Podcast 125 - FCE Speaking test Part 4

I was giving some students a practice speaking test the other day and I noticed something that worried me. All students learn those set phrases for Part 3 and Part 4 of the First Certificate speaking test. You know, those phrases for interacting with your partner. Examples:

Yes, I agree with you.

I don't agree with you.

Etc. The problem was that as I was testing lots of students, I noticed the same sentences again and again and no real intonation. They just sounded as if they had been learned like a parrot learns them.

FCE speaking part 4 - parrots

Pretty boy! Pretty boy!

We call that to learn something parrot-fashion. In this podcast I'm going to offer you a model answer for Part 4 of the FCE speaking test and how to make your set phrases sound more natural and authentic. Here we go...

Making your set phrases sound more authentic

Remember that Part four of the First Certificate speaking test is a continuation of Part three. These are questions related to the subject you have been discussing in Part three. What usually happens is that as you finish Part three, the examiner takes the exam booklet back and just begins to ask questions. The first question may be directed to just one candidate and then another to the other candidate. Then, the examiner will ask another question and she may make a gesture to show that you should speak together. Or, possibly, if she thinks you are quite fluent, the very first question may be directed to both of you to discuss together.

That means you’ll need some expressions to show very clearly that you are listening to your partner.

Ok. So that’s easy, isn’t it? You just learn a few of those phrases and bring them into your conversation now and again and that’s it! You’ve passed! Well, not exactly. While I was testing these students the other day in preparation for their FCE speaking exam, I had to listen to the same phrases over and over again. The problem was that they sounded so false. Students were saying ‘I agree with you’ like little children saying the seven times table to their maths teacher!

One seven is seven, two sevens are fourteen, three sevens are twenty-one…

This is an upper-intermediate level. When students speak in the FCE exam, they must be convincing. Language must be authentic. You must mean what you say. Avoid filling your speaking time with set phrases you have learnt unless you really mean what you say.

In fact, there are some phrases I would suggest you don’t use. These are phrases that are very colloquial. You may think you will impress the examiner by using them but what usually happens is that the examiner will notice straight away they are not natural in your vocabulary. I refer to phrases like

I see where you're coming from.

and,

I get your drift.

Both these phrases mean 'I understand what you’re saying'. I’ve heard students use them in exam practice situations. My advice is don’t. They sound terrible because it’s so difficult to place the right intonation that phrases like these require. So just use the more formal phrases that your coursebook suggests. But… when you use them, say them with meaning and with conviction. Say it and mean it!

Here are some agreeing phrases

What do you think?

Don't you agree?

That's just what I was thinking.

I fully agree.

I was just thinking that!

I was just going to say that!

I couldn't agree more.

You're totally right.

Some disagreeing phrases

I don't really agree with you there.

But, the thing is...

The problem with that idea is...

I agree with you up to a point.

How can you say that!?

Ok. So we’re going to listen to our two visiting FCE students now, who will demonstrate a model example of part 4 of the speaking test. This continues from podcast 124, which was about Part three.

Hello, Anders from Sweden!

Hello!

And hello to Marie from France.

Hello.

And a big welcome to our visiting Cambridge examiner, Edna Bucket. Hello, Edna!

Hello, Mike. It’s good to be here!

Right. Off you go…

Cambridge First Certificate Speaking Test Part 4

B2 Cambridge Speaking part 4 - elephants

Examiner: Anders, do you think it's important to learn what's happening in the news every day?

Anders: That's a good question and I think the answer is I suppose we should. Everybody ought to take an interest in the world around them. After all, it's our world and what happens in it is our concern. Personally, I try to watch, read or listen to the news every day, if I can.

Examiner: And you, Marie? What do you think?

Marie: I agree with Anders up to a point. However, I don't think we have to worry about every little thing that happens in the world. The news media allows us to have access to a huge amount of information on current affairs. Perhaps too much. But we mustn't feel as though we were responsible for everything that happens. In most cases, we can only be observers.

Examiner: The news usually talks about sad or tragic events that happen. How important is it that we also hear about the happy events? [She makes a gesture to show she wants the candidates to talk to each other. The candidates move their seating positions so the can face each other.]

Marie: Oh, yes. That would be a good idea. I heard recently that fewer people want to know about what's happening in the world because it makes a lot of people depressed. If we could balance the bad news with some good news, perhaps more people would take notice. Don't you agree, Anders?

Anders: Mmm. The problem with that idea is that by adding happy news items into a news programme just for the sake of sounding optimistic might not reflect the reality of world affairs. It might even make the serious news sound more, er, trivial.

Marie: I don't agree with you there, Anders. There are people and organisations, erm, NGOs doing wonderful work to save the rain forests or to stop the killing of African wildlife, for example. These are real stories and people deserve to hear about them. What do you think?

Anders: You're totally right, of course. And I think these stories are reported to the general public. We can read about those positive stories on news apps, for example, where there is more space to write about that sort of encouraging news. My argument is that perhaps we shouldn't have a half-hour daily news programme on television about the terrible events happening in the Ukraine war mixed with erm, lighter news stories about saving elephants.

Marie: How can you say that? As far as I'm concerned, saving elephants is not a trivial piece of news. It's extremely serious. It's about saving our planet!

Examiner: Thank you very much. That is the end of the test.

And that's all from us today at PractisingEnglish.com. Until next time. Goodbye!