CPE SPEAKING LESSON 1 – PART 1 + IMAGINATION/PERSONALIZATION

Part 1: Getting to know you (2-3 mins)

A (Intro questions)
Where are you from?
What do you do there?
How long have you been learning English?
What do you like about learning English?
(short and sweet – any longer sounds unnatural and stupid)

B (Personal type questions - truth or lie?)

Could you describe your family home to me?
Do you plan to take up a new sport in the future?
Do you find it hard to relax?
What was a memorable holiday when you were a child?

C (Generalization through personalization)

Are there good quality TV programmes in your country?
What do people from your country usually do on weekends?
What traits constitute a best friend?
Do people in your country prefer to travel abroad or visit local sights?

(Gift of the gab)

Which mathematical formula supports the expression: The shit’s about to hit the fan?
Why can’t sharks swim backwards?
Why does Superman wear his pants on the outside?
What kind of allegory can be found in the cult classic: Finding Nemo?
Why should every household own a plunger?
What is the etymology of - It’s raining cats and dogs?

PAUL’S RULES (and Cambridge’s’s’s’s) fOR SPEAKING PART 1

a) Every opinion has a reason. Always say: ….because/as/for/since bla bla bla
b) Never give an answer in the form of a list
c) Be relevant (whether lying, personalizing etc – don’t be philosophical)
d) Answer immediately then expand – don’t waffle on before answering
e) Don’t repeat vocab from the question. Or try not to (could collocate to improve)
f) 2 to 3 complete sentences is enough.
g) High level English is required… of course!

What can we do if we genuinely can’t think of an answer?

What if we speak too long?
Can my partner get involved at this stage?
Can I ask the Dragon to repeat?
Can I be humourous and sarcastic?
What about slipping in some racist or sexist jokes for a laugh?