Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Interview
(approx. 2 minutes for pairs / 4 minutes for trios)
Part 1 is known as the 'Interview', and consists of some questions about your life.
These questions will be asked individually to you and your partner, so there's no need
to interact with the other candidate(s) too much - although you may if you wish.
Generally the questions start about you and your personal life, then ask you to make
opinions, then move into more speculative territory.
(*note how this is a slightly more advanced version of the CAE Part 1 question: "what
do you enjoy most about learning English?")
A - Both.
Hey, come on! This is the CPE Speaking Test! P means proficient, not pithy.
A bit better:
Q - Are you working or studying at the moment?
Okayyy, getting there ..... but are we really CPE level yet?
The right length:
Q - Are you working or studying at the moment?
A - Both - studying for CPE doesn't pay, sadly, so I've got to do something to bring
home the bacon! I'm holding down a part-time job as a waitress while I slog away
at the books, but it's not all bad.
(This is a good length and it sounds natural. It makes good use of expressions,
topic-specific vocabulary and phrasal verbs, but without being overly long.
Remember: Part 1 is a balance of saying enough that you give yourself a chance
to use some natural-sounding vocabulary and grammar without "overdoing it"
and babbling on!)
3. GIVING OPINIONS
Part 1 of the CPE Speaking test asks for opinions, but many candidates fall into the
trap of using the same old language to do this, with every sentence starting with an "I
think ....". Mix it up a bit! Even in Part 1 it's important to use every opportunity to
sound like you know how to use English confidently and flexibly, and every little
helps. So, instead of saying "I think ...", how about trying something like:
It's likely/unlikely that ....
I bet / You can bet that ....
Personally ....
To my mind .....
I reckon ....
As I see it ....
In my opinion ..
I believe ...
I reckon ...
I suppose ...
For me ...
As I see it ...
It seems to me ...
As far as I can tell ...
So, learn some CPE-level vocabulary that you can use for the types of questions you
might be asked. Let's take another look at a few of those sample questions, shall we?
What do you enjoy most about the place where you're living now?
Describing Areas:
upbeat, leafy, suburban, sleepy, a cultural hotspot, vibrant, got a real buzz, family-
friendly, secluded, brilliant nightlife, amenities, facilities, cosy, traditional, modern,
just a stone's throw from the X
How much time do you spend travelling every day?
Describing Travelling:
(gruelling) commute, fellow commuters, daily grind, rush hour, congestion, traffic
jams, exhausting, waste of time/money, poor/excellent public transport system, season
tickets, invigorating, get some headspace, catch up on my Podcasts/TV shows
Do you think it's easy for people to find a good job nowadays?
Describing Jobs:
job market, labour pool, high/low salary, relevant (work) experience, qualifications,
interview techniques, major corporations, climb the corporate ladder, start on the
bottom rung, paid/unpaid internship
Now you can try this with the other questions listed above!
Many candidates stare at the desk, or at their hands, or worse still they stare intently at
the examiner (creepy). Even if you're not verbally interacting with the other
candidate(s), you should still look at them and listen to what they're saying.
Try to nod and smile and look interested - no matter how nervous you are! Examiners
are only human after all (no, really, it's true), and they respond just as well to body
language and facial expressions as anyone, so use yours to look positive and confident
and it might just make the difference to your grade.
Ok, so here's where CPE starts to look very different to CAE and FCE.
In Part 2 of the Cambridge English: Proficiency test, you and your partner(s) are given
a number of photos (4 or 5) on a common theme.
For the first activity, the examiner will select 2 or 3 photos and give you a
question to discuss together for 1 minute (2 minutes for trios).
After that the examiner will give you a 3-minute (4-minute for trios) task using
ALL of the photos which will involve discussing
and then either: selecting 1 for a particular purpose; or thinking of something
else that could be added to the collection.
This is a collaborative task, so it will require you to work together closely with your
partner.
- sustaining an interaction
- exchanging ideas
- expressing and justifying opinions
- agreeing/disagreeing
- suggesting
- speculating
- evaluating
- reaching a decision through negotiation
I'd like you to imagine that a magazine is planning an article on aspects of the modern
food industry. These pictures will be used to accompany the article.
Talk together about the positive and negative aspects of the modern food
industry as shown in these photos.
Then suggest: 1. one other aspect that could be included in the article, or 2.
which aspect would be most suitable for the cover image.
(NB. In the exam there will be only 1 question in the second part - we have included 2
here to show the different types of question you are likely to be asked)
Now that you know what the task looks like, let's get into the tips.
Initiates and responds Interacts with ease, linking Interacts with ease by skilfully
appropriately, linking contributions to those of interweaving his/her contributions
contributions to those of other other speakers. into the conversation.
speakers.
Maintains and develops the Widens the scope of the Widens the scope of the interaction
interaction and negotiates interaction and negotiates and develops it fully and effectively
towards an outcome. towards an outcome. towards a negotiated outcome.
Ok Cambridge, so that's some fancy language right there, but what on earth does it
mean in practice? Well, let's unpack it:
What Cambridge Want Translation for Normal People
Level 1
Level 3
interacts with ease looks comfortable and capable while asking or answering
widens the scope of the interaction introduces new ideas or opinions to agree or disagree
Level 5
develops it fully and effectively providing ample appropriate evidence or reasoning for
towards suggested ideas,
a negotiated outcome sounding persuasive and effective in negotiation
You can see the incremental changes building towards the maximum score of 5. The
introduction of "widening the scope of the interaction" marks the really big difference
between CAE and CPE.
You can think of it like this: at CAE level you're already very good, but you're still
concentrating on your English, which means you're not 100% natural with your use of
the language and you mainly stick to what's in front of you.
At CPE level, however, you're so comfortable with your use of the English language
that you can move beyond what's in front of you in whichever direction you like,
adding new ideas and broadening the topic to allow proper discussion and debate.
We see eye to eye We don’t see eye to eye I take your point, but let's think of ...
I couldn’t agree with you I tend to disagree with That's interesting, but have you considered
more. you there ...?
I was just going to say That’s not always the OK, but what about ...?
that. case.
On second thoughts, I
have to agree with you.
The first thing to know is that you can choose your partner! If you know someone
else who is planning on taking CPE in your area then you can register together and list
them as your speaking partner. It won't affect your grade, but it might make you feel
more comfortable in the exam.
If you don't know anyone else taking it, all you need to know that is that the only
person who affects your grade is YOU. The Cambridge examiners are very well-
trained with lots of experience, and they will understand whatever situation you find
yourself in. There are a few things you can do to help ease your nerves, however, if
you end up with a partner who isn't everything you hoped for ....
NERVOUS/SHY PARTNERS
We can all imagine the scenario: you give your two cents on the issue succinctly and
concisely, ask a thought-provoking question to your partner, smugly sit back and wait
for their response ..... which never comes. How awkward. It can be a challenge
dealing with a shy/nervous partner who doesn't say much, but the good news is that
you don't need to worry about it affecting your marks.
The reality is that not everyone who takes exams is truly prepared for them, and it
may be that you end up paired with a candidate who is not quite C2 level. Don't
panic, there's absolutely no way that their performance can affect your grade!
Allow them to have their say as per usual, and then focus on your own answers.
Don't feel that you need to correct their mistakes just to prove that you know
the right answer - the examiners are listening to your grammar and vocabulary
as individuals, not as a team.
(And try and be nice, too - if they're struggling, step in and offer to help, but
bear in mind that they're almost certainly just as nervous as you are, so try not
to make them feel worse!)
DOMINEERING PARTNERS
This is probably the trickiest one to deal with, and it's quite a common occurrence!
You only need to know 2 things about this, if it happens: firstly, your partner will lose
points for dominating the discussion, but you won't if you've made an attempt to
contribute; secondly, the Interlocutor is trained to try and 'steer' the exam to allow
balanced speaking time for both candidates.
This means that if your partner has dominated in one part of the test, the Interlocutor
will direct more questions to you in the next part, so you don't need to panic.
Allow them to have their say as per usual, but if you feel that they are dominating the
discussion you can try and interject (politely!) Here are some phrases you might like
to try:
4. COMMON MISTAKES
Monologues (try not to talk more than 20/25 seconds without passing the ball
to your partner - especially if you've taken the initiative and started the
interaction)
Not reacting to your partner's ideas with enough detail or ideas
Dead air - looking expectantly at the Interlocutor after 30 seconds or asking "do
we have more time?"
Nodding and other non-verbal communication (socially normal, but this is a
speaking test. At least say 'yes' while you are nodding!)
Discussing too many pictures, or the wrong pictures, in the first activity
Describing the photos instead of speculating and going beyond
Not completing both parts of the task in the second activity (discussing and
making a decision/adding something new)
In Part 3 of the Cambridge English: Proficiency test each candidate is given a card
with a question written on it, along with 3 ideas. The task involves answering the
question on the card for 2 minutes, although the additional prompts on the card are
optional. Don't forget that you will be asked a follow-up question about your partner's
card, and will also be asked to comment on your partner's response to yours - so don't
'switch off'!
1. COMMON MISTAKES
Panicking!
Talking about the general topic rather than answering the specific question
Repeating information and ideas
Repeating vocabulary
Not using any linking words or devices
Long pauses and fillers like "errrrrrrrr"
Speaking in a monotone
Not developing the ideas sufficiently with examples or reasons
Not using all the time available
In theory, absolutely NOT. "Fluency" doesn't mean "not stopping" - remember, CPE
is all about sounding natural, and native speakers pause all the time! The examiners
will know the difference between a pause to think and a pause because you don't
know how to say something in English, so don't worry, and they also make certain
allowances for nerves - they know how much pressure you're under, and are trained so
as not to penalise really nervous candidates. However, it's best to try and avoid lots of
fillers like "errrrrrr" and "ummmmm" - recording yourself speaking and listening back
to it is a great way to spot if you're doing this (although very cringeworthy, we know
...).
"Will I lose points if I don't cover all the bullet points on the card?"
The answer is NO. The 3 ideas on the card are there to give you inspiration if you
need it; you don't actually have to use any of them if you don't want to. The focus
should be on providing a clear, well-structured response to the question given. The
points can be very useful, however, for helping you to structure your answer, so
unless you're feeling super confident about the task and the topic given, we
recommend you consider using them!
Not at all! This means that you've used all the time given, which is a great idea.
However, as always, it's about QUALITY as well as quantity, so just make sure you're
answering the question in a well-structured way with lots of juicy vocab when you get
interrupted!
You will be penalised if you stop well short of the 2-minute mark, i.e. more than 10
seconds before. However, it's essential to remember that this is only 1 part of the CPE
Speaking Test, so if this happens the important thing is not to panic or let it affect
your performance in the final part: it's a very small part of the mark overall and won't
affect your grade if you perform well in the other parts of the test.
It's not a very 'natural' task, let's be honest, so the only way you can really prepare is
by doing it. Practise brainstorming ideas quickly on certain topics, and record yourself
speaking for 2 minutes to evaluate your performance. If you can, find yourself a
teacher with Cambridge experience to give you some hints and tips on areas for you to
improve.
Part 3 of the Cambridge English: Proficiency test ends with a number of more general
questions related to the theme of the Long Turn questions and usually lasts around 6
minutes (8 for trios). The questions may be asked to a specific candidate or they may
be left open for anyone to answer. You will be expected to comment on your partner's
contributions in some way, so make sure you're paying attention!
1. COMMON MISTAKES
Talking too personally instead of about the topic in a more abstract way
Not answering the question directly (for example, if the question is "Do you
agree?" then you need to say either 'yes' or 'no' - in CPE-level language, of
course!)
Not being able to comment on the other candidate's/candidates' contributions
Not developing responses sufficiently
Overdeveloping and dominating the discussion
In what ways do you think modern technology helps our world to function
efficiently?
What personal skills do people need to make their lives run smoothly?
When things go wrong these days people often want financial compensation.
Do you agree with this attitude?
They say that money makes the world go round. How much truth is there in
this?
In what ways can the design of a building help people work better?
What group of people do you think contributes most to the society we live in
today?
A. Oh yeah, I read a story recently about a woman who spilled McDonald's hot coffee
down herself and sued them for compensation.
The mad thing was, she'd bought the coffee and then tried to drive with it between her
knees, and then when she braked it went everywhere! Apparently that's why they now
have to print "CAUTION - HOT!" on all takeaway drinks now.
Ok, we love an anecdote as much as the next person - and the Stella Awards are
hilarious - but the question asks if you AGREE with it or not, i.e. is it a good or a bad
thing?
The vocabulary and grammar from this answer are spot on, but it needs another
sentence evaluating the story and deciding if the decision to award the compensation
was good or bad and why. Something like this ....
Q. When things go wrong these days people often want financial compensation.
Do you agree with this attitude?
A. Oh yeah, I read a story recently about a woman who spilled McDonald's hot coffee
down herself and sued them for compensation.
The mad thing was, she'd bought the coffee and then tried to drive with it between her
knees, and then when she braked it went everywhere! I mean, how utterly crazy is it
that a company should pay for this lady's stupidity - fancy trying to drive with boiling
hot coffee balanced between your knees!
But I think that this is becoming an increasingly common attitude these days, that
everyone wants something for nothing, you know? It's a shame, and I don't think it's
right.
4. FAQS:
"Will I lose points if I say something the examiner doesn't agree with?"
Absolutely NOT! The examiners are there to assess your English, not your opinions.
That being said, try to refrain from extremely polemic statements - a punch-up with
your partner isn't the best way to end your exam!
Not really, no - the test is of your English not your General Knowledge, and the
examiners have better things to do than go home and fact check everything you say!
You can invent things if you wish, but be careful that it doesn't make you contradict
yourself or get in a muddle.
Not at all - always ask for clarification if you need it so that you can make the most of
your time answering.
Lexical Uses a limited range of Uses a range of appropriate Uses a wide range of
Resource appropriate vocabulary vocabulary with flexibility to appropriate vocabulary with
to give and exchange give and exchange views flexibility to give and
views on familiar and on unfamiliar and abstract exchange views on unfamiliar
unfamiliar topics. topics. and abstract topics.
As you can see, to pass CPE (3+) the examiners are expecting flexible use of
vocabulary to express your opinions about "unfamiliar and abstract topics", and it's
your job to make sure that you're prepared for this.
Obviously, general things like phrasal verbs, idioms and expressions are all going to
be really useful; but you will also need a good selection of topic-specific vocabulary
to express yourself.
Take a look at these 10 frequently appearing topics to make sure that you'd feel
comfortable talking about them - remember, you need to be able to talk about them in
an "abstract" way, not just personally or relating to you!
So, how can you get the vocab you need? .....
That's something only you can do, but here are some website suggestions to get you
started:
(NB. All 4 also have newsletter subscriptions which send select articles and links to
your inbox regularly - for FREE!)
You can also check out CNN, The Guardian, The Independent, FOX News, BBC and
many other excellent news outlets for a variety of articles and videos - with the
internet at your disposal the world is your oyster!
However, be careful - YOU have to start using these new words! That means saying
them in conversations, writing them in emails, or even just writing short
reviews/summaries of what you've read. It also means being prepared to make some
mistakes: if you aren't making mistakes, you aren't learning.