What’s in the CAE (Cambridge Advanced English) speaking paper?
The Cambridge C1 Advanced Speaking test has four parts and you take it together with another candidate.
There are two examiners. One of the examiners conducts the test (asks you questions, gives you the paper with things to talk about, and so on). The other examiner listens to what you say and takes notes.
Cambridge have a detailed information page about the C1 Exam – click for details
Video – you can watch an actual C1 speaking test video – click here
Practice the for C1 level with your Teacher at Skypeclass.
CAE Speaking Test – Summary
Time allowed: | 15 minutes per pair of candidates |
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Number of parts: | 4 |
You have to talk: | with the examiner with the other candidate on your own |
Part 1 (Interview)
What’s in Part 1? | Conversation between the candidates and the interlocutor. The examiner asks questions and you may have to give information about your interests, studies, careers, etc. |
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What do I have to practise? | Giving information about yourself and expressing your opinion about various topics. |
How long do we have to speak? | 2 minutes |
Part 2 (Long turn)
What’s in Part 2? | The interlocutor gives you three pictures and asks you to talk about two of them. You have to speak for 1 minute without interruption and the interlocutor then asks the other candidate to comment on what you have said for about 30 seconds. The other candidate receives a different set of photographs and you have to listen and comment when they have finished speaking. The questions you have to answer about your photographs are written at the top of the page to remind you what you should talk about. |
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What do I have to practise? | Talking on your own about something: comparing, describing, expressing opinions, speculating. |
How long do we have to speak? | 1 minute per candidate, plus a 30-second response from the second candidate. |
Part 3 (Collaborative task)
What’s in Part 3? | Conversation with the other candidate. The examiner gives you spoken instructions with written prompts which are used in a discussion. You have to talk with the other candidate for about 2 minutes (3 minutes for groups of three) about the written prompts. After the discussion time, the examiner will ask you another question which requires you to make a decision. You have 1 minute to talk together and make the decision (2 minutes for groups of three). |
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What do I have to practise? | Exchanging ideas, expressing and justifying opinions, agreeing and/or disagreeing, suggesting, speculating, evaluating, reaching a decision through negotiation, etc. |
How long do we have to speak? | 3 minutes (a 2-minute discussion followed by a 1-minute decision-making task) |
Part 4 (Discussion)
What’s in Part 4? | Further discussion with the other candidate based on the topics or issues raised in the task in Part 3. The interlocutor asks each of you some questions and you discuss them with the other candidate. |
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What do I have to practise? | Expressing and justifying opinions, agreeing and/or disagreeing. |
How long do we have to speak? | 5 minutes |
If you would like IELTS Information – click here