APTIS ADVANCED SPEAKING 1

In this part, you will be asked to compare two pictures and then, you will have to answer two
questions related to the pictures’ topic. An important factor to bear in mind is that you will
have to constantly present differences and similarities between both pictures, avoiding
individual descriptions. As for the other questions, answers will be provided taking into
account both pictures if necessary.

HOW TO PREPARE SPEAKING PART 1

As you will have to compare pictures showing opposite situations, a highly advisable
pre-exercise is that of finding similarities and differences before speaking. This is just to
promote imagination and fluency, as you will have no time to prepare the exercise during the
exam.

Let’s practice: Can you find 5 differences and similarities between these two pictures?
COMPARING STRUCTURES

You will need to use specific structures or expressions with the aim of comparing both
pictures. There will be some key expressions to accomplish this task:

Similarities
1. Both photos show…
2. These two pictures depict…
3. The theme that connects them is…
4. Each picture illustrates how…
5. All the photos show problems/situations in which…
6. The photos deal with different aspects of…

Differences
1. Compared to…
2. In contrast to…
3. Similar/almost identical to…
4. Slightly/completely different from
5. (not) as (spacious) as
6. Less (modern, luxurious) than
7. In a similar position to/different position from
8. Compared with….
….is much more ….than….
….is only suitable for…
9. In the first photo, we can see …, but the other photo shows …
10. However, nevertheless…

Speculating expressions
- It looks as if/though​ they’re enjoying themselves.
- They must feel​ quite exhilarated/extremely relieved.
- I imagine/suppose they’re the sort of people who…
- Judging from​ his/her clothes, I’d say he/she was
- As far as I can see from​ the landscape/background the photo was probably taken
in…
- My feeling is that this picture focuses more on… than the other ones.
 - It seems to me that this image conjures up…
- If I were to mention … about these pictures, I would probably say that...

Possible answer:
Put into practice all the above-mentioned by comparing the following pictures: