SPEAKING INTERVIEW

THREE PART FORMAT
Part 1

You are asked various questions about your background so that the examiner can discover who you are, where you come from, what you have been doing etc.

REMEMBER TO ANSWER PART 1 QUESTIONS IN SOME DETAIL because the examiner is unable to ask questions that are not on his or her "frame" or question list. That is, you cannot expect the examiner to "assist" you to answer well – that is your task: to give full answers to the prompts given.

You will probably be asked basic questions similar to those below about the topics shown:

For practice, prepare short (but not too short!) answers to the questions that follow...

Your background:

1.   Where do you come from?
2.   Where do you live now (house/flat/neighbourhood/area)?
3.   What is your hometown well-known for?
4.   Why did you choose to come to this country (if studying overseas)?
5.   What are you involved in doing at the moment?

Your family:

1.   How many members are there in your immediate family?
2.   Do you have any brothers or sisters?
2.   What are they doing at present?
3.   Where does your father or mother work?
4.   Do you live with your family? Why? 
5.   What do you and your family do together?

Your job or your schooling:

1.   Do you have a full-time or part-time job at the moment?
2.   Have you ever had a job before? If so, doing what?
3.   Why did you choose the job you have (or had)?
4.   Did you enjoy studying at your school? What interested you?
5.   Who do you study or work with (your classmates or colleagues)?

Your interests:

1.   Do you have any interesting hobbies or pastimes?
2.   What do you enjoy doing on the weekend?
3.   How do you improve your English after school hours?
4.   Have you travelled to any interesting places recently?
5.   If you had lots of money, what would you like to do?
 

Part 2

In Part 2 of the Speaking Test interview you are required to give a short talk (1–2 minutes only) on a topic given to you by the examiner. You should not find it difficult to talk about the topic given to you because:

a) The topic is within your understanding – it is concerned with something you do or should know something about

b) The card you are given contains at least 3 suggestions of things to talk about regarding the topic.

REMEMBER YOU ARE ASKED TO SPEAK FOR 1–2 MINUTES.

A typical card is as follows:
 
 

Talk about your English teacher (either your present teacher or a teacher you have had in the past)
 

–

describe your teacher
 
– what is his or her teaching method?
 
– why do you like/dislike him or her?

and how has he/she helped you with your language-learning?
 

(Expect to answer at least one or two follow-up questions about the talk you just gave.)

Part 3

In Part 3 of the Speaking Test interview you are required to talk in detail about a wider topic area than in Part 2. However, there is a link between the topic given in Part 2 and what you are asked to talk about in Part 3.

For example, if you are asked to talk about your teacher in Part 2, then the wider topic area in Part 3 will probably be concerned with education in general.

Education in general:
 

1. How important do you think education is for a child these days?
2. Has your education been useful for you? Why do you think so?
3. Do you think that present day schooling is an improvement on the past? In what way?
4. Are there ways in which schools could be improved?
5. Why do you think governments do not usually allow parents to educate their children at home?
6. Is it important to study hard when you are young or can you enjoy your life and return to study when you are grown-up?
7. What are the advantages and disadvantages of studying when you are...
a) young      b) mature
8. Should governments spend more on education than they do at present?
9. Are teachers paid enough?
10. Would you force your children to study a particular subject (or subjects) or would you allow them to choose their own profession?