Timing: A 1-minute ‘long turn’ for each candidate, plus a 30-second response from the second candidate. The total time for Part 2 is 4 minutes.
Task type and interaction: An individual ‘long turn’ for each candidate with a response from the second candidate. In turn, the candidates are given 3 photographs and asked to talk about any 2 of them
Focus: The focus is on organising a larger unit of discourse; comparing, describing, expressing opinions and speculating.
Description: Part 2 provides you with the opportunity to speak for one minute without interruption. Each candidate is presented with a set of pictures and asked to comment on each and react to them. A prompt is given to you in the form of a direct question written above the pictures. You are asked to compare and contrast, speculate and express viewpoints about two of the threepictures shown. You will have the opportunity to demonstrate your ability to organise your thoughts and ideas. In addition, you will be asked to comment on your fellow candidate’s response for approximately 30 seconds.
C1 Advanced (CAE) Speaking Part 2 Video
CAE, FCE, CPE
Speaking Practice (On-line)
Find your speaking partner, practice and prepare for exams together. Use our base of questions/topics to prepare for your speaking exam
C1 (CAE): Example Questions/Topics
Interlocutor: In this part of the test, I’m going to give each of you three pictures. I’d like you to talk about two of them on your own for about a minute, and also to answer a question briefly about your partner’s pictures.
Isolated places
How might the people be feeling?
Why might they be in these situations?
People taking a break
How might the people be feeling?
How demanding might their activities be?
People and personalities
What sort of personalities might they have?
What might they do for a living?
Water
What are the different ways in which water is being used?
Why might water be important in the lives of these people?
Sharing
What moments or experiences are being shared?
How might the people feel about each other?
Up in the air
What are the people doing?
How might they be feeling?
Environmental problems
In what ways are people polluting the environment
How easy would it be to stop doing that?
Sports
What are the different skills required for each sport?
What would be the biggest challenge?
Unusual situations
What is strange or unusual about the pictures?
Which picture is the most unusual?
Emotional states
What emotional states do they show?
What might have caused each of these emotional states?
FCE, CAE, CPE
More than Practice Tests
Get your writing checked, track your progress online. Sample papers, online practice tests & tips.
C1 (CAE): Tips for Speaking Part 2
Practise speaking for extended periods of time so that you become familiar with speaking for one minute uninterrupted. Sometimes candidates finish their long turn too soon, for they are unprepared for how long one minute takes.
Collect pictures from various forms of media and group them into sets and speculate on what might you be asked to talk about in a Part 2 task in the exam.
Avoid ‘closure’ cues such as “That’s it.” or ” I’m done.” Speak until the interlocutor says, “Thank you.” With this approach, you will maximise the time available for each 1-minute long turn.
Spend time organising your ideas coherently. Become familiar with useful phrases that link ideas and compare images. Develop your own list of appropriate phrases during your preparation providing you with a broad range of language and structures to draw on when necessary.
Practise speaking for extended periods of time so that you become familiar with speaking for one minute uninterrupted. Sometimes candidates finish their long turn too soon, for they are unprepared for how long one minute takes.