GUIDE TO THE APTIS SPEAKING TEST

THE APTIS SPEAKING COMPONENT TESTS YOUR ABILITY TO

COMMUNICATE IN ENGLISH IN REAL-LIFE SITUATIONS.

IT TAKES ABOUT 12 MINUTES AND IT IS DIVIDED INTO FOUR

SECTIONS. YOUR RESPONSES WILL BE RECORDED AND MARKED
BY EXAMINERS.
Part 1– Personal Information or Sentence Completion
You will be asked three questions about yourself and your interests. You are expected to speak for
30 seconds for each question.

Examples of some questions might include:

Please tell me about your family
Please tell me about your hobbies.
Please tell me about your work or studies.
Please tell me about your favorite food.
What do you like doing in your free time?
What is the weather like today?
What is your typical day like?
What is the food like in your country?
What is your village/ town/ city like?
How do you like to spend your holidays and vacations?
 Part 2: Describe, express opinion and provide reasons and
explanations

3 task in part 2 of the APTIS speaking exam: 

1. Describe the picture. (You have to speak for 45 seconds) 
2. Giving an opinion. (You have to speak for 45 seconds)
3. Comparing with own situation/experiences. (You have to speak for
45 seconds)
Part 3: Describe, compare and provide reasons and
explanations
You will be asked to describe two photographs, then answer two questions
on the topic of the photographs. The questions will ask you to compare some
aspect of the topic and to express an opinion on or speculate about the topic.
Again, you are expected to speak for 45 seconds for each response.
Part 4: Discuss personal experience and opinion on an
abstract topic

In part 4 you will see an image, but the trick is that you will not be asked to
describe this picture. The picture is only used as a visual clue to help you draw
upon your own experiences. You will have one minute to prepare
 and two minutes to respond.
You will be asked three questions on a single topic and given one minute to
prepare an answer. You can take brief notes and use these to help structure your
answer.
 Tips for the Speaking Test
 Make sure you understand the questions and respond appropriately and fully. Try to explain or expand
your answers.
 Use your preparation time in section four efficiently; keep your notes short and simple, and think about how
to structure your ideas logically.
 Practice speaking as much as you can, do not worry too much about mistakes. Instead, focus on whether
your message was successfully communicated.
 Record yourself speaking and try to improve your vocabulary and pronunciation. To prepare for speaking
test, record yourself speaking as fluently as possible for a minute or two.
Try the following topics:
- introducing yourself;
- talking about your personal experiences & preferences;
- comparing two different things - perhaps two cities or two houses
 When you listen to your recording the key things to note are:
- grammatical accuracy
- appropriacy of vocabulary
- effective pronunciation
- hesitation
- well-sequenced ideas properly linked together