FCE - Speaking

Part 1 - Interview:

What's in Part 1?

Conversation with the examiner. The examiner asks questions and you may have to give information
about your interests, studies, career, etc.

What do I have to practise?

Giving information about yourself and expressing your opinion about various topics.

How long do I have to speak?

2 minutes

Typical questions:
•Typical Opening Questions
•What is your name?
•Where are you from?
•What do you like about living in…?
•How long have you been studying English?
•What do you like about studying English?
Work & Study
•What do you do?
•What would make a job interesting for you?
•What kind of skills do you need in your job?
•How easy or difficult is it for young people to get a job?
•Would you like to do the same job for ever?
Personal Background
•Where do you come from?
•In how many different places have you lived during your life?
•Can you describe your neighbourhood?
•Do you come from a big or a small family?
•Would you like to live in the same place for a long time?
Travel and Holidays
•How do you normally spend your holidays?
•Do you prefer to spend your holidays with friends or with family?
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•What’s the last foreign country you visit it? Did you like it?
•Have you ever been to a city that has disappointed you? Where was it?
•What’s the most interesting place you have visited? Why?
•Do many tourists visit your city?
•What’s your favourite means of transport? Why?
Entertainment: Reading, Movies, Going Out, etc.
•How do you normally spend your free time?
•Do you have many things in common with your friends?
•Can you describe the last book you read? Was it good?
•Do you like science fiction literature? Why (not)?
•Do you prefer to read a book or to watch a movie?
•How often do you go to the cinema and who do you go with?
•Do you prefer to go out with your friends or with your family?
Food, Health & Sport
•Is it expensive to eat out in your city?
•Do you prefer to eat out or to cook for yourself? Why?
•Do you think that people should take better care of themselves? Why?
•What sports do young people like doing in your country?
•Would you rather watch at home sports or take part? Why?
•When was the last time you attended a live sports event in your city?
•Do you support any team in particular?
Clothes, Fashion, Music & Other Trends
•What type of clothes do people wear in your country?
•Do students in your country care much about fashion?
•Do you like to wear fashionable clothes? Why (not)?
•How often do you go shopping for clothes?
•Are there any trends that have a negative impact on people’s lives?
•What are the current trends in the area where you live?
•What type of music do you like?
•Is there a band that is particularly famous in your country nowadays?
The Environment
•Do you, your friends or your family recycle household waste?
•Is recycling rewarded in some way by the state in your country?
•What are the main environmental issues affecting your country at the moment?
•What is the weather like in your city?
•What kind of wildlife surrounds the area in which you live?
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What to avoid:
1.Very brief answers: I come from Ronda. (This might be appropriate, but if it’s okay to add more
information, do it!)
2.Listing things: I like the weather, the monuments…
3.Not justifying your answers: Yes, we do.
4.Using phrases without subject or predicate: Football, basketball, handball and tennis.
5.Talking about unrelated events or talking too much.
6.Leaving your answers unfinished.

Useful language:
On Your City
Speaking about your city is a great way to show
that you know how to use Relative Clauses
correctly. Make sure you have a short
explanation about your city prepared.
Examples:
I’m from Umbria, which is a region in Central
Italy.
I’m originally from Daegu, which is a small
college town in South Korea.
I’m from Maresme, which is a region just north
of Barcelona.
This is also a great opportunity to use the
Present Perfect Continuous.
I’m from Umbria, which is a region in Central
Italy. But I’ve been living here in San Diego for
four months.
I’m originally from Daegu, which is a small
college town in South Korea. However, I’ve
been studying English in San Francisco for the
last three months.
I’m from Maresme, which is a region just north
of Barcelona. But for the last few months I’ve
been living in California.
On Your Childhood
Speaking about your childhood is a great
opportunity to use phrasal verbs like GROW UP.
Born in
I was born in Berlin.
Raised by
I was raised by my mother and stepfather.
Grew up in
I grew up in a small town, just north of Zurich.
Born and raised
I was born and raised in Seoul.
Speaking to the Interlocutor
There is one very important thing to remember: it’s
completely natural that you might not understand
everything the interlocutors say! If you don’t
understand a question, you can always ask for
clarification. Here are some ways to do so:

I’m sorry, I didn’t quite catch that. Could you please

repeat the question?
My apologies, I didn’t hear that last bit. Would you
mind repeating the question?
Would you mind repeating the question once more?
Thank you.
 FCE - Speaking

On Your Job On Your Personal Life

When speaking about your job, make sure that you know The Cambridge employee will want to know a
which preposition to use when speaking about the little about you, so be prepared to talk about your
industry, your company, and your position in the likes, dislikes, and interests. Here are some useful
company. phrases.

I work in (INDUSTRY) I’m an avid ________________.

I work in sales. I’m an avid reader. I have hundreds of books in

I work in advertising. addition to plenty of files on my e-reader.
I work in the marketing industry.
I work in Human Resources I’m a ________________ lover.
.
I work for (COMPANY) I’m a huge soccer lover, so I usually play with my
friends on weekends.
I work for a marketing company in Germany.
I work for an international law firm. I’m a big fan of ________________.
I work for Nestle.
I’m a big fan of music, and in my free time I often
I work at (COMPANY) go to concerts.

I work at the Nestle headquarters in (CITY). I’m a ________________ fan.

I work at Coca Cola.
I work at Samsung. I’m a fitness fan, so I’m often found at the gym or
outdoors doing something exciting, like hiking.
I work on (JOB DUTIES)

I work on sales reports and payroll.

I work on new advertising campaigns.
I work on providing job training to new employees.

I work as (JOB TITLE)

I work as a banker.
I work as a lawyer.
I work as a banker.
Remember that the best thing to do is to combine the
above sentences to create longer, more complex
sentences.
 FCE - Speaking

Part 2 – Long turn:

What's in Part 2?

The examiner gives you two photographs and asks you to talk about them. You have to speak for 1 minute
without interruption and the interlocutor then asks the other candidate to comment on your photographs
for about 30 seconds.

The other candidate receives a different set of photographs and you have to listen and comment when they
have finished speaking. The question you have to answer about your photographs is written at the top of
the page to remind you what you should talk about.

What do I have to practise?

Talking on your own about something: comparing, describing, expressing opinions, speculating.

How long do I have to speak?

1 minute per candidate

Important TIPS:
Compare, don’t describe: it is common for candidates to spend the whole minute describing both
pictures separately instead of comparing them. Remember, the examiner explicitly asks you to
“compare these two pictures”, so don’t forget to do it!
1.Don’t overuse “and”: I have noticed that my students tend to use the word “and” all the time in
order to switch from picture 1 to picture 2. “And” is a connector to add ideas, not to express
contrast. And, since you’re comparing, you should use other types of connectors. See both of the
tasks in this article and notice the connecting phrases in bold.
2.Don’t focus too much on one picture: one minute is not a long time, so you should make sure
you fit into your speech the most important ideas about both pictures.
3.Allow enough time to answer the question: some people spend so much time talking about the
pictures that they forget to answer the question, and they get cut off by the interlocutor. While
getting cut off is neither bad nor good, not answering the question will have a negative impact on
your score.
4.Address the interlocutor: in this task, you shouldn’t address your partner. This is an individual
task, so simply concentrate on what you’re saying and address your comments to the interlocutor.
5.Finish your sentences: it is common for candidates to start a sentence and then regret and stop in
midstream. Do not let your speech fade out in the middle of a sentence; finish expressing your
ideas!
FCE - Speaking

6.Focus the pictures and the question: while comparing both pictures, you should not talk about
related things that happened to you. In this part, you are supposed to focus on the situations of the
pictures, not on your own experiences.
7.Stick to the topic: when answering the follow-up question, make sure that you stick to the topic
and answer exactly what the examiner asked.
8.Ask for repetition: it’s perfectly alright to ask the interlocutor to repeat the instructions or the
follow-up question if you didn’t get it the first time.
9.Use related vocabulary: while this article has focused mainly on expressions to compare and
give your opinion, you obviously need to prove that your vocabulary is at a B2 level. So make sure
you draw on what you have studied and drop some advanced terms that might impress the
examiners.

Useful language:
Starting your comparison:

Both of these pictures show…

These two pictures show…
The two situations in these pictures are…

Talking about similarities:

These two pictures/situations are similar because/in that…

In both pictures we can see…
One similarity between these two pictures/situations is that…
Another similarity might be that…
One thing that these two pictures/situations have in common is that…
One thing that these two pictures share is that…
The most obvious similarity is that…
These two pictures share the fact that…
Both pictures (…) in the same way.

Talking about differences:

One of the most obvious differences (between these two pictures) is that…
Another difference is that…
Something that makes these two pictures different is…
What makes these two situations (so/completely) different is…
While the first picture …, the second one…
The first picture…. However, the second one…
The first picture… whereas the second one…
Although the first picture…., the second one…
On the one hand, the first picture shows… . On the other hand, the second one…
Introducing the answer to the question

As for + paraphrased question

As to + paraphrased question
In relation to the question,…
In response to the question, I’d say that…
As regards the question,…
Regarding the question of the task,
With regard to + paraphrased question
 FCE - Speaking

Part 3 – Collaborative task:

What's in Part 3?

Conversation with the other candidate. The examiner gives you some material and a task to do. You have
to talk with the other candidate and make a decision.

What do I have to practise?

Exchanging ideas, expressing and justifying opinions, agreeing and/or disagreeing, suggesting,
speculating, evaluating, reaching a decision through negotiation, etc.

How long do we have to speak?

3 minutes (a 2-minute discussion followed by a 1-minute decision-making task)

Important TIPS:
Have a clear discussion, not 2 monologues: it is common for candidates to think that the more
they speak, the better. That’s not correct. It’s what you say that matters, and in this part you’re
expected to discuss, not to speak by yourself.
1.Justify your opinions: expressing your opinions is not the only thing that matters; justifying
them is just as important. For one thing, you are showing the examiner that you can justify your
opinions in English, and for another, you are giving your partner material to work with throughout
the conversation. Let’s say that your justifications feed the conversation on hand.
2.Try to speak about all the options: while this is not compulsory, if you focus on only one
option, you will have less of a chance to show how well you can interact in a conversation. That’s
why I always recommend jumping from one option to another, so that you get more opportunities to
agree, disagree and express your opinions.
3.Work with your partner: your partner is not your enemy. You will be assessed separately, so you
must see him/her as your ally.
4.Help your partner: if your partner is struggling to find the appropriate words or some ideas to
express, you can give him/her a hand by stepping with some ideas or the words you think he/she is
looking for. Not only will this help the conversation itself, it will also show the examiner that you
have good communication skills.
5.Step up your interaction skills: most of the score in this part of the speaking is based on your
ability to interact, which means that you have to ask for opinions and be able to agree or disagree
with your partner. For this reason, you should know a set of expressions to do so that will impress
the examiner. So try to avoid the typical “What do you think about…?” or “I agree/disagree”, and
go for something a little more advanced, such as “wouldn’t you agree?”, or “I’m afraid I don’t hold
the same opinion.”
FCE - Speaking

6.Keep your turn short: remember, we are discussing different options with the other candidate,
not reciting a monologue. If you spend 1 minute speaking non-stop, you are not interacting, which
shows poor communication skills on your part.
7.Stick to the topic: make sure that you stick to the topic and answer exactly what the examiner
asked.
8.Finish your statements with a question or a question tag: finishing your statements with a
questions is a very natural way of keeping the conversation flowing, which is the whole point in this
part.
9.Address your partner: remember that you are having a conversation with someone. That
someone is your partner, not the examiner, so be sure to look at the other candidate when you speak.
FCE - Speaking

Useful language:

Starting your discussion Disagreeing with your partner

Shall I start? / Yeah, go on.
Shall I go first? / Of course, go ahead.
Is it okay if I start? / Sure, no problem.
Would you like to go first? / Yes, why
not?
Expressing your opinion
I’m afraid I don’t see it the same way.
I’m sorry but I have to disagree.
You may be right, but I have a different
view.
That might be true, but I’m not sure I agree
with you.
I’m sorry, but I don’t agree.

I believe/think that… Changing the subject

In my opinion,…
The way I see it,… As for + one of the options
If you ask me,… As to + one of the options
I would say that… In relation to + one of the options
It seems to me that… As regards + one of the options
In my view… Regarding the question of the task,
As far as I’m concerned,… With regard to + paraphrased question

Asking for your partner’s your Concluding the discussion

opinion
I believe we have an agreement, don’t we?
So, do we have an agreement?
statement, don’t you think/agree?
Shall we stick to…?
statement, wouldn’t you say so?
Shall we agree on..?
statement , wouldn’t you agree?
statement, right?
Do you think…?
Do you believe that…?
What do you think about…?
How about…?
What about…?
What’s your take on…?

Agreeing with your partner

I (totally) agree with you.

You’re dead right.
That’s (absolutely) true.
You’re (absolutely) right.
That’s a great idea.
I couldn’t agree more.
Yes, I see what you mean.
I see it that way, too.
Yes, of course.
I think so, too.
 FCE - Speaking

Part 4 – Discussion:

What's in Part 4?

Further discussion with the other candidate, guided by questions from the examiner, about the topics or issues
raised in the task in Part 3.

What do I have to practise?

Expressing and justifying opinions, agreeing and/or disagreeing.

How long do we have to speak?

4 minutes

Useful language:
BUYING TIME TRYING TO CHANGE AN OPINION

I've never really thought about that, but... But don't you think that...

What a good question! Yes, but isn't it true that...

That's a good question. Okay, but on the other hand...

That's an interesting question. Maybe there's another way to think about it.

Oh! Let me think. Well, ... You're partly right, but...

GIVING YOUR OPINION

What I think is that...

In my opinion, ...

It's clear to me that...

One thing I'm sure of is...

I might be wrong but ...

I'm no expert but...

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GIVING REASONS FOR YOUR

OPINIONS

... because ....

... so it's obvious that...

... That means...

ADDING REASONS

Another thing is...

Apart from that, ...

As well as that, ...

Just as importantly, ...

There's also the fact that...

And don't forget...

ASKING YOUR SPEAKING PARTNER

What do you think, Jack?

Don't you agree?

Do you have anything to say about that?

Jack, do you have anything to add to that?

Did I forget anything?

INTERRUPTING POLITELY

Do you mind if I add something?

I'd like to comment on that.

If I could just make a point.

FCE - Speaking

Typical questions:
They will ask questions about the topics from part 3. Some possible topics are:
•Travel
•Your Home Country/City
•Learning English
•Shopping
•Free Time
•TV
•Work