EAP Speaking Exam Procedure 2021

ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC PURPOSES
Speaking Examination
EXAM TASK BOOKLET
Examination Session Time Allowed

Semester 2 15 minutes /pair
2020-21
• No dictionaries are allowed in the examination room.
• No written material is allowed in the examination room.
• No electronic devices (e.g. mobile phones, tablets, iPads, smart

watches) are allowed in the examination room.
______________________________________________________________________________________
EAP Speaking 2021 © 2021 Northern Consortium UK Ltd. Page 1 of 49
REQUIREMENTS
• The Speaking Examination consists of a face-to-face interaction between

two examiners and two students.
• One examiner acts as interlocutor, the other only as an assessor and, as
such, takes no active part in the interaction.
• The students should be interviewed in pairs. Where possible, students
should be interviewed in male/female pairings to facilitate moderation.
• Examinations should be timed at 20-minute intervals.
• If there is an odd number of candidates at the end of a session, a group of
three candidates may be used. The group of three format is not optional
and should be used only for the final test in a session if necessary. In this
event, extra time should be allowed for the interactive parts of the test.
• All the oral interviews should be recorded for moderation purposes.
Interviews should be video recorded. Audio recordings should be made
only in the event of a technical failure that prevents the use of video.
• The main mark will be given by the assessor while the interlocutor gives a
global impression mark, and the two examiners thus agree the final mark.
• Seating layout should not have the students facing forward but should
follow a pattern similar to the one below:
S
1
S
2
A I
S N
This ensures that both examiners can see the students’ faces and that
both students are encouraged to look at each other and interact with each
other, particularly in Parts 2 and 3.
____________________________________________________________________________________
• The camera should be situated so that both students’ faces are clearly
visible. It is not necessary to see the interlocutor.
• The use of an external microphone is highly recommended.
• The quality of the sound and visual recording should be checked before the
exam session begins.
• Students should have a card with their NCUK student number. This should
either be placed on the desk to identify the student or shown to the
camera at the beginning of the exam session.
• The interlocutor should follow the rubric.
Examiners must
• keep speaking exam materials and mark sheets secure at all times;
• ensure that there is a suitable test environment in the examination room;
• check that paper and pencils have been provided for candidates’ use;
• choose exam tasks for Part 2 and 3 at random to eliminate the possibility
of collusion/bias.
EXAM FORMAT
PART CONTENT PARTICIPANTS TIME TIME

(per pair) (3 students)
Part 1 Brief discussion of Interlocutor/ 2-3 minutes 3.5 – 4.5
Interview general, everyday 1 candidate in turn per pair minutes per
topics. group
Part 2 Paired in-depth Both candidates 4-5 minutes 6.5 – 7.5

Paired discussion of more per pair minutes per
Discussion challenging topics. The group
students will have 30
seconds to think of what
they want to say and
make notes if they wish.
Then they have to
discuss the topic
together for 5 minutes.
Part 3 Questions loosely based Interlocutor/ 4-5 minutes 6.5 – 7.5

Group on the topic of both candidates per pair minutes per
Discussion discussion in Part 2. group
____________________________________________________________________________________
PART 1
Procedure
Interlocutor prompts are given in italics.
Good morning/afternoon. My name is ____________

and this is my colleague ____________. He/she is just going to listen to us.
Could you tell me your names please?
Candidate 1: <response>
Thank you. And could you tell me your candidate number?
Thank you. Now I am going to begin by asking each of you some questions about
yourselves.
Let’s begin with you, <insert candidate name>.
<choose a topic set from the list in Part 1 (next page) and ask the candidate the
set of questions>.
Thank you. And now you, <insert candidate name>.
<choose a different topic set from the same list and ask the candidate the set of
questions>.
Thank you.
____________________________________________________________________________________
Topic 1
• Can you tell me what you like to do with your friends?
• Do you prefer talking with friends face-to-face or online? Why?
• How important is it to like the same things as your friends? Why?
Topic 2
• Can you describe your kitchen?
• How often do you cook meals for other people? Why?
• What types of food do you most like to cook? Why?
Topic 3
• Can you tell me about the weather where you live?
• What is your favourite kind of weather? Why?
• How often do you check the weather forecast? Why?
Topic 4
• Can you describe the area you live?
• What is your favourite thing about the area?
• How well do you know your neighbours?
Topic 5
• Can you tell me what pets are common in your country?
• Do you have a pet? Why?/Why not?
• What responsibilities do people with pets have?
____________________________________________________________________________________
Topic 6
• Can you describe a place you have visited for a trip?
• Do you prefer going on relaxing or exciting trips? Why?
• Who do you usually like to go on trips with? Why?
Topic 7
• Can you tell me about the kind of music you like?
• When and where do you usually listen to music?
• Do you prefer listening to music alone or with other people?
Topic 8
• Can you describe a book that you have recently read?
• What kind of books do you think children should read? Why?
• Do you prefer reading books, magazines or websites? Why?
Topic 9
• Can you tell me about a sport or type of exercise which you like?
• Do you prefer watching or playing sports? Why?
• Do you think it is necessary to exercise every day? Why?/Why not?
Topic 10
• Can you describe your dream job?
• What is more important for you, salary or job type?
• Do you prefer working alone or in a team? Why?
____________________________________________________________________________________
Topic 11
• Can you describe your favourite website or app?
• How often do you use it? And what do you use it for?
• Why do you think users like this particular app/website?
Topic 12
• Can you describe your ideal home?
• What would your ideal neighbourhood look like?
• Which country would you most like to live in? Why?
Topic 13
• Can you tell me about a restaurant or café that you like?
• What is your favourite kind of food? Why?
• Do you prefer eating at home or out at a restaurant? Why?
Topic 14
• Can you describe the first school you went to?
• What was your favourite subject at school when you were younger? Why?
• Who was your favourite teacher? Why?
Topic 15
• Can you tell me about a family member who you really like?
• How can family members make each other’s lives easier?
• Do you think it is better to be an only child or to have lots of brothers and
sisters? Why?
____________________________________________________________________________________
Topic 16
• Can you tell me about a book you have enjoyed reading?
• Do you prefer reading paper or digital books? Why?
• Do you read more or fewer books now than when you were younger?
Topic 17
• Can you describe a video or film that you like?
• Do you often post videos online? Why/Why not?
• What kind of videos or films do you usually like to watch? Why?
Topic 18
• Can you describe a shop that you like to visit?
• Do you prefer shopping online or in person at shops? Why?
• Do you prefer shopping alone or with friends or family? Why?
____________________________________________________________________________________
PART 2
There are 20 tasks to choose from. Each task includes material for Parts 2 and 3.
Paper and pencils should be available for students to make notes if they wish.
Each task has a ‘task card’ (to be copied onto coloured paper). The instructions
for each task will tell the interlocutor when to give the students the task card and
how long they have to read it.
Procedure
The interlocutor chooses one task, reads the rubric and the question, and hands
the task card to the students. This should be placed flat on the table so that both
students can see it.
The students are allowed 30 seconds to make notes.
The students then discuss the task on the card until prompted by the interlocutor
to end the conversation.
Interlocutor prompts are given in italics.
PART 3
Each task has a series of follow-on questions, supplied to encourage group
discussion on the topic of the Part 2 question. The questions are supplied in order
to provide a standard of reliability between tests.
If one of the students is comparatively inactive, the interlocutor may redirect

questions or encourage that student to participate so that both students can be
observed and are producing samples of speech adequate for grading.
The interlocutor should not:
• give hints (but can give clarification if specifically asked or if it is clear

that the student is unable to proceed);
• give praise or encouragement. Do not make comments such as ‘good’
or ‘excellent’, which may be construed by the students as feedback on
their performance;
• talk over the candidates except when the time is up, or take over the
conversation.
____________________________________________________________________________________
Task 1
Part 2
Now I’m going to ask you to discuss a question together. You will have 30
seconds to think about what you want to say before you begin talking. You can
make notes if you wish.
Here are some paper and pencils… and here is your question:
<read the question aloud>
School holidays are wasted learning opportunities; school should be

year-round. Do you agree or disagree? Think about
• learning inside the classroom

• learning outside the classroom
• the views of teachers
• the views of parents
<hand out T1 task card>
<After 30 seconds>
Now you have 5 minutes for this discussion. You should discuss the question
together. Don’t worry if I stop you. I’ll tell you when the time is up.
Please start.
<After 5 minutes/or if they finish sooner>
Thank you.
____________________________________________________________________________________
Part 3
Now I’d like to ask you some questions related to the discussion you’ve just had.
Please discuss these questions together.
You don’t have to agree with each other.
School holidays
• Is it essential for students to study every day during school holidays?

• How can parents create stimulating learning environments for their
children at home?
• If there were no school holidays, how do you think teachers would
feel?
• What can children learn by taking trips to other countries during school
holidays?
<After 5 minutes>
Thank you very much. That’s the end of the speaking test.
____________________________________________________________________________________
Task 2
Part 2
Children under the age of 14 should not be allowed to use social media.
Do you agree or disagree? Think about
• online bullying
• language used on social media sites
• effect of social media on friendships
• effect of social media on learning
<After 30 seconds>
Please start.
Thank you.
____________________________________________________________________________________
Part 3
Social media and age
• Which social media do you think are the best and the worst for children?
• At what age do you think children should have their own phone? Why?
• How can social media affect children’s relationships with their parents?
• Do you think children see too much advertising?
<After 5 minutes>
____________________________________________________________________________________
Task 3
Part 2
Should children be taught in school about financial planning, such as

saving, credit and interest rates? Think about
• the age of pupils

• the importance of understanding money
• teachers’ knowledge of financial planning
• other subjects that should be taught
<After 30 seconds>
Please start.
Thank you.
____________________________________________________________________________________
Part 3
Financial planning
• Why do you think some people use credit cards, while others do not?
• What are the benefits and drawbacks of saving money?
• What kind of things do people save money for? Why?
• There is a common saying ‘the best things in life are free’: to what extent
do you agree?
<After 5 minutes>
____________________________________________________________________________________
Task 4
Part 2
Should governments stop paying for local libraries now that most
people can access information online? Think about
• what libraries provide

• who uses libraries
• the role of librarians
• reliability of online/printed information
<After 30 seconds>
Please start.
Thank you.
____________________________________________________________________________________
Part 3
Libraries
• Apart from access to books, what do you consider the most important
services that libraries provide?
• In what way has the role of libraries changed over time?
• How is the experience of reading paper books different from reading digital
content?
• Do you think libraries will continue to exist forever?
<After 5 minutes>
____________________________________________________________________________________
Task 5
Part 2
Here are some paper and pencils… and here is your question: <read the question
aloud>
All young people should have to do voluntary work. Do you agree or

disagree? Think about
• where they could volunteer

• benefits of volunteering
• drawbacks of volunteering
• other demands on young people’s time
<After 30 seconds>
Please start.
Thank you.
____________________________________________________________________________________
Part 3
Volunteering
• At what age do you think it is best for young people to start voluntary
work? Why?
• What characteristics and skills should volunteers have? Why?
• How can people improve their local areas through voluntary work?
• What types of voluntary work do you think are most important?
<After 5 minutes>
____________________________________________________________________________________
Task 6
Part 2
Governments are not doing enough to address environmental problems

such as pollution and global warming. Do you agree or disagree? Think
about
• policies and laws

• education
• advertising
• environmental research
<After 30 seconds>
Please start.
Thank you.
____________________________________________________________________________________
Part 3
Environmental awareness
• Which environmental issues do you think require most urgent attention?

• How can different countries’ governments work together to address
environmental problems?
• How could governments make it easier for people to recycle?
• Do you think people rely too much on governments? Why?/Why not?
<After 5 minutes>
____________________________________________________________________________________
Task 7
Part 2
Children should study a foreign language every day from the moment
they start school. Do you agree or disagree? Think about
• benefits of learning foreign languages

• best age to learn foreign languages
• young children’s interests
• young children’s other educational needs
<After 30 seconds>
Please start.
Thank you.
____________________________________________________________________________________
Part 3
Learning foreign languages
• How can learning a foreign language affect a child learning their first
language?
• Do you think that children’s motivation for studying foreign languages
increases as they get older? Why?/Why not?
• What effect can studying foreign languages have on a person’s memory?
• Do you think English will always be considered the global language?
Why/Why not?
<After 5 minutes>
____________________________________________________________________________________
Task 8
Part 2
Young people should need their parent’s permission for everything they
do until they are 20 years old. Do you agree or disagree? Think about
• social activities
• employment
• marriage
• educational choices
<After 30 seconds>
Please start.
Thank you.
____________________________________________________________________________________
Part 3
Young people’s rights
• Do parents always know what is best for their children? Why?/Why not?
• What activities have age restrictions in your country?
• To what extent do you think these restrictions are necessary?
• Would you change any age restrictions in your country if you could?
How?/Why not?
<After 5 minutes>
____________________________________________________________________________________
Task 9
Part 2
To reduce inequality, there should be a maximum income level. Do you

agree or disagree? Think about
• which people earn most

• which jobs are most valuable to society
• how income levels affect motivation
• importance of an equal society
<After 30 seconds>
Please start.
Thank you.
____________________________________________________________________________________
Part 3
People’s earnings
• Do you think professional sports players and film stars are overpaid?
Why/Why not?
• In rich countries, should everyone receive a minimum income, even if they
do not work? Why/Why not?
• To what extent do opportunities for promotions and pay rises motivate
people, in your opinion?
• Other than standardising income, what other ways could society become
more equal?
<After 5 minutes>
____________________________________________________________________________________
Task 10
Part 2
Social media companies select content to show users based on their

previous likes and online activity. Do you think this is positive or
negative? Think about
• benefits
• drawbacks
• types of content
• preferences of social media users
<After 30 seconds>
Please start.
Thank you.
____________________________________________________________________________________
Part 3
Social media content
• Do you worry about companies monitoring your online activity? Why/Why

not?
• Do you think social media exposes young people to a wide enough range
of views? Why?
• To what extent can news shown on social media be trusted?
• In what ways do you see social media developing in future?
<After 5 minutes>
____________________________________________________________________________________
Task 11
Part 2
Entry to all museums should always be free of charge. Do you agree or

disagree? Think about
• why people visit museums

• who would benefit from free entry
• how museums use money from ticket sales
• government financial support for museums
<After 30 seconds>
Please start.
Thank you.
____________________________________________________________________________________
Part 3
Museums
• What kind of museum exhibits do you find most interesting?

• How do museums try to engage younger people?
• Do you think free entry can reduce the value of museums in some people’s
eyes?
• How has the role of museums changed since the internet?
<After 5 minutes>
____________________________________________________________________________________
Task 12
Part 2
All unhealthy fast food and junk food should be banned from schools.
Do you agree or disagree? Think about
• types of unhealthy food

• reasons why people eat it
• benefits of banning it
• drawbacks of banning it
<After 30 seconds>
Please start.
Thank you.
____________________________________________________________________________________
Part 3
Unhealthy food
• To what extent do you think people understand which foods are healthy
and which are unhealthy?
• Why do you think fast food companies target young people?
• If unhealthy food were banned, how would you expect pupils to react?
• Apart from banning unhealthy food in schools, can you suggest other ways
to encourage healthy eating?
<After 5 minutes>
____________________________________________________________________________________
Task 13
Part 2
Globally, more and more people are choosing to live in cities instead of
the countryside. Do you think this is a positive or negative
development? Think about
• housing
• jobs
• social life
• national economy
<After 30 seconds>
Please start.
Thank you.
____________________________________________________________________________________
Part 3
Urbanisation
• What problems can be caused by overpopulation in cities?

• Do you think urbanisation will always have a negative effect on the
environment?
• How could more people be encouraged to live in the countryside?
• Do you think young and old people have different views about living in
cities or the countryside?
<After 5 minutes>
____________________________________________________________________________________
Task 14
Part 2
Do you think it is better to study online or face-to-face in the classroom?
Think about
• access to learning materials

• age of learners
• the home environment and the school
environment
• communication with others
<After 30 seconds>
Please start.
Thank you.
____________________________________________________________________________________
Part 3
Studying online
• Are some subjects easier to learn online than others? Why?

• Do you think learners can build strong connections with each other without
meeting in person? Why/Why not?
• Why do you think many national governments are investing money in
digital learning technologies?
• Do you think learners might only study online in future?
<After 5 minutes>
____________________________________________________________________________________
Task 15
Part 2
Do you think it is better to buy goods produced in your own country or

goods imported from other countries? Think about
• availability of goods
• local and national economies
• environmental impact of importing goods
• relationships between countries
<After 30 seconds>
Please start.
Thank you.
____________________________________________________________________________________
Part 3
Buying local v importing goods
• What positive effects can international trade have?

• Which goods does your country usually import from other countries? Why?
• Why do you think some countries might need to depend on imported
goods?
• How can local producers make their goods more attractive to consumers?
<After 5 minutes>
____________________________________________________________________________________
Task 16
Part 2
Is it better for young people to play team sports or individual sports?

Think about
• age of children
• benefits of playing sports
• different types of sports
• the role of teachers and parents
<After 30 seconds>
Please start.
Thank you.
____________________________________________________________________________________
Part 3
Learning through sport
• Do you think children feel more stressed when playing team sports or
individual sports? Why?
• Should all children be required to participate in sports at school? Why/Why
not?
• Do you think competitive sports have a positive or negative effect on
children’s development?
• Do you think Physical Education is more or less valuable than other
subjects at school? Why?
<After 5 minutes>
____________________________________________________________________________________
Task 17
Part 2
Here are some paper and pencils… and here is your question: <read the question
aloud>
Do you think it is a good thing for a country to have a minimum wage?

Think about
• minimum wage level

• types of job
• effect on businesses
• employment opportunities
<After 30 seconds>
Please start.
Thank you.
____________________________________________________________________________________
Part 3
Minimum wage
• Do you think the level of minimum wage should vary according to age? If
so, in what way?
• Should all professions have the same minimum wage? Why/Why not?
• How much money do you think adults in your country need to earn to
have a good quality of life? Why?
• Apart from minimum wage, what other benefits should employers be
legally required to provide workers?
<After 5 minutes>
____________________________________________________________________________________
Task 18
Part 2
Information found online cannot be trusted. Do you agree or disagree?

Think about
• news organisations
• social media
• viral videos
• different sources of information
<After 30 seconds>
Please start.
Thank you.
____________________________________________________________________________________
Part 3
Reliable information/ The internet
• In what ways has the internet had a positive effect on the way information
is shared?
• How can fake news stories affect people?
• Has the internet made it more or less difficult to identify whether
information is true or false? Why?
• Do you think traditional news organisations, such as printed newspapers,
are more reliable than new forms of media? Why/ Why not?
<After 5 minutes>
____________________________________________________________________________________
Task 19
Part 2
Do you think it is better for university students to study vocational

subjects, such as accountancy and nursing, or more academic subjects,
such as history? Think about
• skills studied
• information learned
• age of learners
• career opportunities
<After 30 seconds>
Please start.
Thank you.
____________________________________________________________________________________
Part 3
Vocational education
• What do you think is the main purpose of a university education?

• In what ways can more academic subjects, such as history, prepare
learners for professional life?
• Do you think certain people are better suited to vocational degrees than
others? Why/Why not? Which kind of people?
• Do you think parents should try to influence their children’s choice of
university degree subject? Why/Why not?
<After 5 minutes>
____________________________________________________________________________________
Task 20
Part 2
Do you think it is necessary to keep animals in zoos? Think about
• animal welfare in captivity

• education about animals
• economic impact of zoos
• endangered animals
<After 30 seconds>
Please start.
Thank you.
____________________________________________________________________________________
Part 3
Zoos
• In what ways can keeping animals in captivity change their behaviour?

• How can keeping animals in zoos help to protect them?
• Do you think online learning opportunities have made zoos less useful for
children’s education?
• What problems do you think can occur when trying to introduce animals
from zoos to the wild?
<After 5 minutes>
____________________________________________________________________________________

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ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC PURPOSES

EXAM TASK BOOKLET

Examination Session Time Allowed

• No dictionaries are allowed in the examination room.

• No written material is allowed in the examination room.

• No electronic devices (e.g. mobile phones, tablets, iPads, smart

• The Speaking Examination consists of a face-to-face interaction between

PART CONTENT PARTICIPANTS TIME TIME

Part 2 Paired in-depth Both candidates 4-5 minutes 6.5 – 7.5

Part 3 Questions loosely based Interlocutor/ 4-5 minutes 6.5 – 7.5

Interlocutor prompts are given in italics.

Good morning/afternoon. My name is ____________

Could you tell me your names please?

Thank you. And could you tell me your candidate number?

Let’s begin with you, <insert candidate name>.

Thank you. And now you, <insert candidate name>.

The students are allowed 30 seconds to make notes.

Interlocutor prompts are given in italics.

If one of the students is comparatively inactive, the interlocutor may redirect

The interlocutor should not:

• give hints (but can give clarification if specifically asked or if it is clear

School holidays are wasted learning opportunities; school should be

• learning inside the classroom

<hand out T1 task card>

<After 5 minutes/or if they finish sooner>

• Is it essential for students to study every day during school holidays?

<hand out T2 task card>

<After 5 minutes/or if they finish sooner>

Social media and age

Should children be taught in school about financial planning, such as

• the age of pupils

<hand out T3 task card>

<After 5 minutes/or if they finish sooner>

• what libraries provide

<hand out T4 task card>

<After 5 minutes/or if they finish sooner>

All young people should have to do voluntary work. Do you agree or

• where they could volunteer

<hand out T5 task card>

<After 5 minutes/or if they finish sooner>

Governments are not doing enough to address environmental problems

• policies and laws

<read the question aloud>

<hand out T6 task card>

<After 5 minutes/or if they finish sooner>

• Which environmental issues do you think require most urgent attention?

• benefits of learning foreign languages

<hand out T7 task card>

<After 5 minutes/or if they finish sooner>

Learning foreign languages

<hand out T8 task card>

<After 5 minutes/or if they finish sooner>

Young people’s rights

To reduce inequality, there should be a maximum income level. Do you

• which people earn most

<hand out T9 task card>

<After 5 minutes/or if they finish sooner>

Social media companies select content to show users based on their

<hand out T10 task card>

<After 5 minutes/or if they finish sooner>

Social media content

• Do you worry about companies monitoring your online activity? Why/Why

Entry to all museums should always be free of charge. Do you agree or