2ND EDITION C1
Part 3: Collaborative task
(2 minutes discussion phase,
up to 1 minute decision phase)
Overview
• In Part 3 of the Speaking test you will be asked to discuss a
question with your partner. There are two parts to this task.
For the first part you will be given a question with five related
prompts. You have fifteen seconds to look at the task before
you start speaking. Then you have two minutes if there are two
of you, and three minutes if there are three candidates. The
examiner will stop you when the allocated time is up.
• In the second part of the task you have up to a minute to
discuss another question related to the five prompts, which will
involve negotiating towards a type of decision. This will mean
making a selection from the prompts, e.g. which is the most
important/useful/interesting option. This discussion may take
you over similar ground to the previous discussion or it may
require you to look at the prompts again in a slightly different
way. Again, the examiner will stop you when the minute is up.
Example task
Here are some skills teenagers often think it’s important to
learn and a question for you to discuss. Talk to each other
about how important you think it is for teenagers to learn
these things and why.
how to deal how to deliver
with money How important is first aid
it for teenagers to
learn these things?
how to speak
another how to cook
language how to drive healthy food
Now you have a minute to decide which of these things you
think would be most difficult to learn how to do.
Exam help
• The collaborative task is a discussion between you and your
partner. Don’t include the examiner. It is sometimes a good idea
to turn to face your partner in your chairs at this point as it
removes the temptation to look at the interlocutor.
• This part of the test is all about interaction. It should not be
a series of long turns where you each give your opinion about
one prompt and then move on to do the same with the next.
Interact by asking what your partner thinks and commenting on
their point of view.
• You don’t have to talk about all the prompts in your discussion. It
is better to discuss a couple in depth rather than rush them.
• Make sure that you both talk for about the same length of
time. Candidates who try to talk all the time and dominate the
conversation will lose marks. If your partner is shy and chooses
not to talk, or is unable to talk, as long as you have encouraged
and given them the opportunity, that is fine.
• Remember you can help your partner or ask your partner for
advice. It’s better to do this than stay silent. For example, if you
don’t understand a prompt you could ask your partner: Do you
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know what this means? It may be a simple misunderstanding on
your part and then once it’s been explained, you’ll have a lot to say.
• Don’t anticipate the decision question. Some candidates
automatically assume that they have to perform some sort of
ranking task in this collaborative phase and almost immediately
compare and choose a prompt: I think this is the most important
thing to learn because … As well as not being part of the question,
this way of approaching the task means that there is a lot of time
left and candidates end up back-tracking or sitting in silence.
• Always refer to the question on your sheet. Look at it from time to
time, to remind yourself of the task and to ensure you are keeping
to the point.
• There may sometimes be a prompt that you don’t understand
or have little opinion about. Avoid this and concentrate on the
prompts you are interested in and want to talk about.
• You may not find the question interesting but be careful not to
convey this to the examiner. Try to sound interested and inspired!
• Your opinion may well differ from your partner’s. Always be
polite if and when you disagree, and don’t get dogmatic about
something you feel strongly about.
• Remember that when discussing the decision question, you do
not both have to agree!
useful language
inviting and giving opinion
So, how do you feel about … ?
What’s your thinking on this?
Is there anything you’d like to add?
asking for and giving clarification
I’m sorry, I didn’t quite catch that.
I don’t think I’ve heard that word/term before. Did you
mean … ?
What I meant to say was …
hesitating
OK, let me think for a moment.
Mm, that’s an interesting point.
Now I come to think about it, …
interrupting politely
Could I come in here?
Sorry to interrupt, but …
Could I just add something here?
summarising
OK, so what we’re saying is that …
Taking into consideration everything you’ve mentioned, …
So, to sum up, …
referring to what your partner has said
That’s a very good point.
I hadn’t thought about that.
What you said about … also applies here, doesn’t it?
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