Podcast 122 - FCE Speaking test Part 2

When you go into the examining room to do your Cambridge B2 First Certificate speaking test, you need to be prepared mentally. You need to know exactly what you should do to impress the examiner. If you are aware of some basic tactics to adopt during the test, you'll find it much less stressful because you'll feel confident you know exactly what you have to do. Listen on and I'll tell you these tactics. We're going to look at the Cambridge FCE speaking test part 2 (the pictures) and I'll also leave you with a model answer. Here we go...!

Now let's think about it. Although you read and study as much vocabulary as you can, it will be difficult to cover all the possible words and expressions to cover all the topics that may come up in the speaking exam. I'm not saying you shouldn't study these topics - of course you should. However, you should give priority to learning a couple of vocabulary areas, which will help you to impress the examiner whatever the speaking topics are. Let's look at one of these...

Linking words or conjunctions

While you are speaking, both examiners in the room are listening and assessing your spoken language according to some strict criteria. One of the most important criteria is this: are you using simple sentences or are you using complex sentences? At B2 level, you are expected to use more complex sentences. The more you use and the more varied they are, more chances you have of receiving a high grade. A short sentence without a linking word or conjunction is considered a simple sentence. Even if you use linkers like 'and' or 'because', although this is better than a sentence without a linker, 'and' and 'because' are considered closer to a B1 level in terms of difficulty.

In this picture a family are eating together on the beach and in the other picture, two people are having a meal at home.

They all look like they're enjoying themselves because everybody is smiling.

Nice sentences but they're not complex. Let's look for some linkers that will make your sentences more complex.

Here are a selection of linkers and the last two are relative pronouns:

because of, due to or owing to, although, though, even though, however, in case, in spite of or despite, besides, so or therefore, which and who.

I'm sure you recognise all of these linking words. However, despite knowing these conjunctions, can you use them easily to build sentences? I suggest you look at pairs of pictures and try to construct sentences which include linkers like these. Even though you understand them perfectly, could you bring them into your speaking exam whatever the topic? When you have the pictures in front of you, think of how you can bring in your linking words. Besides using some relevant words connected to the topic of the picture, manipulate your sentences so your linking words are included too. Examples.

Owing to the warm and sunny weather, the family in picture one can enjoy their picnic outside on the beach.

Although it's fun to have a picnic on the beach, you can get sand in the food, which isn't very nice.

Meanwhile, the couple in the picture below are having a more formal meal, which must be more comfortable than eating on the beach though not necessarily more fun.

Even though he had to cook the meal himself, he seems to be enjoying himself very much.

In this same picture, the woman, who is looking at the plate of food that the man has prepared, is smiling as though she likes the look of the dish.

Now, that's sounding better already. Would you like something a little more complex? What about correlative conjunctions? Correlative conjunctions are linking words that work in pairs. This means the sentence becomes more complex and the clauses within the sentences become more difficult to control. But these conjunctions in pairs are very useful for comparing two things, for example, comparing the two pictures in Part 2 of the FCE speaking test. Here are a list of four pairs:

both... and... / either... or... / neither... nor... / not only... but also...

Here are a couple of example sentences.

In both picture one and picture two there are people enjoying eating on a special occasion.

In neither one nor the other picture can I see anybody who is unhappy - both pictures are very positive.

Not only do both pictures show people having a good time, but also they are all eating healthily.

Notice how in the two last sentences we must use inversion between the subject and auxiliary. 'In neither one nor the other picture can I see...' and 'Not only do both pictures...'. In that last sentence, we have brought in auxiliary 'do' - 'Not only do both pictures...'

When you are practising for the speaking exam picture comparing, bring in as many of these conjunctions as you can. The examiner will notice and mark you higher.

Listen now to a model answer. You will hear the examiner explaining the task. Here she is now.

'Hello!'

And today I have Anders from Sweden, who is going to show you how to give a model answer. Although this answer is a little longer than you will have to speak in the test. Hello, Anders!

'Hello!'

FCE Part 2 model answer

B2 Cambridge speaking exam photo 1

B2 Cambridge speaking exam photo 2

Examiner: In this part of the test, I'm going to give each of you two photographs. I'd like you to talk about your photographs for about a minute, and also to answer a question about your partner's photographs. It's your turn first, Anders. Here are your photographs. They show people having a meal. I'd like you to compare the photographs, and say what the people are enjoying about having a meal together. All right?

Anders: Well. In this picture a family are eating together on the beach and in the other picture, two people are having a meal at somebody's home. In fact, in both picture one and picture two there are people enjoying eating on a special occasion. Mmm. They all look like they're enjoying themselves because everybody is smiling. That's nice. In the top photo, they are having a lovely picnic while in the photo below it looks like a couple are having a romantic meal or perhaps they are just friends. I'm not sure. Not only do both pictures show people having a good time, but also they are all eating healthily.

In the top picture, owing to the warm and sunny weather, the family in picture one can enjoy their picnic outside on the beach. Although it's fun to have a picnic on the beach, you can get sand in the food, which isn't very nice. However, perhaps that doesn't matter. The important thing is that they are doing something different, and they are doing it together as a family.

Meanwhile, the couple in the picture below are having a more formal meal, which must be more comfortable than eating on the beach though not necessarily more fun. It looks like the man in the picture has cooked the food. However, even though he had to cook the meal himself, he seems to be enjoying himself very much. I suppose he could feel very proud of his creation. Ehm. In this same picture, the woman, who is looking at the plate of food that the man has prepared, is smiling as though she likes the look of the dish. I imagine it's going to be a very successful evening. It's nice to enjoy a nice meal with a good friend now and again.

Examiner: Thank you!