Specification for Speaking test

General information

Time: 12 minutes (including 2 minutes of preparation: 1 minute for part 2 and 1 minute for
part 3)

General description of sections: The English proficiency test - Speaking skill consists of three
parts: (1) Social communication, (2) Solution discussion, and (3) Topic development.

General description of the content/language: conversational discourse (social communication,

discussion) and presentation.

Description of each part:

- Part 1: Social interaction

In this section, the examiner asks the candidate 3-6 questions on two different topics.
Candidates answer the question. The questions are designed as questions with question words.
When using interrogative questions, a question with a question word needs to be added to
prompt the candidate to answer the question.

- Part 2: Solution discussion

In this part, the candidate is given a scenario with 3 suggested solutions. The candidates need
to give their own opinions of the best solution among three options and argue why not choose
the remaining solutions. This part is designed in the form of a short paragraph consisting of
two to three sentences, in which there are 1-2 sentences describing the situation and 1
sentence giving 3 solutions to solve the problem raised in the situation.

- Part 3: Topic development

In this section, candidates give a talk about a given topic with suggested ideas or their own
ideas. Candidates use a given outline in the form of a mind map and/or can use their own
outline to develop the topic. After the candidate has finished presenting the talk, there are
some follow-up questions related to the topic content. The topic for developing ideas is
presented in the form of a complete sentence. Suggestions for candidates to use to develop
ideas are presented in the form of a mind map. Each idea of the outline and topic in the mind
map is put in the form of a noun or a noun phrase. Each idea of the outline can also be
expressed as a verb or an adjective.

Three prioritized questions are designed in the form of questions using words to ask. Question
1 is designed for candidates who can reach level 3; question 2 is designed for candidates who
can reach level 4; Question 3 is designed for candidates who can reach level 5 and higher
according to the 6-level Foreign Language Competency Framework for Vietnam.

Total score: 10 points on a 10-point scale.

Details

Task Time Objectives Types of

questions
Part 1 Social 3 minutes  Interview Interacting The
interaction  Social examiner
interaction asks the
 Description question.

 Explanatio Candidates

n and don’t know

description the question

of a in advance

particular and

problem do not have

time to
prepare for
the answer
Part 2 Solution 4 minutes  Argument Discussing Test takers
discussion  Social are provided
interaction a situation
 Negotiation with three
suggested
solutions.
Test takers
 need to give
their own
opinions of
the best
solution
among three
options. Test
takers have 1
minute to
prepare for
the answer
Part 3 Topic 5 minutes  Speak in Presenting a The
development front of an topic examiner
audience Interacting, guides the
 Long candidate on
monologue how to
 Presenting answer the
a problem question.

 Develop Candidates

and expand are provided

the theme with a topic

 Describing and a topic

things and development

phenomena outline in the

 Understand form of a

the mind map.

interlocutor The
examiner
 Social
then
interaction
continues to
ask one to
three
questions
related to the
given topic.