Sample Speaking Test

Speaking Lab 1

Speaking Lab 1
Part 1: Analysis

Why this answer would score well...
The Basics: The candidate's voice is loud and clear enough to be understood.
Pronunciation is clear and the candidate's vocabulary is appropriate in relation to the
questions asked. There are no grammatical inaccuracies.
Presentation: The candidate sounds very relaxed and friendly! At the very beginning, the
candidate's personality comes through – good use of humour ('The most beautiful place
on earth').
Structure: The candidate responds appropriately to the questions asked. The answers are
well structured: the question is answered and additional, related details are given. The
rhetorical question, 'Do you know anyone who doesn't?' involves the examiner and
demonstrates the candidate's confidence.
Content: The responses answer the questions the examiner asks in detail (no one or two
word answers!). He demonstrates a good, 'conversational' style. The candidate's
personality shines through right from the very beginning making the experience an
enjoyable one for both candidate and examiner.
This is a good, confident start!

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Sample Speaking Test

Speaking Lab 1

Speaking Lab 1
Part 2: Analysis
Why this answer would score well...
The Basics: The candidate's voice is loud and clear enough to be easily understood.
Pronunciation is excellent and the candidate's use of words/vocabulary shows he can
communicate on the topic effectively. There are no grammatical inaccuracies.
Presentation: The candidate sounds quite relaxed and confident. The personality of the
candidate comes through by good use of vocal variety which made the topic more
interesting.
Structure: The candidate responds appropriately to the questions asked on the Candidate
Card. The first three questions are answered quite quickly leaving most of the time to
expand upon question 4 (explain why it was such a good holiday). A point is made and
then additional, related details are given.
Content: Remember the question required the candidate to discuss:
1. where you went
2. when you went there
3. what you did there and;
4. explain why it was such a great holiday.
All of these aspects of the question were answered. One of the interesting things about
the presentation is that the candidate ran out of things to say - he had talked about the past
and present and then he introduced ideas related to the future as a way of ending his
presentation – which gave it a good ending. He used 'P-P-F' (See Speaking Lesson 3).
This is a good, confident continuation of the test!

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Sample Speaking Test

Speaking Lab 1


Speaking Lab 1
Part 3: Analysis
Why this answer would score well...
The Basics: The candidate's voice is loud and clear enough to be easily understood.
Pronunciation is excellent and the candidate's use of words/vocabulary shows he can
communicate on each topic raised by the examiner effectively. There are no grammatical
inaccuracies.
Presentation: The candidate continues to sound relaxed and confident. The personality of
the candidate continues to come through and builds upon the rapport established through
Parts 1 & 2.
Structure: The candidate responds appropriately to the questions asked. Firstly, he
answers the question then conversationally, he expands upon the topic. In other words, a
point is made and then additional, related details are given.
Content: The information presented in the conversation clearly answers the questions.
Through use of idiomatic and colloquial expressions (‘a change is as good as a holiday’,
'let their hair down', ‘party mode’), the speaker demonstrates a very advanced knowledge
of the language. Some good, academic words are used (eg negative impact,
consequences, the offenders)
This is a good, confident conclusion!

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Sample Speaking Test

Speaking Lab 1

Speaking Lab 1
Part 1: Transcript

Q1Can we talk about an aspect of your home town? How easy is it to travel around
where you're from?
A1 Ah, yes. I'm from Mitchford. The most beautiful place on earth! It's quite a small
coastal city. There's about 230,000 people who live there and we have quite a good
transportation system there. I'd say most people travel by car – our roads are pretty
modern and well sealed but people who don't have a car usually catch a bus. The bus
travels to most parts of the city and it's quite cheap. For example, to travel by bus
from one end of the city to the other it costs about £2 and that's pretty cheap
compared to what I pay here in England.
Q2 Ok. Which kinds of public transport do you use most and why?
A2 Actually, that's a difficult question to answer because back home, I have my own
car...I sure do miss that. When I was younger I used to catch the bus to school. In
my city all students under 16 who lived more than four...maybe it was 3....anyway
about 3 or 4 kilometres from the nearest public high school were given a bus pass
which allowed them to catch the bus to school for free. The problem was there was
never enough seats to allow for all the students so usually most students had to stand
up in the bus all the way until they arrived at school...but it was much better than
having to walk I can assure you of that! Occasionally, I caught the taxi but it was a
very rare thing...taxis are about 4 or 5 times more expensive than regular bus fares so
taxis were only used if there was no other option.
Q3 But what about here? Do you use public transport here in England?
A3 Oh yes, here I mostly use the underground. It's totally different from back home. At
Mitchford we don’t have enough people to warrant an underground rail system...at
least I think that’s the reason we don’t have one. That’s been a really interesting part
about living here, getting used to the rail system.
Q4 How do you compare public transport here in England with public transport
back home?
A4 Well, actually, back home public transport is always late. It’s not unusual for the bus
to be...like 15-20 minutes late. We have a saying, “If you want to arrive on time and
you’re catching the bus, prepare for one hour of travel”. Well, here the underground

is always on time. It's been interesting in that it's always on time and extremely
reliable.

Q5 Ok, let’s move on to the topic of movies. Do you enjoy watching movies?
A5 Yes, I do enjoy movies...do you know anyone who doesn’t like movies? I don't! I
must say that I’m a bit of an action person. I love action movies...I like it when the
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Sample Speaking Test

Speaking Lab 1

tough bad guy gets beaten. I love happy endings...the hero’s always got to win!
Q6 How often do you watch movies?
A6 Well, it's actually been quite a while since I've been to the cinema to watch a movie. I
think the last movie I saw was Action Force - a real action movie which I enjoyed
immensely. It's actually too expensive to go to the movies these days...and besides, if
I wait for a while...I can watch it at home...besides I'm too busy studying at the
moment...there's really not enough time to watch movies!
Q7 Ok. Let's talk about what you like to do in your free time. What sorts of
activities do you like to do in your free time?
A7 Free time...we’ll I don’t have too much of that nowadays...but when I do...I enjoy
reading. I mostly enjoy reading business books and magazines...my father has a
business back home and once I finish my studies, I'm going to return home and help
him with the running of it...I enjoy studying about business and learning about new
ideas and ways of making a business more successful and effective.

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Sample Speaking Test

Speaking Lab 1

Speaking Lab 1
Part 2: Transcript
Q1 Ok, good. I'm now going to give you a topic that you will need to speak about for 1-2
minutes. You can take notes if you want. You have 1 minute to prepare what you want
to say. I want you to talk about the best holiday you have ever had.
Ok. You have a maximum of 2 minutes to speak so if you go over 2 minutes, I will ask
you to stop. Can you please begin speaking now?
A1 The best holiday I have ever been on is a very difficult question to answer because I’ve been
on so many excellent holidays...I guess I’ve been very lucky. In the summer time back home,
when I was young, my family used to go to the beach and we’d camp under the stars...that has
always been an excellent memory for me. But, I'd have to say that the most wonderful holiday
I've ever had was when I was 19, when I went to Minnesota in the United States for a summer
camp experience. It was just so much fun! I met over 200 teenagers and we participated in
some excellent camp activities!
Let me see...we had swimming in the lake, where the camp was situated. We also had water
skiing, which was excellent fun...it was really difficult to hold on to the rope while the boat
pulled us around the lake! Another fun activity was camping. We...our dorm...went on a 3day canoe trip...I think there were about 10 of us in our group...which took us to the Canadian
boundary waters. There I saw some of the most beautiful alpine scenery I've ever seen in my
life! The lakes were so clear and we could drink the water from them by dipping our cups as
we canoed along...it was just amazing. I wish everyone could witness the incredible beauty
we saw on that trip. Let’s see, what else? Ahh yes, there was basketball and volleyball which
we played in the big indoor gymnasium. Some of the Americans were really good basketball
players...they even had cheerleaders at some of the games! I got to know so many people, in
fact I still write to some of the people I met there...you know, isn’t email a great way to keep
in touch? There were other things but I can’t think of them at the moment...I will say this: I

would love to go back there again in the future. Now, of course I’m too old to be a camper
but it would be excellent to be a staff member, they are always looking for volunteers. If you
volunteer at the camp they pay for your food and accommodation for the whole summer - and
that’s around 3 months in America.

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Sample Speaking Test

Speaking Lab 1

Speaking Lab 1
Part 3: Transcript
Q1 We've been talking about the best holiday you've ever had and I'd like to discuss
one or two more questions that are related to this. Firstly, let's consider the effect
of holidays. What effect do holidays have on people?
A1 I believe holidays have a big, positive effect on people. For many, I know that holidays
are the highlight of the year. People wait all year - especially those who don’t like their
job - they wait for the holiday periods...they plan and prepare for what they will do and
they get excited by what they're going to do on their holidays. Typically people are in a
good mood when they are on holiday. They're smiling and alert, they show interest in
their new environment. I believe that for most people, holiday time is the best time of
their year.
Q2 Many people refer to their holidays as 'highlights' of the year. Why do you think
holidays are highlights for people?
A2 Yes..um..well, I think holidays are highlights for people because if a person doesn't like
his or her work, a holiday represents a break in what they would otherwise normally do.
You know, it gives people a chance to go in a different direction, to do something they
want to do...instead of being a slave to their job. Holidays allow people to re-create, to

refresh their mind and body. I read somewhere recently that it's actually a very healthy
thing for a person to take a complete break from what he or she normally does and then
to do something different. I guess what I'm saying is, a holiday is a change. It's a
change in location and activity. That reminds me of the expression, 'A change is as
good as a holiday' - it's a good one, and I think it's true.

Q3 Good. Let's talk about a related issue, the issue of tourism. Do you see any
negative aspects with regard to tourism?
A3 Yes, absolutely. I come from a coastal town and there is a constant, steady stream of
people who pour through it. These people often cause problems in the accommodation
industry which is obviously related to tourism. They come in and kind of 'let their hair
down' they show no respect for the facilities. Often there is damage to the places where
they stay. I've heard of broken lamps and chairs, dirty marks on walls and carpets...you
know, those kinds of things. They drink heavily and make a lot of noise, constantly in
a 'party mode'. This has had a very negative impact upon our town and gives tourists a
bad name in the minds of some of the local people.

Q4 What could be done to stop the negative aspects of tourism from happening?
A4 I guess stricter laws could be introduced. If people don't obey the laws, then the
consequences might be a financial penalty. You know, an expensive fine, or perhaps
throw the offenders into prison for a day or two. That would certainly...I imagine..
have a big effect upon the bad behavior of people visiting a city while on holiday.
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Sample Speaking Test

Speaking Lab 1

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Sample Speaking Test

Speaking Lab 10

Speaking Lab 10
Part 1:
Q1 Let’s talk about your study plans for the future. Please tell me about your
current studies.
A1 Well, at the moment I’m enrolled in a language school. I’ve been doing an English
for Academic Purposes class trying to get ready for my university studies and, of
course, before that, my IELTS exam!
Q2 What is it you like most about your studies?
A2 The teachers are very friendly at the language school. They make all the students
feel real welcome. In fact, I’ve enjoyed getting to know many of the students at the
language school. We’ve got students studying from all over the world – Thailand,
China, one man is from Russia…um, a couple of students from France and…yes, and
one from Brazil. It’s a really international class!
Q3 What do you like least about your studies?
A3 Like least? Let me see…you know, that’s a difficult question because the teacher is
great, the lessons are interesting and the facilities are also wonderful…not to mention
the students! Like least…um, well I guess I’d have to say the English grammar is
not something I particularly like. Our teacher described grammar as the engine of a
car…you don’t need to be an expert mechanic to drive a car but it’s useful to know
what is under the hood! I rather liked his definition but it doesn’t mean I like
grammar any better!
Q4 Once you have finished your studies, what do you plan to do?
A4 Well, once I’ve finished at the language school, I want to study marketing. You see,
my mother owns a marketing company and she’s been doing this for almost 10

years. She tells me that one day, “I’m going to be the CEO, the big boss.” But
before that can happen I must get my qualifications…so, I’ll be studying marketing
at university. Actually, I’m very excited about marketing, it’s a very interesting
subject with almost limitless opportunities. You could say it ‘runs in my family’!
Q5 Ok. Let’s change topics and talk about animals. Can you tell me about some of
the different kinds of animals you have in your country?
A5 Yes, I’m from the Philippines and the local animals there are quite unique. I was
reading the other day that we have almost 200 different kinds of reptiles! I was
amazed by that figure myself but I’ve seen a few Philippine crocodiles and of course
there are hundreds of different kinds of lizards that inhabit the tropical rainforests!
Did you know the Philippines is home to the smallest monkey in the world? We are
very proud of this! The Tarsier is an amazing animal…he lives mostly on insects!
He grows…well most people could fit him in the palm of their hand…I think an
adult can reach around 150mm. But they are very fast little creatures!
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Sample Speaking Test

Speaking Lab 10

Q6 What’s your favourite animal and why do you like it so much?
A6 I’d have to say that dogs are my favourite animal. My family has a poodle and I love
him! His name is Peppi and he is such a smart dog. He even acts as a kind of guard
dog…if anyone comes near our house, he barks loudly – day or night! Of course his
noise is loud but he couldn’t really hurt anyone!
Q7 What’s your least favourite animal? Why?
A7 I have to say that my least-favourite animal is the snake. We have quite a few snakes
in the Philippines and I must confess that I have a phobia of them! They don’t
um…they seem so unfriendly, they don’t have any personality. Are they smiling or

are they angry, you can’t tell by looking at their face. I don’t like that, it scares me.
Q8 Tell me about the variety of uses for animals in your country. For example,
their use in farming, sports or other types of activities.
A8 Well, I know that in the country areas, the poorer areas, oxen are used for some
farming. Mostly however, my experience with animals is in the city and it’s here
that they are used primarily as pets. People love to keep dogs and cats and birds.
We have some very beautiful parrots in the Philippines which make beautiful pets –
my family used to have a Cockatiel which we called ‘Charlie’. Some animals are
used in sports…um, for example horse racing, which is one popular type of
sport…um…I can’t think of any more at the moment.
Q9 Ok, now, let’s change topics again. This time, I’d like to talk about games. Tell
me about some of the popular games people play in your country
A9 In my country, the popular games people play are….well, the most popular game is
basketball. Although Filipinos are slightly at a disadvantage in terms of height, they
are, I believe, among the best basketball players in the world! Every town plaza has
a basketball court alongside the town hall and church. Even from an early age, boys
start playing this game using a makeshift basket…it’s very popular among the males
in our country.
Um…as far a card games go, for example, Mahjong is very popular in the
Philippines…but most people like outdoor games.
Q10What is your favourite game to play? Why?
A10 For me? Well, I must confess I like volleyball. I played it a lot in high school and
I’m planning to continue playing it in University. I really enjoy the game, it helps
me to keep fit. You know, it’s a very team-oriented kind of game. You can’t really
be an individual and do well in volleyball. I like this aspect of the game, the
teamwork element.

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Sample Speaking Test

Speaking Lab 10

Speaking Lab 10
Part 2: Transcript

Q1 That’s good. I’m now going to give you a topic that you will need to speak about
for 1-2 minutes. You can take notes if you want. You have 1 minute to prepare
what you want to say. I want you to describe a website that you enjoy visiting.
Ok? You have a maximum of 2 minutes to speak so if you go over 2 minutes, I
will ask you to stop. Can you please begin speaking now?
A1 When it came time to prepare for the IELTS test, I looked around the internet, trying
to find useful information. I tried a lot of places – forums, chats, blogs, free
videos….I’d have to say that the best site I found was Scott’s English Success! I was
having a very difficult time getting motivated to study for the IELTS exam so…as I
said…I had a look on the internet for some ideas. I came across Scott’s English
Success about 3 months ago. To be honest at first I was very sceptical about studying
with Scott’s, but after looking around at all the other options on the internet, I decided
to enrol and see if it would be suitable or not. Wow! It was very suitable…I have not
seen anything like Scott’s English Success on the Internet. It contains virtual
classroom lessons that are easy to understand and focuses on the key aspects of the
IELTS exam.
It has a Practice Lab section with some very realistic exams…just like the real exams
we did today! I must have spent hundreds of hours studying with Scott’s English. It
really helped me to feel more confident.
Um, it also has an area that they call the ‘Resource Library’. There you can practice
on areas that are difficult – especially reading and writing. There are also many
practical tips that you can apply. It was a very great help with my IELTS
preparation. I’ve already recommended a couple of my friends to enrol!


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Sample Speaking Test

Speaking Lab 10

Speaking Lab 10
Part 3: Transcript
Q1 We’ve been talking about a website that you enjoy visiting and I’d like to discuss
one or two more questions that are related to this. Let’s consider first of all the
Internet as a means of communication. Please compare email with traditional
letter writing.
A1 Well, when email started, a lot of people thought that the postal service would go out
of business. Of course, the email option is a wonderful service…I just wonder what
impact it has had on the numbers of letters sent via the post…or ‘snail mail’ as it’s
now called? I bet it cost the postal service quite a lot of money. Anyway, email is
faster, cheaper, more convenient – we don’t have to walk down to the post office to
send it…email’s the best! Traditional letter writing…well, the only real benefit of
this method of sending information is that you can post things with a more ‘personal
touch’ you know, things that are hand-written. My grandma used to send me money
in the post…she can’t do that via email. Generally speaking, I think email is much
less formal - which I like as well.
Q2 Good. Please suggest any ways you think the Internet could be improved.
A2 Improve the internet…um…that’s a good question. The Internet is fantastic
but…well, I guess it could be faster! Yes, it could be faster. At the moment, I have
to wait a long time for information to download. It seems to take such a long time for
video. I was watching a newscast on a website the other night and it seemed to take
so long to download that I closed the screen and went to bed. It would be great if we

could somehow make video play over the Internet as fast and as clear as it looks on
the TV. Maybe that will happen soon!
Q3 Can you comment on the reliability of information presented on the Internet?
A3 Yes, actually I was talking about this topic with my friend just the other day! I think
that some people feel that if something is written on the Internet, then ‘it must be
correct’ but…this is not true. There’s so much information on the Internet that’s
completely false. The other day I was researching about a news story I saw on TV. I
went to several websites and all of them were a little bit different from each other.
It’s like no one agreed on the facts! Yet it is written about as being factual! This, I
know, is important for me to consider when it comes to researching for my university
assignments. The information has to come from a credible, reliable source otherwise
it’s completely useless information. I wouldn’t be surprised if 20 percent of the
information contained on the Internet was false.
Q4 What about the internet and retail shopping. Compare shopping on the internet
with traditional shopping methods.
A4 Well, this is of particular interest to me because I love shopping! I’ve found that it’s
possible to purchase almost anything on the internet. I particularly love Ebay. Have
you ever tried it? [Examiner: Yes, it’s great isn’t it?] Yes, you can buy so many
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Sample Speaking Test

Speaking Lab 10

items cheaply. I guess that an online or ‘virtual’ store is always going to be cheaper –
you don’t have to pay for staff or rent or telephones…you know, all the things that
are needed to run a ‘real shop’. Of course, the downside is that internet shopping is a
little impersonal. You never get to physically meet the seller or buyer. But I think
the reduced price is more important!

Q5 Suggest reasons why people are reluctant to shop online.
A5 Well, as I said before Internet shopping is impersonal, you never meet the seller or
buyer, so it is possible that the person is a crook. It may also be possible with credit
card fraud that crooks can get access to your computer and use your credit card to
purchase items online. This is the major reason why some of my friends are not
willing to purchase items online – they’re scared that someone will take their money
and never be seen again.
Q6 Ok. To conclude, I’d like you to speculate on the future of Internet shopping.
A6 I think that internet shopping will grow and grow. If connections to the internet get
faster and video is possible, I think that people will have live shopping…um…I guess
you could actually purchase products and see the shop assistant or owner and talk
with him or her about the product. I know sometimes I have questions about products
- especially clothing - it’d be great to be able to click a button and ask questions to a
live person online. Yes, I think Internet shopping will continue to become more
popular in the future.

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Sample Speaking Test

Speaking Lab 2

Speaking Lab 2
Part 1: Analysis
Why this answer would score well...
The Basics: The candidate's voice is loud and clear enough to be understood.
Pronunciation is clear and easy to understand. The candidate's vocabulary is appropriate
in relation to the questions asked. There are no grammatical inaccuracies.
Presentation: The candidate sounds very relaxed, friendly and confident!

Structure: The candidate responds appropriately to the questions asked. The answers are
well structured: the questions are answered and in all cases additional, related details are
given.
Content: The responses answer the questions the examiner asks in detail (no one or two
word answers!). The candidate's friendly personality is evident right from the very
beginning making the experience an enjoyable one for both candidate and examiner. The
candidate answers the questions with good examples and involves the examiner with a
rhetorical question.
This is a good, confident start!

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Sample Speaking Test

Speaking Lab 2

Speaking Lab 2
Part 2: Analysis
Why this answer would score well...
The Basics: The candidate's voice is loud and clear enough to be easily understood.
Pronunciation is excellent and the candidate's use of words/vocabulary shows he can
communicate on the topic effectively. There are no grammatical inaccuracies.
Presentation: The candidate sounds relaxed and confident. The personality of the
candidate comes through and through the use of vocal variety, the topic is made more
interesting.
Structure: The candidate responds appropriately to the questions asked on the Candidate
Card. The first two questions are answered almost immediately leaving most of the time
to expand upon questions 3 & 4 (personality and influence of the person). A point is
made and then additional, related details are given.

Content: Remember the question required the candidate to discuss:
1. who he or she is
2. how you met him/her
3. what his/her personality is like
4. explain how this person has influenced you.
All of these aspects of the question were answered. Good idiomatic expression ('comes
out of her shell') and general expression ('centre of attention').
One of the interesting things about the presentation is that the candidate ran out of things
to say. She decided to talk about the advantages and disadvantages of having children.
The use of Advantages/Disadvantages was a good way to further elaborate on 'how this
person has influenced you'. She used 'A-D' (See speaking lesson 3).
This is a good, confident continuation of the test!

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Sample Speaking Test

Speaking Lab 2

Speaking Lab 2
Part 3: Analysis

Why this answer would score well...
The Basics: The candidate's voice is loud and clear enough to be easily understood.
Pronunciation is excellent and the candidate's use of words/vocabulary shows she can
communicate on each topic raised by the examiner effectively. There are no grammatical
inaccuracies.
Presentation: The candidate continues to sound relaxed and confident. The personality of
the candidate continues to come through and builds upon the rapport established through

Parts 1 & 2.
Structure: The candidate responds appropriately to the questions asked. Firstly, she
answers the question then conversationally, she expands upon the topic. In other words, a
point is made and then additional, related details are given.
Content: The information presented in the conversation clearly answers the questions.
The candidate demonstrates very well that she has a diverse vocabulary on many
different topics - a demonstration of a very advanced knowledge of the language. Some
good, academic words are used (eg: functions, wisdom, assume, realistic,
theory/practical) When she was not sure about an answer, she made a funny statement
('you seem to know how to ask difficult questions') which reduced the tension and
allowed her a little more time to think about what she would say.
This is a good, confident conclusion!

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Sample Speaking Test

Speaking Lab 2

Speaking Lab 2
Part 1:
Q1 Can we talk about your home town? Tell me about the biggest industries in
your town.
A1 Yes um, I’m from Mitchford which is a coastal town. We've got a lot of white, sandy
beaches and a pleasant climate all year-round...so, I'm sure you can guess what our
main industry is? Tourism. Each year we get about a quarter of a million visitors to
our town so as a result another big industry is building and construction...so all our
visitors have got somewhere to stay!
Um...restaurants...the food industry is another big industry in my town. We have all

kinds of restaurants – Indian, Thai, Chinese, Italian, Turkish, you name it, we've got
it! If you like eating out, Mitchford is a wonderful place to visit. There's one
restaurant called 'Curry in a Hurry' which, you can probably guess, is an Indian
restaurant...if you ever visit Mitchford I highly recommend it!
Q2 It sounds like you really like your home town. Are there any things you dislike
about it?
A2 Mmm, that's a difficult question. Honestly, there aren't many things I dislike about
Mitchford....but....I guess.....I'd have to say one of the things I dislike about Mitchford
is the fact that my grandparents don't live there! My grandparents live about 9 hours
away...by car, so we don't get to see them that often. It would be great if they lived in
Mitchford.
Q3 Fine. Let’s move on to the topic of food and restaurants. What kinds of foods
do you like to eat?
A3 Food...my favourite topic! Well, that's an easy one for me to answer. Ever since I
was a child, my favourite food's been Chicken Kiev. Have you tried it before?
[Examiner: No, I haven’t] It's made from the leg and thigh of a chicken. The
chicken is wrapped in butter and garlic. It's then covered in bread crumbs and fried.
The chicken comes out golden brown and when you cut it, the butter and garlic runs
out...it's absolutely delicious...probably not too healthy for you but the taste is
incredible!
Q4 What about dislike? Are there any foods you don't like to eat?
A4 Well, the first thing that comes to mind is brussel sprouts! I remember the first day
my mother served them for dinner. Needless to say, my brother and sisters
complained loudly! They have such a sharp taste...I don't like them at all. Also, at
times...um...zucchini has the same kind of sharp taste. In fact, I had zucchini on top
of a home-made pizza recently and in my opinion, the sharp taste of the zucchini
ruined the pizza.
Q5 What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of home-cooked
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Sample Speaking Test

Speaking Lab 2

meals?
A5 Home cooked meals...mmm...well, the first idea that comes to mind is home cooked
meals are generally healthier. The idea, I guess, is that if you're cooking the meal at
home, you know what ingredients are that have gone into making it...so the food
should be healthier. For example, if you're using oil to cook your meal, it will be
with fresh, unused oil. I know that some restaurants reuse their oil over and over
again...I don't think that's good for health.
[Examiner: Disadvantages?] Disadvantages...um...yes...well for a start, the kitchen
is left in a mess! I'm speaking from experience here! At the moment I share a flat
with 2 other people and every evening around dinner time, the kitchen looks like a
total mess! Pots and pans...containers half opened...the sink full of dishes and
cutlery...stuff everywhere! After cooking our flat looks like a danger zone. So,
related to this point is that it takes so long to clean all the mess up. Most times, I
couldn't be bothered with all the hassle of cooking...I pick up some kind of fast
food...it's much more convenient!

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Sample Speaking Test

Speaking Lab 2

Speaking Lab 2
Part 2: Transcript

Q1

Ok that was very good. I'm now going to give you a topic that you will need to
speak about for 1-2 minutes. You can take notes if you want. You have 1 minute to
prepare what you want to say. I want you to talk about a young person who has
influenced your life.
Ok. You have a maximum of 2 minutes to speak so if you go over 2 minutes, I will
ask you to stop. Can you please begin speaking now?

A1

A young person who has had a big influence on my life is my niece...my sister's child. I'll
never forget the day that I first met her...it was at the hospital and my mother and I went
to visit my sister and it was only a few hours after she had the baby. She’s now six years
old. Her name’s Kate. She's got blonde hair and brown eyes - she's so cute! My sister
always dresses her in cute clothes and puts her hair in pig tails. She has her mother's
personality too! She's quite shy and reserved around strangers but when she's around my
family, she really comes out of her shell...she starts talking and talking...and my sister is
actually teaching her how to sing. My sister's always asking her to sing for people...you
know, 'twinkle, twinkle little star', the 'ABC/alphabet song'. My parents - her
grandparents - delight in her performances, I'd say she's become the 'centre of attention'
at Dad and Mum's place.
I do miss her. In some ways, her being born reminded me that I'm growing up and...that
I needed to start thinking more seriously about my own future. I suppose I began to
wonder what it would be like to have my own children. For a long time, I didn't care too
much about kids, but after spending time with Kate, I realised that I'd love a child or two
of my own. Umm....let’s see...I’d have to say that I think there are more advantages than
disadvantages with having children. I've learned that of course, it's not all easy looking
after a child all day. When Kate was really young, my sister seemed to hardly get any
sleep and they never seemed to go out all that much. But when you see her cute little

face and her cute little smile, all that sacrifice seems to be worth it. I've never seen my
sister so happy since Kate came into her life.

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Sample Speaking Test

Speaking Lab 2

Speaking Lab 2
Part 3: Transcript
Q1Ok, that's great. We've been talking about a young person and I'd like to discuss
one or two more questions that are related to this. Firstly, let's consider
attitudes. In your country, what is the attitude older people have toward
younger people?
A1 Hmm…I think, the older generation tend to look at the younger generation as being in
a hurry to go somewhere or do something. I suppose this is pretty natural considering
when a person gets old, they tend not to move so quickly...you know, instead of going
out, most old people tend to just stay at home. I don't mean all old people are like
this, but I think it's probably true of a majority of the older generation [Examiner:
Right].
Q2 In your country, what are the advantages and disadvantages of being younger?
A2 Well, I'm young so I obviously think it's an advantage! Um, the first thing that comes
to mind is the fact that technology is changing so quickly, it takes an alert, young
mind to keep up with it...um...there are benefits in keeping up with
technology...um...you can do things quicker. For example, if you understand email,
then you can communicate faster with people...all around the world. A lot of older
people may use email but they may not know all the functions...um...to use it to their
best advantage. If you don't know how to properly use new computer software, you

can end up wasting great amounts of time...um...the disadvantages...well...the
disadvantage of being young...um....let's see... well, I think one disadvantage is that
you have a little life experience. What I mean is that you don't have much wisdom,
you're starting out. You might make a lot of silly mistakes in your life because you
don't know any better um...that's a definite disadvantage.
Q3 Good. Let's now consider young people and education. Can you tell me about
the numbers of young people in your country studying overseas?
A3 I'm not too sure about that...the total numbers, that is...um...I know from my high
school...er...when I graduated there were 4 or 5 students who wanted to travel and
study in England. I've lost contact with them, I assume they went ahead with their
plans. Considering my high school had around 1000 students...um... and we had 4 or
5 who wanted to study overseas, I assume there are a lot of students who had the
same goal.
Q4 Do young people receive any government assistance in your country when it
comes to education?
A4 Actually, yes and no. Yes, because if they decide to study at university and they have
no money - this is assuming they are accepted into a course – um, they can apply for a
student loan. What happens is the government pays the money for their education –
that's the good news...but the bad news - and this is the ‘no’ part of my answer - is
you have to pay the money back once you get a job. I believe if you don't pay it back
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Sample Speaking Test

Speaking Lab 2

by a certain time, the government starts to charge you interest on the loan or
something... [Examiner: Ok]
Q5 What future changes would you like to see in your country regarding young

people and education?
A5 Oh, that's another difficult question to answer...you sure seem to know how to ask
difficult questions! [Examiner: Thank you!] Um, I guess a change I would hope for
is that the student loans would not have to be paid back! I don’t think this is realistic,
after all, it would be too expensive for the government...perhaps removing the
repayment with interest part of the loan would be a good change for the future....oh
yea...another thing that came to mind...I think education will become more ‘hands on’
– less theory and more practical. I think 'head knowledge' is fine, but it must be
backed up with practical application...I'd like to see this change in the future.

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Sample Speaking Test

Speaking Lab 3

Speaking Lab 3
Part 1: Analysis
Why this answer would score well...
The Basics: The candidate's voice is loud and clear enough to be understood.
Pronunciation is clear and easy to understand. The candidate's vocabulary is appropriate
in relation to the questions asked. There are no grammatical inaccuracies.
Presentation: The candidate sounds quite relaxed and friendly.
Structure: The candidate responds appropriately to the questions asked. The answers are
well structured: the questions are answered and in all cases, additional, related details are
given.
Content: The responses answer the questions the examiner asks in detail (no one or two
word answers!). The candidate demonstrates quite a wide vocabulary base: ‘work
vocabulary’ (waiter): cutlery, plates, patrons, self-serve, buffet) ‘television vocabulary’:

news, documentaries, soap operas, storyline, comedy. The candidate's friendly
personality is quite evident right from the very beginning making the experience an
enjoyable one for both candidate and examiner. The candidate answers the questions
asked with good examples and involves the examiner with a rhetorical question.
This is a good, confident start!

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Sample Speaking Test

Speaking Lab 3

Speaking Lab 3
Part 2: Analysis

Why this answer would score well...
The Basics: The candidate's voice is loud and clear enough to be easily understood.
Pronunciation is excellent and the candidate's use of words/vocabulary shows he can
communicate on the topic effectively. There are no grammatical inaccuracies.
Presentation: The candidate sounds quite relaxed and confident. The personality of the
candidate comes through and through the use of vocal variety, the topic is made more
interesting through the recounting of an interesting story.
Structure: The candidate responds appropriately to the questions asked on the Candidate
Card. The first three points are answered almost immediately leaving most of the time to
expand upon the last point (why you were proud of it). A point is made and then
additional, related details are given.
Content: Remember the question required the candidate to discuss:
1. what it was
2. why you made it

3. when it was made
4. explain why you were proud of it.
All of these aspects of the question were answered. Good expression used. The
vocabulary was varied and descriptive. For example,'carpentry vocabulary' [timber, saw,
file, tape measure, (two coats of) paint]. He concluded the speech by returning to the
original, main point (something he was proud of) and gave good reasons why he was
proud ['I'm not a carpenter (but I successfully made a shoe rack), 'we solved a problem',
'we spent quality time together'] One of the interesting things about the presentation is
that the candidate did not know what to say ('my mind's gone blank'). He decided to talk
about a very ordinary thing but he did it in a very interesting way – he obviously quickly
chose his subject material. He used the time to tell a story (the process of building the
shoe rack) – an excellent way to extend the Part 2 Long Turn.
This is a good, confident continuation of the test!

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Sample Speaking Test

Speaking Lab 3

Speaking Lab 3
Part 3: Analysis
Why this answer would score well...
The Basics: The candidate's voice is loud and clear enough to be easily understood.
Pronunciation is excellent and the candidate's use of words/vocabulary shows he can
communicate on each topic raised by the examiner effectively. There are no grammatical
inaccuracies.
Presentation: The candidate continues to sound quite relaxed and confident. The
personality of the candidate continues to come through and builds upon the rapport

established through Parts 1 & 2.
Structure: The candidate responds appropriately to the questions asked. Firstly, he
answers the question then conversationally, he expands upon the topic. In other words, a
point is made and then additional, related details are given.
Content: The information presented in the conversation clearly answers the questions.
The candidate demonstrates very well that he has a diverse vocabulary on many different
topics - a demonstration of a very advanced knowledge of the language. Some good,
academic words are used and the candidate demonstrates his good vocabulary base by
using a range of words which relate directly to the subjects asked (eg: mechanisation, of
better construction, environmentally friendly, carbon monoxide, 'as a whole', to drive
(people) towards achievement). He expressed ideas that were clearly his opinions and not
a universal truth by saying, “I guess...”, “I believe...”, "I think" and “I would (have to)
say..”
This is a good, confident conclusion!

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Sample Speaking Test

Speaking Lab 3

Speaking Lab 3
Part 1:
Q1 I'd like to talk with you about what you do. Are you a student or do you have a
job?
A1 Actually, I’m both. I have a part-time job and I also study!
Q2 Ok! You must be busy. Can you tell me about your job?
A2 Sure. I’m a waiter. It's not much...I don't do too much...it's only part time...not my
ideal job but it does offer me a modest income. I'm usually on the breakfast shift.

You see I work in a hotel and most of the guests of the hotel come to the restaurant
for breakfast.
Q3 What is it you like most about your job?
A3 I guess it's interesting to meet and greet new people. Most of the patrons of the
restaurant are from overseas so the restaurant is a good place to meet people from
other countries. It's a good working environment, the restaurant is air conditioned
which is also a plus.
Q4 Is there anything you don't like about your job?
A4 Yes, it's fairly repetitious work. There's not a lot of thought involved...you take away
dirty plates and cutlery and you replace them with clean plates and cutlery and on and
on the process goes. You serve coffee or tea, the rest is up to the customer...it's really
a self-serve buffet. I guess I'd like to do something which involves more thinking so
that's probably the main thing I dislike about my job.
Q5 Anything else you dislike?
A5 No, I guess not...oh...well, the boss. The supervisor, is really quiet...in fact, he's so
quiet that he seems unfriendly. I don't really understand him...he's an unusual man.
[Examiner: Unusual?] Well, he's just so quiet. I like people who are a bit more
friendly and show a bit more enthusiasm. He rarely smiles, he's always so serious. I
guess that's what I mean by ‘unusual’.
Q6 I see, ok. Let's change topics and talk about television. Do you like to watch
television?
A6 Yes I do watch television but I try to mainly watch the news and documentaries. I
don't like watching a lot of the shows on television because they can waste a lot of
time - especially soap operas! Some people I know spend hours watching those sort
of shows, especially when you get to know the characters and the story line. I do like
some comedy shows though, some are hilarious!
Q7 Tell me about your favourite television show.
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