Speaking
Work through full topics: Part 1 questions, a Part 2 cue card, and Part 3 discussion — with sample answers and topic vocabulary.
Tips & strategies
The speaking test rewards communication, not flawless grammar. A candidate who talks willingly, with natural pauses and a few mistakes, scores higher than one who produces short, perfect sentences separated by long silences.
Extend every answer. For Part 1, aim for two to three sentences: answer the question, then add a reason or example. “Do you like cooking?” → “Yes, especially at weekends — it helps me relax, and I love trying recipes from other countries.”
Buy thinking time naturally. Phrases like “That’s an interesting question…” or “I’ve never thought about that, but I’d say…” are perfectly acceptable and sound far better than silence.
Paraphrase when stuck. Forgetting a word costs nothing if you talk around it: “the machine that keeps food cold” communicates refrigerator perfectly well. Stopping to search your memory is the only real failure.