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CAEby Matifmarin

Summary for CAE Exam Updated JANUARY 2015

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Paper 4: Speaking

4 Parts in total.

15 minutes. 2 ExaminersOnly one speaks.

2 or 3 candidates.

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CAEby Matifmarin

Summary for CAE Exam Updated JANUARY 2015

NextNext

Paper 4: Speaking

Part 1: Conversation between Interlocutor and each candidate (3 minutes)Candidates take it in turns to answer spoken questions that focus on interactional and social language.

Part 2: Individual ‘long turn’ (1 minute) and response from second candidate (30 seconds). Total time 4 minutes.Each candidate is given three pictures and asked to talk about them, using the prompt questions on the page. The second candidate gives a brief response. Tasks focus on discourse organisation, comparing,describing, expressing opinions and speculating.

Part 3: Two-way discussion between candidates (2 minutes) and decision-making task (1 minute) Total time 4 minutes.Candidates collaborate on a task, using written prompts, with the focus on sustaining the interaction by: sharing ideas, expressing and justifying opinions, agreeing and/or disagreeing, suggesting, speculating, evaluating and negotiating to reach a decision.

Part 4: Discussion related to the task in Part 3 (5 minutes)Candidates answer spoken questions that focus on: expressing and justifying opinions, agreeing and/or disagreeing.

ASSESSMENTCandidates are assessed on their performance throughout (from 0 to 5 marks.)

Dos and DON’Ts: Speaking• DO• Show you can communicate

effectively.• Give full and extended

responses.• Raise the level of your

language above the mundane.• Listen carefully to what the

examiner has asked you to do.• Speculate on the content of the

visual material, even if you are unsure about what they are illustrating.

• Involve your partner in the conversation and create opportunities for them to speak.

• Don’t merely describe the visuals.

• DON’T• Don’t panic if you cannot

remember, or do not know, a particular word. Just keep going and paraphrase instead.

• Don’t let your partner always ‘take the lead’. You also must initiate at times.

• Don’t waste your opportunities to show the examiners what you can do

PART 1

Summary for CAE Exam Updated JANUARY 2015

PART 2

Summary for CAE Exam Updated JANUARY 2015

Task type and format: An individual “long turn” for each candidate with a brief response from the second candidate. In turn, the candidates are given three pictures to talk about.

Focus: Organising a larger unit of discourse; comparing, describing, expressing opinions, speculating.

Timing: A 1-minute “long turn” for each candidate, plus a 30-second response from the second candidate.

Example:

Useful expressions

What strikes me about the first picture is the fact that...This picture reminds me of...Judging from the photograph, the children...The man appears to be...From what we can see here, he must...There are many similarities...Both pictures depict... (represent)Both pictures are quite similar in that they show...When you give it a closer look it reveals...

The first picture ... whereas the other picture ...Another important difference is...Picture ... doesn't show ... as clearly as ...Picture ... attempts to ... but I think picture ... does this more effectively...All pictures are interesting, but ... gives a stronger idea of...

It's difficult to tell from a photograph but this picture could have been taken in ...I might be wrong, but I'd say that this picture ...I would imagine/guess that this picture comes from ...

Picture ... is by far the best to show because ...To me, picture ... is essential for this kind of publication.

I'm surprised there is no picture showing...A picture of ... would get the message across more effectively.It would be so much better if we had a picture of ...So let's look at the alternatives ...

The name for this escapes me at present, but it's for/it's like ...The name for it is on the tip of my tongue ...

PART 3

Summary for CAE Exam Updated JANUARY 2015

Task type and format: A two-way conversation between the candidates. The candidates are given spoken instructions with written and visual stimuli, which are used in a decision-making task.

Focus: Sustaining an interaction; exchanging ideas, expressing and justifying opinions, agreeing and/or disagreeing, suggesting, speculating, evaluating, etc.

Timing: 4 minutes

Example:

PART 4

Summary for CAE Exam Updated JANUARY 2015

Task type and format: A discussion on topics related to the collaborative task (spoken questions).

Focus: Expressing and justifying opinions, agreeing and/or disagreeing.

Timing: 4 minutes

Example:

.. Some people say that computers are helping to create a generation of people without social skills. What’s your opinion?

.. What are the advantages and disadvantages of shopping by computer?

.. How far do you agree that the computer is the greatest invention of modern times?

.. A lot of personal information about all of us is now kept on computers.

Do you find this worrying? …… (Why? / Why not?)

.. In future, what role do you think there will be for people who are not interested in technology? …... (Why?)

Useful expressions

Just following from what X was saying, I also feel ...

While generally agreeing with X, I must say that ...

Adding to what X has just said, I think ...

I can sympathise with what X said but ...

One thing X didn't mention is ...

Surprising, as it may seem, I don't support X's view on ...

Perhaps it should be also emphasized that ... / it should be pointed out that ...