Compare different parts of B2 First Speaking

Compare different parts of B2 First Speaking

with useful comparing and contrasting language for FCE Speaking Part Two

Try to find similarities and differences between the different parts of the Cambridge First Speaking exam:

• Part One
• Part Two (including the first person to speak and the second person to speak about each pair of photos)
• Part Three (including the two different parts of Part Three)
• Part Four

You can talk about how similar or different they are overall, the biggest/ most important/ most… similarities and differences, and any other (small) similarities and differences that you can think of. If your teacher gives you some Speaking tasks, an examiner’s script, a transcript, etc, you can use that to help with your discussion.

Use these topics to continue and expand on your conversation:

• Comparing/ Contrasting
• How long each speaking turn is
• Interrupting
• Opinions
• Personal questions
• Speculating
• Strangeness
• The number of topics
• Things the examiner gives you (or not)
• Time limits (and what to do at the end of them)
• Topics
• What the examiner does
• What you have to do when your partner is speaking
• Who speaks to who

When your teacher stops you, share one similarity and one difference, and see if the class agrees.

Ask about any parts of the test you aren’t sure about, working together to make comparisons each time.

 

Put the right parts of the Speaking exam (“One”, etc) into the gaps below.

Summarising how similar or different they are

• Overall, Speaking Part ___________ and Speaking Part __________ are fairly similar.
• Speaking Part _______ and Speaking Part ________ only have one thing in common.
• Speaking Part __________ and Speaking Part ____________ are completely different.

 

Big/ Important/ Only similarities and differences

• The most obvious similarity between Part _____________ and Part ______________ is that the examiner will give you something to look at and talk about.
• The most striking difference between Part ___________ and Part __________ is what you look at, because pictures are only used in Part __________.
• The most important difference between Speaking Part __________ and Part __________ is how you communicate – only speaking on your own in Part __________ but working together in Part __________.
• Another difference which stands out between Part __________ and Part __________ is the number of things on the worksheet which you have to talk about (just two photos or five different sub-topics).
• Listening to your partner is much more important in Speaking Part __________ than in the other parts of the speaking test.

 

Other similarities and differences

• The examiner will ask you a series of questions in Part __________, and in Part __________ too.
• The questions that the examiner asks you in Part __________ are not as personal as those in Part __________.
• In Part __________ the examiner will ask each question to you individually. In Part __________ this is also often the case, but sometimes they ask open questions that anyone can answer.
• Something else that Speaking Part __________ and Part __________ have in common is the examiner sometimes asking the same question to both people and sometimes asking different things to each of you.
• A similarity between Speaking Part __________ and Part __________ is that you don’t have to stop yourself at exactly the right time, because the examiner will interrupt you in both cases.
• There is no penalty for not fully answering the question by the end of Part __________, and that is exactly the same for Speaking Part __________.
• In Part __________ you have to speak for (exactly) one minute, whereas in the other parts of the exam your answers should be whatever length seems natural.
• Part __________ and Part __________ always share the same topic.
• In both Part __________ and Part __________ it is nice if you can comment on what your partner said but it's often not possible.
• You need to give your opinion in Part __________, and in Part __________ as well.
• Part __________ involves some comparing and contrasting, and so might Part __________.
• You will probably need to interrupt your partner in Speaking Part __________, and you might also want to in Speaking Part __________.

• Part __________ is much stranger than the other parts, but also much easier to prepare for on your own.
• One small but important difference between Part __________ and Part __________ is the number of topics. Part __________ has one topic, but Part __________ has two or three. 

 

Comparing different sections of the same part of test

• In Part __________, the person with the photos has to speak for a minute but the person who hasn’t been given the photos should only briefly comment for around thirty seconds.
• In Part __________, the person who has been given the photos just has to speak about what they see in the pictures. In contrast, the second person is often asked for their opinion.
• One contrast between the two tasks in Part __________ is what you have to do. In the first two minutes of Part __________  you need to discuss each option as quickly as possible but in the one-minute section you have to come to a decision.

 

Suggested answers

Summarising how similar or different they are

• Overall, Speaking Part One and Speaking Part Four are fairly similar.
• Speaking Part Two and Speaking Part Three only have one thing in common.
• Speaking Part One and Speaking Part Two are completely different.

Big/ Important/ Only similarities and differences

• The most obvious similarity between Part Two and Part Three is that the examiner will give you something to look at and talk about.
• The most striking difference between Part Two and Part Three is what you look at, because pictures are only used in Part Two.
• The most important difference between Speaking Part Two and Part Three is how you communicate – only speaking on your own in Part Two but working together in Part Three.
• Another difference which stands out between Part Two and Part Three is the number of things on the worksheet which you have to talk about (just two photos or five different sub-topics).
• Listening to your partner is much more important in Speaking Part Three than in the other parts of the speaking test.

Other similarities and differences

• The examiner will ask you a series of questions in Part One, and in Part Four too.
• The questions that the examiner asks you in Part Four are not as personal as those in Part One.
• In Part One the examiner will ask each question to you individually. In Part Four this is also often the case, but sometimes they ask open questions that anyone can answer.
• Something else that Speaking Part One and Part Four have in common is the examiner sometimes asking the same question to both people and sometimes asking different things to each of you.
• A similarity between Speaking Part Two and Part Three is that you don’t have to stop yourself at exactly the right time, because the examiner will interrupt you in both cases.
• There is no penalty for not fully answering the question by the end of Part Two, and that is exactly the same for Speaking Part Three.
• In Part Two you have to speak for (exactly) one minute, whereas in the other parts of the exam your answers should be whatever length seems natural.
• Part Three and Part Four always share the same topic.
• In both Part One and Part Two it is nice if you can comment on what your partner said but it's often not possible.
• You need to give your opinion in Part Four, and in Part Three as well.
• Part Two involves some comparing and contrasting, and so might Part Three.
• You will probably need to interrupt your partner in Speaking Part Three, and you might also want to in Speaking Part Four.
• Part Two is much stranger than the other parts, but also much easier to prepare for on your own.
• One small but important difference between Part One and Part Four is the number of topics. Part Four has one topic, but Part One has two or three.

Comparing different sections of the same part of the test

• In Part Two, the person with the photos has to speak for a minute but the person who hasn’t been given the photos should only briefly comment for around thirty seconds.
• In Part Two, the person who has been given the photos just has to speak about what they see in the pictures. In contrast, the second person is often asked for their opinion.
• One contrast between the two tasks in Part Three is what you have to do. In the first two minutes of Part Three you need to discuss each option as quickly as possible but in the one-minute section you have to come to a decision.

Comparing language presentation

Without looking above, put one word into each gap below to make different comparing/ contrasting phrases. Other words which aren’t above might also be possible.

Summarising how similar or different they are

• Overall, Speaking Part One and Speaking Part Four are fairly ___________________.
• Speaking Part Two and Speaking Part Three only have one ___________ in common.
• Speaking Part One and Speaking Part Two are _______________________

Big/ Important/ Only similarities and differences

• The most ______________________________________ similarity between Part Two and Part Three is that the examiner will give you something to look at and talk about.
• The most striking __________________________________________ between Part Two and Part Three is what you look at, because pictures are only used in Part Two.
• ________________ most important difference between Speaking Part Two and Part Three is how you communicate – speaking on your own in Part Two but working together in Part Three.
• Another difference which stands __________________________________________ between Part Two and Part Three is the number of things on the worksheet which you have to talk about (just two photos or five different sub-topics).
• Listening to your partner is much __________________________________________ important in Speaking Part Three than in the other parts of the speaking test.

Other similarities and differences

• The examiner will ask you a series of questions in Part One, and in Part Four ______.
• The questions that the examiner asks you in Part Four are ______________________ as personal as those in Part One.
• In Part One the examiner will ask each question to you individually. In Part Four this is _____ often the case, but sometimes they ask open questions anyone can answer.
• Something else that Speaking Part One and Part Four have _____________________ common is the examiner sometimes asking the same question to both people and sometimes asking different things to each of you.
• _____________ similarity between Speaking Part Two and Part Three is that you don’t have to stop yourself at exactly the right time, because the examiner will interrupt you in both cases.
• There is no penalty for not fully answering the question by the end of Part Two, and that is exactly ________________________________ same for Speaking Part Three.
• In Part Two you have to speak for (exactly) one minute, ________________________ in the other parts of the exam your answers should be whatever length seems natural.
• Part Three and Part Four always share the _____________________________
• In __________________________________________________ Part One and Part Two it is nice if you can comment on what your partner said but it's often not possible.
• You need to give your opinion in Part Four, and in Part Three as ________________.
• Part Two involves some comparing and contrasting, and _________ might Part Three.
• You will probably need to interrupt your partner in Speaking Part Three, and you might ____________________________________________ want to in Speaking Part Four.
• Part Two is much stranger _______________________________________________ the other parts, but also much easier to prepare for on your own.
• One small ____________________ important difference between Part One and Part Four is the number of topics. Part Four has one topic, but Part One has two or three.

Comparing different sections of the same part

• In Part Two, the person with the photos has to speak for a minute ________________ the person who hasn’t been given the photos should only briefly comment for around thirty seconds.
• In Part Two, the person who has been given the photos just has to speak about what they see in the pictures. In ______________________________, the second person is often asked for their opinion.
• One contrast ____________________________ the two tasks in Part Three is what you have to do. In the first two minutes of Part Three you need to discuss each option as quickly as possible but in the one-minute section you have to come to a decision.

Check your answers with the first worksheet. Other answers might be possible, so please check if you wrote something different.

Use similar language to compare photos from the exam.