________ .

2. I’m going to stay in Tom’s house when I go to London as ___________________ is just too
expensive.
3. I’d like to go to the __________________ this weekend because I’m tired of the city.
4. Our ___________________ has some really good schools and sports facilities.
 SAMPLE 3 :

grow up take after hang out brought up childhood get together split up grow get on mix up wedding

Example : I wasn’t invited to my cousin’s wedding as they got married in Australia.

1. I was married for two years but we _______________________ 6 months ago and I’m very sad.
2. My brother doesn’t ______________________ with my boyfriend. In fact, they hate each
other.
3. I think you ____________________ your mother. You’re both so impatient !
4. Our family always ____________________ at Christimas time. It’s a great tradition and we
always have great fun.

SAMPLE 4 :

successful outstanding skilled useless fit sensitive competitive potential well-known achievement performance

Example : Mark’s performance in the race was incredible. He won a gold medal.

1. He’s had a lot of injuries but he always comes back to win. He really is a(n)
_________________ athlete – there’s noone like him.
2. It was an incredible ___________________________ to win two gold medals at the
Olympic Games after so many injuries.
3. It’s ____________________ trying to compete against him – he’s much too good for me.
4. You’re so ____________________ that you always get angry when you lose !

SAMPLE 5 :

put aside grant donate mortgage affordable invest budget income debt savings pay off

Example : Sally earned a lot of money as a model so she decided to invest her money. Now she’s
a millionaire.

1. I have to find a(n) __________________________ house – this one is too expensive.

2. Peter was such a good student that he was given a(n) ___________________ to study abroad.
3. If I _____________________ a little money each week, I should be able to get that fabulous
dress for the party.
4. Our ____________________ for the holiday doesn’t cover such expensive hotels.
WORD PAIRS or WORD COMBINATIONS (words commonly used together) :

Select a word from the list that is most often used with the words in the box:

SAMPLE 1 :

Example : atom + bomb

seat +

breaking +

rush +

pay +

long +

traffic income hour news queue belt rise plane stairs pay

SAMPLE 2 :

high +

heavy +

film +

married +

spread +

advice job couple rain shop price review sheet page wedding

SAMPLE 3 :

toy +

interest +

live +

cycle +

traffic +

music game cars lights road lane gun film rates money
SAMPLE 4 :

bottle +

family +

current +

cough +

parking +

sneeze reunion bottle relative opener space glass affairs people places
 KEY

WORD MATCHING

SAMPLE 1 :

talk end do go pick

SAMPLE 2 :

take like desire say attempt

SAMPLE 3 :

Upset overweight get up taste fragile

SAMPLE 4 :

loathe thrilled tough award purchase

MATCH WORDS TO DEFINITIONS

SAMPLE 1 :

steal amuse stay look after apply

SAMPLE 2 :

degree afford regret wealthy download

SAMPLE 3 :

spend cheat tracksuit borrow bargain

SAMPLE 4 :

freeze complain choose speed cope

SENTENCE COMPLETION

SAMPLE 1 :

patient hardworking boring lively

SAMPLE 2 :

noisy accommodation countryside neighbourhood

SAMPLE 3 :

split up get on take after get together

SAMPLE 4 :

outstanding achievement useless competitive

SAMPLE 5 :
affordable grant put aside budget

WORD PAIRS

SAMPLE 1 :

belt news hour rise queue

SAMPLE 2 :

Price rain review couple sheet

SAMPLE 3 :

gun rates music lane lights

SAMPLE 4 :

opener reunion affairs bottle space

 FALSE FRIENDS

Spanish word English equivalent English word Spanish equivalent

actual current, present actual real
actualmente currently, nowadays actually en realidad, de hecho
agenda calendar, appointment book, diary agenda orden del día, plan secreto
alterado upset altered cambiado, modificado
argumento plot, reasoning argument discusión, riña
bravo fierce, wild brave valiente
carpeta folder carpet moqueta
carta letter cart carrito, carreta
casualidad coincidence, chance casualty Víctima (en un accidente)
chocar strike, collide choke ahogar
colegio school, secondary/high school college universidad
collar necklace, collar (for pets) collar cuello de prenda de ropa
compromiso obligation, commitment compromise mutuo acuerdo
constipado to have a cold constipated estreñido
contesta answer(s) contest concurso
costumbre habit, custom costume disfraz, vestuario
cráneo skull crane grúa
decepción disappointment, letdown deception engaño
desgracia misfortune, tragedy disgrace deshonra, ridículo
disgusto annoyance, upset disgust asco, repugnancia
diversión fun, amusement diversion desvío, distracción
dormitorio bedroom dormitory residencia universitaria
elaborar make/produce/create elaborate (adj) detallado, minucioso
embarazada pregnant embarrassed avergonzado/a
empresa business, company empress emperatriz
enviar send envy (v) envidiar
eventualmente by chance, occassionally eventually finalmente, con el tiempo
éxito success, hit exit salida
fábrica factory fabric tela, tejido
gentil pleasant, courteous gentle amable, moderado, suave
introducir to insert introduce (somebody) presentar
largo long large grande
lentilla contact lens lentil lenteja
librería bookshop, bookstore library biblioteca
mayor bigger, larger, older mayor alcalde
miseria poverty misery pena, tristeza
molestar bother, disturb molest abusar (sexualmente)
nudo knot nude desnudo
pan bread pan sartén
pared wall parade desfile
pariente relative parent progenitor
pie foot pie pastel
conservante preservative preservativo condom
presumir brag, show off presume suponer
quitar take away, strip quit dejar, renunciar
realizar make, do realise darse cuenta
recordar remind, remember record grabar
relativo related, relating, relative (to) relative pariente
resumir summarise, shorten resume seguir, reanudar
ropa clothes rope cuerda
sensible sensitive sensible sensato, prudente
sin without sin pecado
soportar tolerate, put up with support apoyar
suceso event success éxito
simpatía friendliness sympathy compasión, piedad
últimamente lately, recently ultimately en última instancia
Vicioso depraved, immoral, addict vicious violento, feroz, cruel
 (SOME) WORDS TO DESCRIBE FEELINGS

Afraid Angry / annoyed

Anxious Ashamed

Embarrassed Lonely

Worried Depressed

Confused Disappointed

Frustrated Proud
READING
Exam practice
Aptis reading test
The test assesses your reading ability. The tasks become more difficult as the test progresses.
Test design Description
Part 1 In this part, you need to choose a word (choice of
three) to complete the sentence. There are five
Sentence sentences to complete. Each sentence in the text
is free-standing which means that it is not
comprehension
necessary to understand all of the sentences to
complete individual sentences.
This part assesses your ability to read a sentence
and to complete the sentence with an
appropriate word.
Part 2 In this part you will see seven sentences. They
belong to a single story that has been jumbled up.
Text cohesion There is only one way that the sentences go
together to form the story and your task is to click
on the sentences and drag them to the correct
position in the story.
This part assesses your knowledge of the
cohesion of a text. You are looking for clues in
each sentence that show how it links to other
sentences.
Part 3 In this part you will need to read a text (about 150
words). The task is to complete the text by
Short text selecting the appropriate words (from a list) to fill
comprehension in the gaps. To complete all of the text you need
to understand more than just a sentence.
This part tests your ability to read and understand
short texts.
Part 4 This part consists of a long text (about 750 words)
with a series of headings. The task is to match the
Long text headings to paragraphs in the text (there are
comprehension seven to be done). There is always an extra
heading that does not fit with any paragraph.
This part is designed to test your ability to read
and understand a long text. In addition, you need
to be able to demonstrate an understanding of
how the headings reflect the paragraphs in
different ways (sometimes using similar words,
sometimes similar ideas, or by sharing a topic).
Preparation
Make sure you read each sentence fully and the
options before trying to answer this question.
The best way to become a better reader is to
practise. A number of publishers produce graded
readers that might be of use. For example, try:
 Cambridge Bookworms Starter / Stage 1
 Cambridge Readers – Level 1
 Penguin Readers – Level 1
 Macmillan Readers – Starter / Beginner
 Headway Skills series.
Read all of the sentences carefully first. Then,
decide on the order (the first sentence is
identified for you).
Appropriate readers for this level are:
 Cambridge Bookworms Stage 1 and 2
 Cambridge Readers – Level 2
 Penguin Readers – Level 3
 Macmillan Readers – Elementary.
Read over the whole text before attempting the
questions.
Appropriate readers for this level are:
 Cambridge Bookworms Stage 2 and 3
 Cambridge Readers – Level 3, 4 and 5
 Penguin Readers – Level 4
 Macmillan Readers – Pre Intermediate.
Read the main text carefully but as quickly as you
can. Then carefully read the headings. Do all this
before starting the task. Look for clues to connect
the headings to the paragraphs; these might be
similar words, ideas or topics.
Appropriate readers for this level are:
 Cambridge Bookworms Stage 4, 5 and 6
 Cambridge Readers – Level 4, 5 and 6
 Penguin Readers – Level 5 and 6
 Macmillan Readers – Intermediate and
Upper Intermediate.
Sample reading questions

Reading part 1
In this part, you must select the appropriate word from a drop-down list. You should complete this part in about three
minutes.
Reading part 2
In the second part, you must sort the sentences into the correct order to make a story. Do this by clicking on a sentence
and dragging it to its correct position.
Reading part 3
In the third part, you must select the word from the group at the bottom of the screen and drag a word into each of the
seven empty boxes. There are ten word options and only seven spaces.

If you change your mind, that's not a problem as you can move the words around until you make you final decision.

Reading part 4
For the final part, it is necessary to scroll the reading text to see all of it. Do this by clicking on the side bar (as shown) and
move the bar up and down.

Select the appropriate heading from the drop-down list on the right-hand side.
Reading answer key

Reading part 1

Reading part 2
Reading part 3

Reading part 4
 READING PRACTICE

QUESTION 1:

Read the text below and choose the correct word for each space (A, B or C). There is an example at
the beginning.

SAMPLE 1:

EXAMPLE 0 A more B the most C the more

ANSWER __ B__

Nelson Mandela: Surprising Facts You Probably Didn’t Know

He was one of (0) _____ iconic figures of modern times and countless words have been written about
his life and times, but there are things about Nelson Mandela you probably didn’t know. Here are just a
few:

1 Mandela’s birth name was Rolihlahla. In Xhosa, one of the official languages of South Africa,
“Rolihlahla” (1) _____ troublemaker. The name “Nelson” was given to him by his teacher on his first day
of elementary school. It was the early 1920s, and African children were given English names so British
colonials (2) _____ pronounce them easily.

2 He had a small part in Spike Lee’s 1992 biopic “Malcolm X.” At the very end of the movie, he (3) _____
a teacher reciting Malcolm X’s famous speech to a room full of Soweto school children. But the pacifist
Mandela wouldn’t say “by any means necessary.”

3 He had fancy (4) _____ with world leaders. But (5) _____ Mandela loved eating most was tripe.

1. A translates B means C says

2. A could B may C need

3. A does B interprets C plays

4. A meals B food C lunch

5. A how B that C what

SAMPLE 2:

EXAMPLE 0 A for B from C of

ANSWER __ C__

History of St. Patrick

St. Patrick is the patron saint (0) _____ Ireland. His real name was Maewyn and it is thought that he was
Scottish or Welsh. He first came to Ireland as a slave. It was (1) _____ his time as a slave that he
converted to Christianity. After (2) _____ years, he escaped and returned home to his family and trained
to become a priest.

St. Patrick returned to Ireland as a bishop. He (3) _____ years travelling the country, building churches
and converting the pagan Irish people to Christianity. His time in Ireland (4) _____ 30 years and he died
th
on March 17 AD431. He is said to be buried in Downpatrick, County Down in Ireland.

There are many myths and legends surrounding St. Patrick, (5) _____ the most famous one is that he
drove all the snakes out of Ireland. It is now thought that snakes were a symbol for paganism. Although,
legend or not, the only snakes you can find in Ireland are in the zoo!

1. A at B during C for

2. A few B many C much

3. A lived B passed C spent

4. A lasted B happened C made

5. A because B since C but

SAMPLE 3:

EXAMPLE 0 A visit B visited C to visit

ANSWER __ C__

People’s Worst Travel Experiences

Tom’s story

‘I’d been (0) _____ a friend in Berlin and was travelling by train all the way back to Lyon, in France,
where I lived. I had to change in Basel, so got (1) _____ and walked down to the ticket office. I couldn’t
find my next train on (2) _____ of the screens, so I asked a member of staff, who informed me that this
was the wrong stop and that my train left from the other station in Basel. We sped across the city and I
thought I’d made it, only to find the train pulling out as I ran onto the platform. I remember getting
some very strange looks from the people around me as I threw my bags on the floor and shouted in
frustration.
Ben's story
‘I must have been nine or ten, and was on holiday with my parents in Greece. We’d hired a car for a(n)
(3) _____ days and were driving through a tiny mountain village when the engine suddenly cut out and
we came to a stop. None of us knew (4) _____ about cars and we had no idea what the problem was so,
in the end, my dad got out and went to find help. He (5) _____ there was no one around so he resorted
to knocking on a random door and then trying to explain the problem to an old Greek woman using
hand gestures. As luck would have it, there was a mechanic in the village who she called to come and
help us.

1. A in B of C off

2. A all B any C none

3. A amount B couple C few

4. A anything B everything C nothing

5. A asked B said C told

SAMPLE 4:

EXAMPLE 0 A do B finance C make

ANSWER __ C__

What do you think of banks?

Agnes

“I don’t like banks – never have and never will. They (0) _____ a lot of money from people like me, and I
don’t have a lot of money to give. Why (1) _____ I pay for a bank to have my money? I prefer to use
cash only – then I always know exactly how much I have. It also stops me from going overdrawn – (2)
_____ I don’t have it I can’t spend it!

Florence

“I have a bank account but I hate it. They charge me so much for (3) _____. For example, they charge me
for taking money (4) _____ and for writing a cheque. It’s terrible – every year I pay the bank for keeping
my money! I was late paying my credit card bill one month – only by a few days – and they made me pay
$40 for that! I don’t (5) _____ a lot of money so this was a big problem for me. Of course, they charge
me for the credit card too!

1. A could B might C should

2. A and B but C if

3. A all B everything C something

4. A out B for C from

5. A earn B gain C win

QUESTION 2:

Put the following sentences in order

SAMPLE 1:

1. Three-year-old Martin Anderson learnt to play chess by watching his parents in their home.

2. One year later, at the age of just four, Martin took part in the national young chess championship.

3. He was later chosen to take part in the world young chess championship held in Spain in 2000.

4. A month later he was beating his parents at their favourite game.

5. When he first asked to play as well they refused.

6. So eventually they agreed and were surprised that he understood how to play.

7. Martin's incredible ability for chess was soon well known and he was selected to be a pupil of the
provincial school of talents.

Order: ___1____, _______, _______, ________, ________, _________, ___________

SAMPLE 2:

1. Angela Erdmann never knew her grandfather.

2. A lot of the message on the postcard was impossible to read, but the address in Berlin on the front of
the card was legible.
3. The brown beer bottle had been in the water for 101 years when a fisherman found it.
4. Platz asked the person who found it to send the postcard to his home address.
5. Erdmann’s grandfather, Richard Platz, threw the bottle into the sea when he was on a hike in 1913.
6. He died in 1946, six years before she was born.
7. But, on Tuesday April 8th, 2014, she described the extraordinary moment when she received a
message in a bottle, 101 years after he threw it into the Baltic Sea.

Order: ___1____, _______, _______, ________, ________, ________, ________

SAMPLE 3:

1. For many little boys playing football in the street with friends their dream is to become another Pelé
or Beckham.
2. Now playing the position of striker for Washington DC, Freddy is the youngest in any American
professional sport since 1887.
3. Freddy Keaton's talent was noticed from the moment he was first taken on to a US football pitch by a
friend at the age of eight.
4. For Freddy Keaton his dream seems to be coming true.
5. Because Freddy Keaton is only fourteen years old.
6. Two years later the coach of Washington DC saw how good he was and decided he could train for the
team.
7. Why is this so remarkable?

Order: ___1____, _______, _______, ________, ________, _________, _________

SAMPLE 4:

1. Laura Dekker, a 16-year-old Dutch girl, has become the youngest person ever to sail round the world
alone.

2. They said she was too young to look after herself and ordered her to be in the care of Dutch
protection agencies.

3. Laura arrived on the Caribbean island of St Maarten on her 38-foot boat, Guppy, aged 16 years and
123 days.

4. “There were moments where I thought, ‘What am I doing out here?’ but I never wanted to stop,” she
told reporters.

5. “Now, after sailing around the world – with storms, dangerous reefs and keeping myself and my boat
safe – I feel that the Dutch government was totally unfair,” she said.

6. She finally won her battle with the courts in July 2010 and started her journey from St Maarten on 20
January 2011.

7. However, the Dutch courts did not allow her to go on the trip when she was 14.

Order: ____1___, _______, _______, ________, ________, _________, _______

QUESTION 3:

Write the words in the correct spaces:

SAMPLE 1:

over to since took use of

from fully before made which

Ebooks at night won’t help you sleep tight, US study finds

Reading a light-emitting ebook (1) __BEFORE___ bed is bad for your health, according (2) ____________
a new US study. It warned that (3) __________ of the devices affected both sleep at night and alertness
the following morning.
Researchers (4) __________ Harvard Medical School’s sleep medicine department put 12 healthy young
adults through a two-week experiment, in (5) _____________ the participants would either read a light-
emitting ebook for four hours before bedtime or a printed book. Study participants reading a light-
emitting ebook (6) ___________ on average almost 10 minutes longer to fall asleep and said they were
less sleepy an hour before bedtime than they were reading a paper book.
The next morning, ebook readers didn't (7) _________ ‘wake up’ for hours and attain the same level of
alertness. This is particularly dangerous (8) _________ 90% of Americans use an electronic gadget at
least a few nights a week before going to sleep.

SAMPLE 2:

some between surprised real so whose

goes ride lives face and

Eclyse

This is a (1) ___________ zebra crossing! Eclyse is a zorse which is the cross (2) ___________ a
zebra and a horse. Her father is the zebra, (3) _________ her mother is the horse. Her mother,
Eclipse, (4) ______________ on a safari park in Germany but went to Italy for a short time.
There she stayed in a field with (5) _____________ horses and zebras, including Ulysses who
thought she was very nice! When Eclipse came home she (6) ______________ her owner with
a baby zorse. Eclyse looks most like a horse but she has stripes on her (7) ____________ and
back, and the rest of her is white. She is friendly like a horse and quite tame, and you can (8)
___________ her. However, sometimes she’s wild like a zebra and she starts leaping around
like crazy!
SAMPLE 3:

with different tail cross take same

in have hopes for while

Rama

Meet Rama the cama, the (1) ___________ between a camel and a llama. Rama lives in Dubai,
(2) ________ the United Arab Emirates. His father is the camel, and his mother is the llama.
They are very (3) ___________ in size. His mum is small and weighs 76 kilograms, (4) ________
his dad is very big and weighs almost 450 kilograms! Rama has short ears and a long (5)
_________, like a camel, but he doesn’t (6) _________ a hump. His feet are like a llama’s and
his fleece is like a llama’s too. However, because Rama is much bigger than a normal llama his
owner (7) ____________ there will be a lot more wool to sell. His owner also thinks that he will
be calmer than a camel, and so easier to work (8) ____________.

SAMPLE 4:

saw counted each though better sent

into charity under got to

A couple in California (1) ______ a huge surprise last year while they were walking in their
garden. They found over 1,000 gold coins (2) _______ a tree. The coins are worth over $10
million. They (3) _______ 1,427 coins. The coins are from the period 1847 (4) _________ 1894.
Some of them are very rare and could be worth up to $1 million (5) _________. The couple
said they were walking their dog and they (6) ___________ some rusty cans sticking out of the
ground under an old oak tree. When they dug down, they were shocked at what they found.
The woman said: " I never would have thought we would have found something like this." The
couple said they plan to keep some of the coins and sell the others online. They will donate
some of the money they receive to (7) ___________. They said they would use some of the
money to make their house (8) __________.
QUESTION 4:

Put the correct heading on each paragraph. There is one extra heading which you will not use.

SAMPLE 1:

Notice the world around you Connect with people

Have objectives to look forward to Take care of your body

Make sure your work doesn't suffer Find ways to bounce back

Do things for others Keep learning

Easy steps to happier living

1.____________________________

Caring about others is fundamental to our happiness. Helping other people is not only good for them;
it’s good for us too. It makes us happier and can help to improve our health. Giving also creates stronger
connections between people and helps to build a happier society for everyone.

2. ___________________________
Our relationships with other people are the most important thing for our happiness. People with strong
relationships are happier, healthier and live longer. Our close relationships with family and friends
provide love, meaning, support and increase our feelings of self-worth. Our broader social networks
bring a sense of belonging.

3. ____________________________
Our body and mind are connected. Being active makes us happier as well as healthier. It instantly
improves our mood and can even lift us out of depression. We can also boost our wellbeing by spending
time outdoors, eating healthily, unplugging from technology and getting enough sleep.

4. ____________________________
Have you ever felt there must be more to life? Good news – there is. And it’s right here in front of us.
We just need to stop and take notice. Learning to be more mindful and aware does wonders for our
wellbeing, whether it’s on our walk to work, in the way we eat or in our relationships.

5. Keep learning
Learning affects our wellbeing in lots of positive ways. It exposes us to new ideas and helps us stay
curious and engaged. It also gives us a sense of accomplishment and helps boost our self-confidence and
resilience. We can share a skill with friends, join a club, learn to sing, play a new sport and so much
more.

6. ___________________________
Feeling good about the future is really important for our happiness. We all need goals to motivate us
and these have to be challenging enough to excite us, but also achievable. Choosing meaningful but
realistic goals gives our lives direction and brings a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction when we
achieve them.

7. _____________________________
All of us have times of stress, loss, failure or trauma in our lives. How we respond to these events has a
big impact on our wellbeing. We often cannot choose what happens to us, but we can choose how we
react to what happens. In practice it’s not always easy, but one of the most exciting findings from recent
research is that resilience, like many other life skills, can be learned.

SAMPLE 2:

Learning from the past Helping out other animals

Where to eat it Not close to home

Lost tradition Looking for variety

Not always in the same period Similarities and differences

Acorn-fed pigs in Britain produce some of the world’s best ham.

1. _____________________________
When a customer travelled 70 miles from Oxford just to buy a slab of his pork, Jamie Burgess thought
nothing of it. “People know about Ibérico ham now and this is like a British version,” he says. “They’re
happy to come a long way for something a bit different.”

2. ______________________________
The New Forest farmer makes the comparison loosely. He is referring to “pannage pork”, which, like
Ibérico, is produced from pigs fattened on acorns. In the UK, the pigs have access to their nutty diet for
just two months a year, so it doesn’t have quite the same taste and texture as the prized Spanish ham.

3. Where to eat it
But increasing numbers of food lovers are seeking it out. Chef James Golding, who previously worked at
the Savoy, Le Caprice and J Sheekey restaurants in London, believes pannage pork rivals the best in the
world for its flavour and texture, and he puts it on the menu at The Pig Hotel at Brockenhurst, in the
New Forest, whenever possible.

4. ______________________________
Pannage is an ancient practice virtually extinct outside the New Forest. This former royal hunting
ground entitles locals to release their animals into the forest to devour fallen acorns, beech mast and
chestnuts in the autumn, and they can stay out for days and weeks on end if there are rich pickings to be
found.
5. _______________________________
It’s nature’s own health and safety scheme – the pigs safely scoff as many acorns as they like, clearing
the area for the ponies and cattle that can poison themselves if they eat too many – 90 New Forest
animals died during the bumper 2013 acorn season.

6. _______________________________
The exact timing of the season depends on the weather and when the acorns fall. This year it has just
come to an end, so the pigs will be brought back in and fed a regular diet in preparation for slaughter in
a few weeks’ time.

7. ________________________________
“In the past few years we’ve definitely started to see more interest in pannage pork,” says Burgess.
“People are looking for something different these days and they’re paying a lot more attention to where
their food comes from and how it’s produced.”

SAMPLE 3:

How old you are is an important factor Expert opinion

More education is necessary Every other year, even if it costs money

Advice for using computers Questions that need to be answered

Recommendations Early detection

How often should I have an eye test?

1. ________________________________
Just over half of people between the ages of 40 and 75 have not had a recent eye test. But do they need
one? And is it necessary to spend between £20 and £30 to get tested by an optometrist or is it OK just to
pick up some cheap specs at the chemist?
2. ________________________________
Everyone over the age of 16 should have an eye test every two years, and more frequently if they have
an eye problem. Children ought to have annual tests. The college stipulates exactly how examinations
should be done, which includes looking at the outside and the back of the eye and testing for sight
defects (such as loss of visual acuity, whereby you can't read those letters on the chart).
3. _________________________________
Karen Sparrow, head of professional development at the Association of Optometrists, says it is best to
get your eyes properly assessed before going for the cheap over-the-counter option for your glasses.
4. _________________________________
Eye tests can pick up medical problems such as diabetes and high blood pressure before they become
symptomatic because these conditions lead to changes in the blood vessels at the back of your eye.
Other problems, such as age-related macular degeneration, where the central part of the back of the
eye stops working and you lose vision directly in front of you, cataracts, which cloud your vision, and
glaucoma, in which fluid builds up inside the eye, can all be detected by routine eye tests. Some of these
conditions are more treatable than others.
5. _________________________________
Sparrow says that age most noticeably impacts on our eyes between the ages of 40 and 60. This is when
many of us find it harder to read and begin to suffer from eyestrain. Age reduces our ability to focus
and, without help, our eyes feel tired and gritty and we get tension headaches. GPs will often suggest a
referral to the optometrist when patients complain of having regular headaches.
6. Advice for using computers
Even if we wear glasses, it is important to take care of our eyes if we use computer screens for extended
periods of time. The image on a screen makes us adjust our focus more often and tires our eyes – which
also feel dry because we forget to blink when we read on a screen. Sparrow advises five minutes away
from the computer every hour.
7. __________________________________
Most of us don't have eye tests every two years, but there is some evidence that it is beneficial to do so.
A review by Canadian optometrists recommended two-yearly tests, increasing to yearly over the age of
65. Some people are eligible for free tests, but even if you have to pay, it is likely to be worth it to
prevent gritty eyes and headaches.

SAMPLE 4:

Free time activities also a factor Other top choices

A good reason Learning opportunities help

Many prepared to find jobs elsewhere Which countries are most popular?

Some places attract one type of person Best place to get a job

1. Best place to get a job

London is the most desirable city in the world for foreign workers, beating New York and Paris, according
to a study. More than 200,000 people from 189 countries were surveyed by the Boston Consulting Group
(BCG) and international jobs websites.

2. ___________________________________
London was the only place in the UK to be in the top 40, which included Sydney, Barcelona, Berlin,
Singapore and Rome among the most popular cities.

3.____________________________________
In the report, Ali Aslan Gümüs, a 45-year-old Turkish jobseeker, said: “If you ask a young person in this
country, ‘Where do you want to go in the UK?’ they’ll never say Liverpool or Manchester. They all say
London because of the multi-cultural society.”

4. ____________________________________
Some cities were chosen because of their appeal to people working in specific industries, such as Zurich
for bankers and Los Angeles for people who want to be actors.
5. ____________________________________

The authors of the report noted that many of the most popular cities had a combination of strong
economies and famous cultural attractions. Mike Brooker, managing director of The Network job
agency, said: “People have never made their career choices strictly on the basis of what happens when
they’re at work. There’s always an implicit calculation of what the job will allow them to do in their free
time.”

6. _____________________________________

The US was the most popular country to move to, with 42 per cent of people saying they wanted to
work there, compared to 37 per cent in Britain. Canada is the third most desirable country overall, while
Germany, Switzerland and France were the favourite non-English-speaking countries for those wanting
to go abroad.

7. ______________________________________
The report, Decoding Global Talent, found that 64 per cent of the people surveyed were prepared to
move abroad for jobs. The proportion was generally higher in developing countries or those that are
experiencing political instability and far lower elsewhere, with the figure standing at only 44 per cent in
Britain.
 KEY
QUESTION 1:
SAMPLE 1: SAMPLE 2: SAMPLE 3: SAMPLE 4:
1. B 1. B 1. C 1. C
2. A 2. B 2. B 2. C
3. C 3. C 3. C 3. B
4. A 4. A 4. A 4. A
5. C 5. C 5. B 5. A
QUESTION 2:
SAMPLE 1: SAMPLE 2: SAMPLE 3: SAMPLE 4:
1, 5, 6, 4, 7, 2, 3 1, 6, 7, 5, 3, 4, 2 1, 4, 7, 5, 3, 6, 2 1, 3, 4, 7, 2, 6, 5
QUESTION 3:
SAMPLE 1: SAMPLE 2: SAMPLE 3: SAMPLE 4:
1. before 1. real 1. cross 1. got
2. to 2. between 2. in 2. under
3. use 3. and 3.different 3. counted
4. from 4. lives 4. while 4. to
5. which 5. some 5. tail 5. each
6. took 6. surprised 6. have 6. saw
7. fully 7. face 7. hopes 7. charity
8. since 8. ride 8. with 8. Better
QUESTION 4:
SAMPLE 1: SAMPLE 2:
1. Do things for others 1. Not close to home
2. Connect with people 2. Similarities and differences
3. Take care of your body 3. Where to eat it
4. Notice the world around you 4. Lost tradition
5. Keep learning 5. Helping out other animals
6. Have objectives to look forward to 6. Not always in the same period
7. Find ways to bounce back 7. Looking for variety
Extra: Make sure your work doesn’t suffer Extra: Learning from the past
SAMPLE 3: SAMPLE 4:
1. Questions that need to be answered 1. Best place to get a job
2. Recommendations 2. Other top choices
3. Expert opinion 3. A good reason
4. Early detection 4. Some places attract one type of person
5. How old you are is an important factor 5. Free time activities also a factor
6. Advice for using computers 6. Which countries are most popular?
7. Every other month, even if it costs money 7. Many prepared to find jobs elsewhere
Extra: More education is necessary Extra: Learning opportunities help
LISTENING
Exam practice
Aptis listening test
The listening test has 25 questions. There are a number of things to remember about the listening test:

1. All 25 questions use the 4-option multiple choice format.

2. Each listening input has a single question.
3. You may listen to the question a second time if you want, but you don't have to.
4. The three types of questions are described below. In the test, these types of questions may not
appear in this sequence.

Test design Description Preparation

Part 1 In these questions you listen to a short phone Visit the British Council's LearnEnglish website for
message and you need to identify specific lots of very useful activities, tips, Apps and
Word and information such as a number (e.g. phone number, podcasts: http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en
number time) or a word.
The elementary podcasts are useful preparation
recognition
for these questions.

Part 2 In these questions you listen to short There are quite a few useful practice videos and
conversations with two speakers or to a podcasts on the LearnEnglish website, so that's a
Identifying monologue and you need to identify specific very good starting point. In addition, it may be
specific, information. For example, where do they want to useful to try to listen to as much English as
factual go? What do they want to buy? possible (e.g. films, television or radio). If you have
information access to the internet, you can easily find
materials, for example the BBC World Service radio
(http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldserviceradio).

Part 3 In these questions you again listen to short
conversations with two speakers or to a
Inference monologue. The focus here is not on
understanding the meaning of what the speakers
are saying, but on identifying clues in their
language or tone to help identify the attitude of
the speaker, their intention or opinion.
There are a number of higher-level podcasts on
the LearnEnglish website. Also try the BBC World
Service radio station.
The strategies you need include paying specific
attention to intonation and stress when somebody
is speaking. Listening to authentic speech such as
television soap operas or films is a good way to
practise.
Sample listening questions
Remember that if you'd like to hear a question for a second time just click on the Play button. The system will not allow
you to listen more than twice.

Listening part 1

Listening part 2

Listening part 3
 LISTENING PRACTICE:

There are twenty-five questions in this part of the test. For each question (1-25) there are three
options and a short recording. Choose an option (A, B or C) and write it on the line.

SAMPLE 1:

1. Listen to two colleagues. How will their 2. Listen to two friends. Which transport will the
company advertise? man use?

A. use local radio A. train and taxi

B. advertise with a sports team B. train and bus
C. go on social media C. bus and taxi
D. make a television advert D. his car and train

Answer: __________ Answer: __________

3. Listen to two friends. Why did the man give up 4. Listen to two friends. What’s wrong with the
smoking? woman’s phone?

A. because of his family A. It’s broken.

B. because of his work B. The battery is dead.
C. because of his health C. It won’t connect to the Internet.
D. because of the money D. Her password does not work.

Answer: __________ Answer: __________

5. Listen to a couple. Why do the couple decide 6. Listen to two friends. Why WON’T the friends
to take the bus tour? buy clothes as a gift?

A. It goes to unusual places. A. The price is too high.

B. The timetable is best. B. The style is wrong.
C. The price is the best. C. The size is not available.
D. They DON’T do exercise. D. The colour is not nice.

Answer: __________ Answer: __________

7. Listen to two classmates. How will the student 8. Listen to a couple. How will the man contact
get information for his project? the restaurant?

A. by using Internet A. call the restaurant

B. by getting things from the woman B. return to the restaurant
C. by interviewing someone C. write to the restaurant
D. by going to the library D. send the woman to the restaurant

Answer: __________ Answer: __________

9. Listen to two people. Where are they? 10. Listen to a couple. What do they like about
the party?
A. on a train
B. in a restaurant A. the food
C. in a doctor’s waiting room B. the music
D. at the woman’s office C. the people
D. the decorations
Answer: __________
Answer: __________
11. Listen to two friends. Why will they start 12. Listen to a couple. What do they AGREE is a
going to the sports centre? disadvantage about getting a dog?

A. to get something free A. A dog is expensive.

B. to lose weight B. They have a small house.
C. to learn a new sport C. A dog makes noise.
D. to meet others D. It needs a lot of exercise.

Answer: __________ Answer: __________

13. Listen to a television presenter. What will the 14. Listen to two friends. How will they
television show help viewers do? communicate in the foreign language?

A. find a place to go on holiday with children A. They will use a book.

B. buy an inexpensive plane ticket B. They will speak in their own language.
C. learn the best way to travel C. They will take a class.
D. win a free train trip D. They will use an app.

Answer: __________ Answer: __________

15. Listen to two friends. What happened during 16. Listen to two friends. What do they agree
the job interview? about the tennis match?

A. The man received a phone call. A. The price of the ticket was worth it.
B. The man lied about something. B. The match was quite long.
C. The man arrived late. C. Travelling to attend the match was a good idea.
D. The man forgot to take something. D. The woman’s relatives were unfriendly.

Answer: __________ Answer: _____________

17. Listen to a television interview. What does 18. Listen to a job interview. What does the job
the host of a talent show say? applicant ask the manager about?

A. It’s ending soon. A. salary

B. There are fewer contestants. B. her colleagues
C. There are bigger prizes than before. C. work place
D. The castings were delayed. D. responsibilities

Answer: _____________
Answer: _____________

19. Listen to a customer and a shop assistant. 20. Listen to two friends. What will they do first
What does the customer want? at the music festival?

A. her money back A. buy tickets for something

B. the item in a different size B. get something to eat
C. a different item C. find their friends
D. a special discount D. go to a concert

Answer: _____________
Answer: _____________
21. Listen to a woman. What happened to her 22. Listen to two friends. How does the man
while eating in a new restaurant? decide to find a job?

A. She made a complaint. A. using internet

B. She saw a friend. B. talking to a friend
C. She paid extra for something. C. taking a government exam
D. taking a course
D. She got an unexpected offer.
Answer: _____________
Answer: _____________

23. Listen to a man. What did the man find while 24. Listen to two friends. How will the man treat
shopping in a street market? his headache?

A. something valuable A. going for a walk

B. something similar to a childhood possession B. taking medicine
C. something he had been looking for C. sleeping
D. something to give his friend D. going to the doctor

Answer: _____________ Answer: _____________

25. Listen to a man. What does he say about the

housing while working abroad?

A. It was difficult to keep the house clean.

B. The location of the house was not ideal.
C. The house was not close to public transport.
D. Something about the house surprised him.

Answer: _____________
SAMPLE 2:

1. Listen to a flight attendant and a passenger. 2. Listen to a man speaking to a secretary. What
What does the passenger request from the flight has the man not done yet to register for the
attendant? course?

A. something special to eat A. decided which days he prefers

B. to change his seat B. paid for the class
C. a blanket C. shown a document
D. something to read D. chosen a course

Answer: __________ Answer: __________

3. Listen to two friends. What happened to the 4. Listen to two friends. Why WON’T the woman
man? take her laptop on holiday?

A. He got injured doing sport. A. Its size makes it uncomfortable.

B. He had an accident working at home. B. Its memory is too small for her documents.
C. He was in a traffic accident. C. It doesn’t have the right programmes.
D. He got in a fight. D. It might get stolen easily.

Answer: __________ Answer: __________

5. Listen to two friends. Where is the woman 6. Listen to a couple. Why WON’T they make the
going to stay now? beef dish for the dinner?

A. at a hotel A. They don’t eat meat.

B. with a relative B. They don’t have time.
C. in her old house C. They don’t have the instructions.
D. with her friend D. They don’t have the ingredients.

Answer: __________ Answer: __________

7. Listen to a couple. Why do the couple decide 8. Listen to a couple. Why ISN’T the man going to
to go to the Italian restaurant? take his brother on the city tour?

A. because of the food A. The man has already bought the concert tickets.
B. because of the service B. The man thinks his brother prefers a concert.
C. because of the entertainment C. The man’s brother took the tour on a previous
D. because of the location visit.
D. The man’s brother asked to go to a gallery.
Answer: __________
Answer: __________

9. Listen to a manager and a waiter. What should 10. Listen to two friends. Why might the student
the waiter do next? decide NOT to study in another country?

A. pick up dirty dishes A. She might not have enough money.

B. put away clean dishes B. She might not get on the course.
C. help customers C. She won’t like the weather.
D. prepare something in the kitchen D. She might not pass a test.

Answer: __________ Answer: __________

11. Listen to a mother and a son. Why isn't the 12. Listen to a couple. Why should they wait to
son in school? take the picture?

A. because of an illness A. The phone doesn't have any battery.

B. because of the weather B. The light isn't good.
C. because he did something wrong C. The memory card is full.
D. because his teacher did not go D. The woman doesn’t like that building.

Answer: __________ Answer: __________

13. Listen to a couple. Where will the family have 14. Listen to a couple. What activity will they
the meal? start?

A. in their garden A. an exercise class

B. in their dining room B. a dance class
C. in a restaurant C. a language class
D. at a friend’s house D. a cooking class

Answer: __________ Answer: __________

15. Listen to a couple. What will they do with 16. Listen to a phone message. What is the man
their children on Saturday? going to do about his cancelled flight?

A. leave them with a neighbour A. call off his trip

B. leave them with a relative B. take the next flight
C. leave them alone C. use another means of transport
D. take them to the party D. put off the meeting

Answer: __________ Answer: _____________

17. Listen to a shop assistant and a customer. 18. Listen to an announcer. What does she
What does the sales assistant suggest? explain about the upcoming sports competition?

A. installing a new hard drive A. There have never been more participants.
B. updating the antivirus B. The weather may be a factor in the competition.
C. trying a new operating system C. The riders don’t need to worry about getting
D. buying a new computer things stolen.
D. There are not any local competitors.

Answer: _____________ Answer: _____________

19. Listen to a teacher giving a speech. What 20. Listen to two friends. What does the man
does she say? NOT say about his touring holiday?

A. She wants to continue her education further. A. It was boring.

B. She never felt satisfied in her original position. B. It was uncomfortable.
C. She regrets not having chosen education
C. it was educational.
sooner.
D. It was fun
D. She took a decision some considered wrong.
Answer: _____________
Answer: _____________
21. Listen to a couple. What do they disagree on 22. Listen to two friends. What do they say about
about their visit to an art gallery? seeing a famous actor?

A. The guide was informative. A. He looked different than expected.

B. The exhibits were displayed properly. B. He did something surprising.
C. The prices were reasonable. C. He should be more careful.
D. The crowds were annoying. D. He is not very talented.

Answer: _____________ Answer: _____________

23. Listen to a couple. What surprised the man
most about the space exhibit they have just
visited?
A. the expected date of going into outer space
B. the lack of available information
C. the age of some of the objects
D. the preciseness of the predictions
24. Listen to a coach talking to a player. What is
the coach trying to do?
A. give the player advice about which sport to play
B. help the player decide where to study
C. warn the player about a possible problem
D. suggest the player not play professionally

Answer: _____________
Answer: _____________

25. Listen to a couple. What do they NOT agree

about the painting they have just bought?

A. the quality of the painting

B. where to put the painting
C. the importance of the painter
D. the attractiveness of the painting

Answer: _____________
KEY - SAMPLE 1: KEY – SAMPLE 2:

1. A 1. B
2. B 2. B
3. B 3. C
4. C 4. D
5. D 5. C
6. C 6. A
7. D 7. C
8. A 8. B
9. C 9. A
10. B 10. D
11. D 11. B
12. A 12. B
13. A 13. A
14. D 14. D
15. B 15. B
16. C 16. A
17. A 17. B
18. D 18. C
19. C 19. D
20. B 20. A
21. D 21. A
22. B 22. C
23. A 23. D
24. C 24. C
25. D 25. B
 WRITING
Exam practice & useful language
Aptis writing test
There are four parts to the writing test. You will fill in forms, interact in a social media-type written conversation and write
emails. All writing tasks are marked by an examiner.

Make sure you fully understand the questions. Plan what you are going to write and then edit your writing before clicking
to the next question. The most common mistakes are the following:

 Not answering the questions (going off-topic). Read the question and understand what you need to do.
 Writing too much but with poor grammar, spelling and punctuation. Keep to the word count and focus on accuracy.
 Not using a variety of sentence structures.
 Not writing in sentences or paragraphs.
 Using SMS spelling.

The total time allowed for the writing test is 50 minutes. The timings for each section below are recommendations only.

Test design Description Preparation

Part 1 In the first part you have joined a club, course or
activity and must answer a series of five text
Word-level messages from other members of the club, course
writing or activity. There is no extended writing in this part
(no sentence writing), just individual words.
In this part, the focus is on communicative
competence (i.e. spelling, capitalisation and
grammar will not be considered).

You should spend no more than three minutes on

this part.

Part 2 This part is about form filling – this time, you need You are asked to write 20-30 words. The focus is
to write in sentences. on writing sentences that are on-topic and have
Short text accurate grammar, punctuation and spelling.
writing You should spend no more than seven minutes
on this part. A common error is to write more than 30 words
and make too many mistakes. Keep to the word
limit and focus on accuracy. Another common
error is to write in all capital letters.
Part 3 In this part you will have a social network-type Make sure you correctly answer all three questions
interaction. You will receive three questions and and don't go off-topic.
Three written need to respond.
parts of text, all Focus on accurate spelling and punctuation and
of which require You should spend no more than ten minutes on write text that is cohesive and coherent.
responses this part.
Keep to the word count of 30-40 words per answer.
Part 4 This part requires that you write an informal email For this part, make sure you keep to the word
to a friend and a more formal email to an count of 40-50 words for the first email and
Formal and unknown person. Both emails are in reaction to 120-150 words for the second email.
informal writing information about a change.
Make sure your answers are different. The first
You should spend no more than 20 minutes on email should clearly be an informal email to a
this part. friend or close family member, while the second
should clearly be a formal email to a company.

You are also assessed on how broadly and

accurately you can write so use a wide range of
vocabulary, grammar and cohesive devices.
Sample writing questions

Writing part 1

You need to write five pieces of information. This part is not worth many marks so don't spend too much time on it.

Example of a high-level answer (5/5) for Part 1:

You need to write five pieces of information. This part is not worth many marks so don't spend too much time on it.

Example of a low-level answer (1/5) for Part 1:

Example of a high-level (5/5) response for Part 2:

 Keeps to the word count (20-30 words).

 Clear sentences.
 Answers on-topic. Replies fully to the input.
 Accurate grammar, spelling and punctuation. It is acceptable to have grammar and spelling errors and still
score 5/5 if the errors are not serious (i.e. the writing can be understood and the errors are not basic).
Writing part 3
In part 3, you will answer social media-type questions which will look like the following:
Example of a high-level (5/5) response for Part 3:

 Keeps to the word count (30-40 words for each answer).

 Replies fully to each piece of input.
 Sentences follow on from one another in a coherent manner.
 Uses a range of grammar and vocabulary.
 Accurate grammar, punctuation and spelling. It is ok to have errors but the writing must be understood.
'Register' means adapting your language to different situations. For example, your language should be different when you
are writing professionally and when you are writing to a friend. The first part is an intimate or casual register used among
family members and close friends. The second part is a formal register used between strangers. You need to show that
you understand the difference. In the second part you should write formally.

Example of a high-level (5/5) response for Part 4:

 Understands the difference in writing to a friend as opposed to writing to an authority. The first text is
casual and the second text is formal.
 Answers the input in a coherent manner. The text makes sense.
 Writing is clear, assured and precise using a range of cohesive devices to make the writing flow.
 Grammar and vocabulary is broad and accurate.
 WRITING – USEFUL LANGUAGE

Part 1 – personal details:

Date of birth: 21st August 1988

Language: English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, etc

Part 2 – short sentences:

I live with ……………………

We spend time …………….. ING

I/We always / sometimes /often / hardly ever / never ………………….

I enjoy/love/hate ……………. ING because it’s …………………………

I'm keen on ....................

I’d like to ………………………… in the future / next year / next month…………….

I’ve never ………………………………, so I’d like to ……………………………..

It’s important to …………………………………., so ………………………………

Part 3 – talking in a chat room:

Hi there! Great to be a member!

I decided to join ………………….. because ………………………..

I’m interested in …………….. because ……………………………..

I like / love / enjoy / hate / prefer ……………… ING

I'm really into .................

I’d like to / ‘d love to / want to / need to / prefer to …………………………..

I’ve never …………………………….. / I’ve only ………………………… once/twice

I think it’s ………………………….. and ……………………………., but …………………………

On the one hand ……………………… but on the other hand …………………………….

I’m very pleased with …………………………

I’m very dissatisfied with ……………………………..

I think …………….. is excellent / wonderful / brilliant / awful / terrible / disappointing.

We should spend the money / time ………………………..

Part 4 – informal email:

Hi (there) ……………..,

Have you heard / seen …………………………?

It’s great / terrible news that/about ………………..

I was so happy/unhappy to hear that/about ………………….

I’m glad / very unhappy about …………………….

Why don’t we ………………?

I suggest ……………………..?

It might help to ………………………….

We could try …………………………

In my opinion ……………………………

I believe that …………………………

I think it’s advisable / I don’t think it’s advisable to …………………

Fortunately / Unfortunately, I/we …………………

What a pity! / What a shame!

Regards / Best wishes / All the best / Yours / See you soon / Hope to hear from you soon

Part 4 – formal email:

Dear Mr/Ms…………… , Dear Sir/Madam,

It has come to my attention that…………………

I have recently been informed that …………………………..

I am writing to …………………………..

I would like to express my dissatisfaction regarding ……………………..

I feel that this is unacceptable and would like to insist that ……………………………..

……………… would (not) be suitable for …………………….

Unfortunately, ………………….

Moreover / Futhermore, …………………………..

As you are aware, ………………..

I feel that ……………….. would be the best option (under the circumstances)

I would suggest …………………………..

An alternative solution would be ……………………….

While it is true that ………………………………., I would also like to say / point out / mention ……….

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely / faithfully,

 WRITING PRACTICE FOR APTIS

PRACTICE EXERCISE 1.

Part 1.

You want to join a student union. Fill in the form. You should take about 3 minutes to do
this.

Your name:

Your email:

Your date of birth:

Your studies:

Your interests (list

three):

Part 2.

You are a new member of your university student union. Fill in the form. Write sentences.
Use 20-30 words. You have 7 minutes to do this.

Uni Students Union

Please write some reasons why you are interested in being a member of the student union.

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________
Part 3.

You are a member of a student union. You are talking to other members in the student union
in the chat room. Talk to them using sentences. Use 30-40 words per answer. You have 10
minutes in total. Answer all 3 questions.

Peter: Hi! Welcome to Uni Student Union. Why did you decide to join?

Sara: Welcome! What are responsibilities of a student union?

Andrew: What is the most important responsibility a student union has?

Part 4.

You are a member of a student union. You received this email from the union.

Dear student,
We are writing to tell you that the international social activities organised with the group of
foreign students next week has been cancelled. Unfortunately, they have a very busy schedule
and they won’t have time to visit our university. However, we can organise the activites with
just our own students if you like.

Write an email to your friend. Write about how you feel about the situation and what you
are planning to do. Write about 50 words. You have 10 minutes to do this.

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Write an email to the president of the student union. Write about how you feel and what
you would like to do.

Write 120-150 words. You have 20 minutes to do this.

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________
PRACTICE EXERCISE 2.

Part 1.

You want to join a film club. Fill in the form. You should take about 3 minutes to do this.

Your name:

Your town (where you

live):

Your date of birth:

Your first language:

The types of films you

like: (list three)

Part 2.

You are a new member of a film club. Fill in the form. Write sentences. Use 20-30 words. You
have 7 minutes to do this.

Hollywood film club

Please write how often you watch films and why you enjoy them.

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Part 3.

You are a member of a film club. You are talking to other members in the film club in the
chat room. Talk to them using sentences. Use 30-40 words per answer. You have 10 minutes
in total. Answer all 3 questions.
Sam: Hi! Welcome to Hollywood film club. I’ve been a member for two years. Why did you
decide to join?

Molly: Welcome! What do you enjoy most about watching films and what type of films do you
enjoy the best?

Ricky: Very few people go to the cinema nowadays. Why do you think this is?

Part 4.

You are a member of a film club. You received this email from the club secretary.

Dear member,
We are writing to tell you that the weekend we had organised for our members has been
cancelled because of train strikes. We are re-organising it for a later date. You can ask for a
refund or we can hold your deposit for the later date. Please contact us to tell us if you want a
refund or to change the date.

Write an email to your friend. Write about how you feel about the situation and what you
are planning to do. Write about 50 words. You have 10 minutes to do this.

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Write an email to the secretary of the film club. Write about how you feel and what you
would like to do.

Write 120-150 words. You have 20 minutes to do this.

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________
 SPEAKING
Exam practice & useful language
Aptis speaking test
Each question has a maximum amount of time to speak but you can end the recording early by clicking on a stop button.
If you finish early, you may not score at the highest levels.

The most common mistakes are the following:

 Not doing a proper sound check.

 Not speaking clearly.
 Not answering the questions.
 Giving under-length answers – not using the full amount of time to speak.
 Overusing words such as 'and' and 'so'.
 Speaking in simple sentence lists.
 Not using a variety of sentence structures.

Test design Description Preparation

Part 1 In this part, you are asked to answer three To prepare for this task it is a good idea to
questions on personal topics. You are expected practise introducing yourself and talking about
Personal to talk for 30 seconds per question. your personal experiences. Think about familiar
information topics (e.g. holidays, weekend activities, sports)
and practise giving general information.

At the highest levels, try not to talk in lists but

instead use connecting devices, complex
sentences and a wide range of grammar.

Part 2 In this part you are asked to describe a
photograph and then answer two questions
Describe, express related to the topic illustrated in the photo. The
opinion and three questions increase in complexity (from
provide reasons description to opinion). You are expected to talk
and explanations for 45 seconds per question.
Part 3 In this part you are asked to compare two
pictures and then answer two questions related
Describe, to the topic. The three questions increase in
compare and complexity (from description to speculation). You
provide reasons are expected to talk for 45 seconds for each
question.
and explanations
You should try to be fluent and spontaneous,
showing little sign of effort. Make sure you
answer all three questions.
To prepare for this task, it is a good idea to
practise comparing two different things (e.g. two
cities or two houses). Focus on describing their
advantages and disadvantages.
With speculation, it is important to make sure you
are using the correct grammatical structures.

Part 4 In the final part you will see a picture and be A common error is to describe the photo. You will
asked three questions about an abstract topic. not receive a high score if you describe the
Discuss You are given one minute to prepare an answer photo. The questions are more abstract (e.g. how
personal and can take notes. You are expected to talk for do you feel about something).
experience and two minutes.
Another common error is to go off-topic. Focus
opinion on an
on answering each question in a clear, smoothly
abstract topic
flowing, well-structured speech.

To prepare for this part it is a good idea to

practise speaking for two minutes on an abstract
topic (e.g. How do you feel about ___?).

Make sure you practise using your planning time

wisely to structure what you are going to say.
Sample speaking questions
Speaking part 1
In this part you will answer some questions about yourself. Listen to the instructions and speak clearly into your
microphone when you hear the signal.

Each part of the test will appear automatically.

When the time to record comes, the timer begins. This tells you the amount of time you have been recording for (in this
case 14 seconds).
As each new question appears, the same procedure is followed.
Speaking part 2
In this part you will see a photo and answer three questions. You have 45 seconds to respond to each question.
Speaking part 3
In this part you will see two photos and again answer three questions.
Speaking part 4
In this part, you again need to answer three questions but this time you answer them all in one response. You have one
minute to prepare a structured response. A timer on the screen will indicate how long you have left. When preparation
time is over, the message at the bottom ('You now have two minutes to talk') appears and you may speak until the
recording automatically stops after two minutes.
 SPEAKING – USEFUL LANGUAGE

Part 1 – personal questions:

I like, love, enjoy …………………….

I live in ……………………………………….

My neighbourhood is …………………………………….

I have three siblings; one sister and two brothers. I get on/don’t get on with ……………………

It’s sunny/cloudy/raining, etc.

It’s cold, cool, warm, hot, boiling.

I’d like to visit ……………………. because ……………………….

My favourite season is (spring, summer autumn, winter) because ………………………

My best friend is …………………………. . We spend lots of time together.

My favourite sport is ……………………………

I play/don’t play ……………………………………………

I watch (sport)/ I’m a(n) X supporter.

In my free time I love ……………………………..

Part 2 – describing a photo:

1) What’s in the picture? In the picture I can see……………….

There’s / There are ………….

There isn’t a ………. /There aren’t any …………….

2) What’s happening? A/The man/woman is …………. ING

There are people ……………. ING
It’s (raining, snowing, sunny, etc)

3) Where in the picture? At the top/bottom of the picture……….

In the middle of the picture …………..

On the left/right of the picture …………….

Next to/in front of/behind/near/on top of/under/in

4) When something isn’t clear.
front of/opposite
He/she/it looks like a ………………
He/she looks + adjective
It might be a ……………….
He/she could be ……………. ING
 Maybe it’s a …………………….

Questions related to picture:

should / ought to/ a good idea / useful /useless

Part 3 – talking about 2 photos:

 In BOTH photos there are people ………………….. ING

 In one photo ………………………. WHEREAS/WHILE in the other photo ……………………
 On the one hand …………………… . On the other hand ……………………………..
 Although ……………………………………………
 These are very different activities ……………
 X is easier because ……………………………….., but …………………………………..
 Most people who …………………………………….
 They seem to be …………….. ING
 He/she looks ………………………….
 He/she looks like he/she is ………………………. ING
 They may/might have ………………………
 They are probably …………………………

Part 4 – one photo, 3 questions, preparation time:

 It seems to me
 I’m convinced that ………………………
 The way I see it ………………………….
 The last time I felt ……………………….
 To be honest……………….
 What I would probably say about X is that …………………..
 I would say that ………………………..
 I’m not really sure but it seems ……………………..
 I suppose I …………………..
 I’d like to point out that …………….
 The main problem is …………………
 Another example of ………………… is ……………….
 If I really think about it, I’d say that ………………………
 What I said doesn’t mean that ……………………..
 It’s true that ………………………, but I feel that ………………….
 A good way to ……………………… is to ……………………
 The best way to ……………………….
 It’s (not) a good idea to …………………….
 From my point of view ……………………..
 I strongly believe ………………………….
 While …………………………….., it’s true that ………………………………
 Firstly / secondly / and last but not least
 I’ve never actually thought about this before, but I’d say …………………………..
 Although / even though / however / in spite of / despite / besides / what’s more /
actually / in fact
 On the one hand …………………… . On the other hand
 As everyone knows ………………….
 There can be no doubt that …………………
 It’s a fact that ………………………..
 There are two sides to the question ………………..
 Some people say that …………………….., while others think ……………………….
 SPEAKING EXERCISES FOR APTIS

PART 1: 3 questions about personal topics (30 seconds for each question).

SAMPLE 1:

1. Tell me about your family.

2. What do you like doing in your free time?
3. What’s the weather like today?

SAMPLE 2:

1. Tell me about where you live.

2. What do you like to do at the weekend?
3. How do you like to celebrate your birthday?

SAMPLE 3:

1. Tell me about your country.

2. What places would you like to visit in the future?
3. Which season of the year do you like best?

SAMPLE 4:

1. Tell me about your best friend.

2. What sports do you like to play and watch?
3. Who do you like to spend your free time with?

PART 2: Describe a photo and answer 2 questions related to the photo (45 seconds for each
answer).

SAMPLE 1:
 1. Can you describe the photo?
2. Tell me about what type of things you like to buy?
3. Do you think newspapers should be free?

SAMPLE 2:

1. Can you describe the photo?

2. Talk about who you like to eat with.
3. Do you think it’s important for families to have meals together?

SAMPLE 3:

1. Can you describe the photo?

2. Tell me what type of programmes you like to watch on televisión.
3. Do you think children should have their own televisions in their bedrooms?
SAMPLE 4:

1. Can you describe the photo?

2. Tell me about your last holiday.
3. Do you think students should use holiday time to get a part-time job?
PART 3: Two photos and 3 questions (45 seconds for each answer).

SAMPLE 1.

1. Tell me about what you see.

2. What kind of people play these sports?
3. Which one is more difficult?
SAMPLE 2.

1. Tell me about what you see.

2. Which kind of celebration is more special?
3. Which celebration will the people remember for longer?
SAMPLE 3:

1. Tell me about what you see

2. Why do people communicate in these different ways?
3. Which type of communication do you think is more effective?
SAMPLE 4:

1. Tell me what you see.

2. What kind of people go to these events?
3. Which event do you think is more exciting?
PART 4: one photo and 3 questions (1 minute to think about your answer. You can make
notes if you want. Two mintues to answer all 3 questions).

SAMPLE 1:

 Tell me about a time when you felt stressed.

 How did you manage the situation?
 What are some ways of avoiding stress.
SAMPLE 2:

 Tell me about when you last had an argument with someone.

 How did you feel after the argument?
 How can we avoid arguments?

SAMPLE 3:

 Tell me about when you were on your own.

 How did you feel about it?
  What are some of the ways of passing the time on your own?

SAMPLE 4:

 Tell me what advantages and disadvantages there are about having pets.
 Why do people choose dangerous pets?
 Which pet do you think is the best type to own?
PRACTICE
TESTS