Progress Check Academic Speaking Test Frames for Academic and General Training Practice Test 1

Examiner Question Prompts

Part Speaking Test Frames – Academic Test 1

1 Now, in this part of the test I’d like to ask you some questions about yourself.
Let’s talk about what you do.
1. Can you tell me about any work or study you have done?
2. Why did you choose to do this?
3. What kind of work or study will you do in the future?
4. What kind of job do you think would be difficult for you?

Now let’s talk about visitors.

1. What would you suggest a visitor should see and do in your country?
2. Are there any traditional arts or music you would recommend?
3. Tell me about the kind of foreign visitors or tourists who go to your country?
4. In what ways has tourism changed your country?
Now let’s move on to the topic of food.
1. Tell me about your favourite types of food.
2. Tell me about food that you do not particularly like.
3. Do you like eating in restaurants or not, and why?
4. Do you think you will change the types of food you eat in the future, and if so,
why?
2 Now, I’m going to give you a topic and I’d like you to talk about it for one to two minutes.
Before you talk, you’ll have one minute to think about what you’re going to say. You can
make some notes if you wish. Do you understand?
I’d like you to Describe an electronic game, for example, a computer, video or internet
game, you have enjoyed playing.
Describe an electronic game (e.g. a computer, video or internet game) you have enjoyed
playing.
You should say:

• what the game was

• when and where you played the game
• how easy it was to play this game

and explain why you enjoyed playing this game.

All right? Remember, you have two minutes for this, so don’t worry if I stop you. I’ll tell
you when the time is up. Can you start speaking now, please?
3 Thank you.
We’ve been talking about an electronic game you have enjoyed playing, and I’d like to
discuss with you one or two more general questions related to this. Let’s consider, first of
all, computers and young children.
 1. How can computers help young children learn at school?
2. Why are young people quick in learning how to use computers?
3. Is it a good or bad idea to give young children their own computer or laptop, and
why?
4. How does using computers help teachers do their job?
5. Will computers take over from teachers one day, and would that be a good
thing?
6. Let’s talk about computers in everyday life. Do you think computers have
improved most people’s everyday lives?
7. How easy do you think it is for most people to learn how to use computers?
8. What do you think is the best way to learn how to use different skills on
computer?
9. Are jobs where people work in front of computers every day, satisfying jobs?
10. What would most people prefer, do you think – to sit in front of a computer a lot,
or to interact with people at work?

Thank you very much. That is the end of the Speaking test.

Part Speaking Test Frames – General Training Test 1

1 Now, in this part of the test I’d like to ask you some questions about yourself.
Let’s talk about what you do.
1. Tell me about the town where you’re living at the moment.
2. How long have you been living there, and why?
3. What are some of the good things about this town?
4. Do you think you’ll be moving to a different place in the near future, and if so,
why?
Now let’s talk about personality.
1. Do you think you are generally a happy person, and if so, why?
2. What kinds of things make you angry, and why?
3. How has your personality changed since you were child?
4. What kind of job would suit your personality best, and why?
Let’s talk about visiting museums or art galleries.
1. Did you visit museums or art galleries when you were a child?
2. What’s the most interesting museum or art gallery you have ever visited, and
why?
3. Are you more likely to go to a museum or art gallery if it is free to visit, and if so,
why?
4. Do you think museums and art galleries are a good place to learn about things,
and if so, why?
2 Now, I’m going to give you a topic and I’d like you to talk about it for one to two minutes.
Before you talk, you’ll have one minute to think about what you’re going to say. You can
make some notes if you wish. Do you understand?
I’d like you to describe a memorable event in your life.

Describe a memorable event in your life.

You should say:
• when the event took place
• where the event took place
 • what happened exactly
and explain why this event was memorable for you.
All right? Remember, you have two minutes for this, so don’t worry if I stop you. I’ll tell
you when the time is up. Can you start speaking now, please?
3 Thank you.
We’ve been talking about a memorable event in your life, and I’d like to discuss with you
one or two more general questions related to this. Let’s consider, first of all, the role of
celebrations.
1. Which celebrations are most important in your country?
2. Why do people like to celebrate things?
3. Some people say it’s important to spend a lot of money on celebrations. Do you
agree or not? And why?
4. Which celebrations have become more important nowadays, and why?
5. Which have become less important, and why?
6. Let’s talk about attitudes to marriage. Have attitudes to marriage changed in
recent years?
7. Why do you think many people get married at an older age now?
8. In what ways do men and women feel differently about marriage, in your
opinion?
9. Are these attitudes changing, do you think?
10. What further changes to marriage are likely to take place in the future?

Thank you very much. That is the end of the Speaking test.