FCE + CAE Speaking Phrases Part 1/Part 2

Likes/dislikes Opinion

I’m into… As far as I’m concerned,

I’m a keen on verb+ING As I see it,

I’m fond of verb+ING From my point of view,

I go verb+ING to unwind, to escape the stresses and In my humble opinion,

strains of my day-to-day life.
I’d say that…
I like nothing more than (to go verb+ING)

I’m itching to try/go…. (= I really want to)

Describing pictures with speculations

Comparing/contrasting The first thing that strikes me about this picture is…

Both pictures show… The thing that really jumps out of this picture is…

In this picture they look as though they are…. In this picture it looks as if/though they are…

Whereas/while in this picture… They could/might/may be…

In contrast… They could/might/may have just…

On the other hand,… I’m pretty sure that they’re feeling…

I’d guess that they are…

Suggesting (developing an idea with a partner)

Let’s take a look at…

Hadn’t we better consider …?

It might sound funny, but shouldn’t we…?

It might be worth looking at …

 Agreeing Partially agreeing Disagreeing
We see eye to eye. We don’t see eye to eye.
I agree with you up
Yeah, I’d go along with that. to a point I take your point but…

Absolutely! I see what you I tend to disagree with you there.

mean, yet…
You took the words right out of my mouth. That’s not always the case,
I couldn’t agree more. That point is ok, but
I beg to differ,
I take your point,
You have a point there.
yet
Isn’t it more a case of…
I’m with you 100% on this one.

Starting to make a conclusion Asking for opinion

Let’s get down to the nitty gritty. What’s your take on….?

The bottom line is we have to choose one… Where do you stand on….?

It’s a tough one, I’m torn between … and …. In my opinion…., would you go along with that?

Shall we go with ….? What are your thoughts on this?

Personalising Impressive structures

Speaking from personal experience, … Another point I’d like to add about … is…

For me personally, It’s also worth bearing in mind that…

This is a topic that is particularly close to my heart… Coming back to what (name) was saying about …. I’d also
like to point out that…
It’s funny I was just thinking about this the other day…
I think it’s important not to forget that…
My gut/initial reaction is…
The vast majority of people tend to think that…
If I were to choose one of these situations (part 2 At the end of the day…
pictures), I’d go with… because…
When all’s said and done…

Asking for repetition

I beg your pardon, I didn’t catch that.

Sorry would you mind repeating that?

Could you repeat the question please?

 Buying time Ways to interrupt

Well, now, let me see… Can I add something here?

Let me think … Is it OK if I jump in for a second?

Oh! What a great question! If I might add something …

Well, that’s something … Sorry to interrupt, but …

I’ve never really thought about that…

I’ve never given that a go…

I’d say that …

Tips for Part 1 Speaking

1.- No one words answers, PLEASE!.

This is the FCE/CAE Speaking Test.

They are expecting you to be an advanced speaker, so the perfect length would be between 2 and 5
sentences. Let’s set an example:

Q- Do you like what you study?

A- Kind of! Well, I mean, it is tough sometimes, but it is worthy.

2.- Do not repeat the structure of the question but paraphrase it. This would be a great moment to
introduce RELATIVE CLAUSES, PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS:

Q- Where are you from?

A1- I’m originally from Irun, which is a small city in the north of Spain that borders France.

A2- I’m from a small city called Irun and I’ve been living there since I was born/ for 12 years
…

3.- You can try to introduce other structures such as passives.

4.- Keep silence is not a good idea. If you forget a word, try to find a synonym, an opposite or even
paraphrase yourself using sentences as ‘What I mean is…’. KEEP TALKING! You can do it.
 Some examples of questions in Part 1 FCE:

- Hobbies
- Job / Education
- Likes / Dislikes
- Family & Friends
- Holiday
- Sports
- Future Plans

Some examples of questions in Part 1 CAE:

- Where are you from?

- Do you have a job or are you still a student?
- How long have you been studying English?
- What do you enjoy most about learning English?
- How do you like to spend your free time?
- What would your ideal job be?
- Are you the kind of person who can do two things at once?
- Are you planning to do any courses in the near future?
- Do you use social media a lot?
- Would you enjoy organizing an event for a large number of people?
- Do you like to give yourself targets?
- If you won the lottery, what would you do?

5.- Not only haven’t I heard but I haven’t understood either!

You can ask politely the examinator to repeat the question.
- Please, could you repeat that?
- Could you say that again, please?

6.- Have you got a body? Then use your body language!
It is not about dancing Macarena, but letting your body express itself meanwhile you talk. Do not be
made of stone but flesh and bone. Nod, smile, look to your partner. However, be sensible!

Tips for Part 2 MONOLOGUE

1.- ALWAYS BE COMPARING. Be careful because you are not asked to describe them

The main difference:

- FCE, the student is given two photos;

- CAE, the student is given three photos and chooses two: SHOW OFF your vocabulary.
TASK FCE:

o You are shown two pictures. You must compare two pictures (60 seconds)
 Modal verbs and conditionals are often required (do not let them get
rusty!)

TASK CAE:

o You must compare two pictures chosen out of three (60 seconds) meanwhile
you answer may have to answer a question.
o Then, the places turn around and after they compare you may answer a
question about their pictures ( 30 seconds)

If you are not comparing, you are not scoring points. Comparing means saying what's the same in
your chosen pictures and what is different. There are many ways you can do that, but the easiest
way is to use the magic FCE/ CAE words:

Both

Whereas

While

2.- SPECULATE

Using modal verbs in this part is FUNDAMENTAL! You will see how the word ‘MIGHT’ appears in
almost all the questions. Why? To be precise, for students to remember to use modal verbs
(Teachers are not so mean, are we?)

- They might be …
- Perhaps …
- It seems like …
- They must have been …
- It could be that …
- It looks like/as if …
- They could / couldn’t …
- They should be / ought / had better (ADVICE is allowed to!)
- I would say …

3.- ANSWER ALL THE QUESTIONS

Useful structures for PART 2 Speaking
What for? EXAMPLES

1. The main advantage of V+ing

2. The most important advantage of …..
To introduce or list 3. An additional advantage of…
advantages 4. One major advantage of …
5. It is often suggested that …
6. It is regularly believed that…
7. A further advantage of …

1. The main disadvantage of V+ing

To introduce or list 2. The most important drawback of …
disadvantages 3. One disadvantage of …
4. One major disadvantage of …
5. Another disadvantage of …

1. In the first place / To start with / To begin with (avoid Firstly)

2. In addition (to this)/ Moreover / Besides / Furthermore
It is highly recommended avoiding the use of FIRSTLY, SECONDLY …
3. What is more…
To list or add points 4. In addition to this/that
and extra points to 5. Not to mention
the same topic 6. Apart from
7. To continue with…
8. Not only …. but also… (Like this we include an inversion while
talking)
9. Finally

- On the one hand … / On the other hand…

- In spite of +Ving/ In spite of the fact that …
- Despite / Despite the fact that …
To make contrasting - Nevertheless
points - Even though
- Although
- However
- While / Whereas
- Contrary to / In contrast to / By contrast
 - For example
- For instance
- Such as
To introduce - Especially
examples - Like
- In particular
- e.g / i.e

- The good/bad thing is…

For and against views - On the one hand … /On the other hand…
- The pros … the cons…

- Personally,
- I believe/think/feel (that) …
- It is my firm belief that
- I strongly believe …
- From where I stand …
- From my point of view
Giving opinion - The way I see it …
- It seems to me …
- I am totally against / positive …
- I couldn’t agree more that /with …
- As far as I am concerned …
- As far as I know …
- As for me …
- Never had I thought I would discuss this topic but I must confess …

- On account of
To explain / give - Owing to …
reasons (instead of - Due to ( the fact)
because) - In order to
- Given that
- Since …

- Thus / Hence / Therefore

- So
Express consequence/ - Thereby / Accordingly/ Consequently
effect - As a result
- In case

Making a decision or - To sum up / On the whole / All in all

reaching a conclusion - All thing considered … / Taking everything into account
(monologue or - With all the aforementioned …
discussion) - As was previously stated…
- All in all … / In conclusion …
EXAMPLES

CFE (First)
Examinator: ‘Here you have two picture. I would like you to compare them and say what might be
good or bad for people traveling in these ways’

Both pictures show men different mains of transportation.

The picture on the top shows a man riding his bike, while the one on the bottom shows a man riding
his motorbike. As the picture on top might have been taken in a Northern Country (as the landscape
is snowy and there is also a bear, which looks like a grizzly), the other picture contrasts radically with
the previous one.
Not only different vehicles but also buildings can be seen. At first sight, any viewer would think it is
an urban area, while on the bicycle pic, snowed trees and an empty main highway in the middle of
nowhere filled the background.
The biker must enjoy the engine of his motorbike, although pollution in cities is more concentrated
than in landscapes as described.
However, it is key to say cyclists are more involved in accidents than bikers, so their vulnerability is
huger.
If the main advantage is saving money, it is clear the cyclist may be saving a lot of cash, as he may
not have to pay petrol, insurance, taxes, etc. However, having your life at risk due to car drivers,
truckers, etc. makes me wonder how worthy would be to use a bicycle, not in the mountains but in
the city.
CAE (Advanced)
Examinator: 'Here are your pictures, Ellie. They show students doing different activities. I'd like you
to compare two of the pictures and say how students can benefit from doing these activities, and
how helpful the activities might be in preparing them for their future lives.'

(Remember: only two pictures / always be comparing / speculate.)

(Pict 1 and 2)
They are both young students in traditional school settings. The picture on the left shows a
student in a library, whereas the one in the middle shows a student talking opposite to her
classmates in front of the teacher.
Having a teacher supporting you when learning it is undoubtedly resourceful. Even though the
latest one has the support of a teacher, it might be said that the library girl seems focused and
committed, so she might no need to be assisted by anyone. As not all students learn the same
way, it must be admitted both methodologies are fructiferous as much as the learner gets
implicated in the learning process. Of course, both types of learning have credit and could
guarantee their future if students dedicate time to the tasks.
However, one positive aspect I would like to highlight from the class picture is that when you
are with more pupils you can get their feedback, which is positive to improve your skills and get
tips when learning and preparing for the future, as well as learning from your mistakes. The
student in the library might have spelling skills and a marvellous handwriting, despite having a
probable lack when speaking regarding fluency, something the teenager in the central picture
probably would have improved thanks to the kind of activities shown in the photo.
Tips for Part 3
Part A (Collaborative Task: Discussion)
In part 3 you and your speaking test partner are given a ‘MIND MAP’ with five key words or phrases
linking to a topic.
It is the moment of COLLABORATIVE TASK.
You must work as a team and speak with your partner.
Discuss the first question for two minutes, and then there is another question you should talk about
for about another minute.

1.- Ask questions to your partner: Open-ended questions, tag questions, etc.

2.- Agree or disagree with what they say using the correct structures.

3.- Include them, promote interaction as much as possible. One fantastic tip is trying to remember
their name to address them directly.

4.- Hit the ball:

a) When feeling confident about a topic you can lead the conversation:

- “Do you mind if I start the talking?”

- “Shall I begin?”

b) If you do not feel reassure, you can be polite and offer them to break the ice:

- “Would you mind starting?”

- “Does the topic appeal to you?”

5.- CONNECTORS: Linking words will help you to organize the discussion, so you may use them to
combine two keywords into one single point, move from one topic to another elegantly and include
your partner.

6.- Common mistakes:

- Do not talk for more than 20/25 seconds.
- Not reacting to your partner’s ideas (Remember you had better listen to their ideas).
- Getting stuck on the topic: Try always to cover ALL TOPICS in the MIND MAP.
- Rushing through all the topics of the MIND MAP. It would be better talking about three of
the five topics given meaningfully rather than 5/5 in a superficial way.
- Keep talking until the examiner stops you.
- Not using non-verbal communication (on the other hand, do not abuse nodding and smiling
all the time, do it only when it naturally flows, as in conversation with friends).
- Getting sidetracked. GET STUCK to the QUESTION, be focused on what is being asked:
 “How important practicing sport is to be healthy?”
Do not explain “Why being healthy is important?”

Part B (Collaborative Task: Agreement)

After discussing with your partner the pros and cons of each of the points (or at least the vast
majority of them) you both would be required to get to a decision.
Generally it will include words or expressions like ‘most difficult’, ‘easiest’, ‘ best’, ‘worse’, etc.

As you are supposed to talk for one minute it would be highly recommended to start by discarding
options instead of stating which one do you think is the best/worst, etc. option you are asked?
Why? To get an agreement by doing an excellent conversation with a magnificent follow- up.

Let’s set an example, ok?

OPTION A:
- I think providing parks will bring the most tourists because they will have a place to
relax, especially in Summer.
- I totally agree.
END.

OPTION B:
- Considering all the options given I will discard directly building more holiday flats as they
have been a constant problem in the last few years.
- I totally see eye to eye with you there. On the other hand, providing parks should have a
direct benefit in the inhabitants of the town but I cannot see how this would attract tourist despite
there is a high investment in it.
- Wow! That’s a very wise point. I haven’t thought about it. Then we have the option of
shops, but what kind of shops would we be talking about? There is a huge topic to discuss so I would
really like to discard this option. What’s your opinion about that?
 - Well, I agree up to a point because we cannot forget that more shops would be related to
an increase of employment rate.
- So, if we are talking about employment, how about nightclubs? People would get hired,
wouldn’t they?
- Yes, but maybe for holiday season. Shall we discard this option too?
- All in all, increasing the security in the town is the only option left. Do you think we have a
winner by choosing this option?
- I absolutely agree that not only tourist would feel safer but also any person in the city.
- Let’s put security cameras around the town.
- Win- win.

END

Which one do you think would pass the exam with flying colours?

Tips for Part 4

In this part you are about to discuss the topics in Part 3 in more detail.

What is it tested?

- Ability to give opinions,

- Reasoning opinions,
- Politely discuss topics with your partner.

1.- Consider it a continuation of part 3.

Use the same techniques as part 3 : ask your speaking partner questions, organise your responses with
linking words etc. Your replies in this section should be longer than in part 1.

2.- Address to your partner, please!

The biggest mistake students make in this section is thinking they should talk to the examiner.
But after you've answered it you should bring your partner into the discussion. When the discussion runs
its course, the examiner will ask a new question (still on the same general theme).

Most common topics Part 4 in FCE:

- Travel
- Your home/ country/city
- Learning English
- Shopping
- Free time
- TV
 - Work

Most common topics in Part 4 in ACE:

- Health
- Environment
- Social issues
- Jobs
- Technology
- Relationships
- Money