Duration: 90 minutesModule: SpeakingFocus: Test format, marking criteria, and natural short-but-developed Part 1 answers
Objectives
Understand the three parts of the Speaking test and the four things examiners mark.
Learn the Answer → Reason → Example shape that turns one-word replies into Band 7 answers.
Build topic vocabulary for the most common Part 1 themes (home, work/study, hometown).
Practise live in pairs, then improve with a simple feedback rubric and a second attempt.
How today is paced
Two interview rounds sit in the middle, with a feedback step between them so the second round is measurably better. An Extension Bank of extra topics keeps fast groups talking for the full 90.
0:00 – 0:12
Warm-Up: What Is the Speaking Test?
The Speaking test is a face-to-face conversation with one examiner, recorded, lasting 11–14 minutes. It's the same for Academic and General Training.
Part
What happens
Time
Part 1
Short questions about you — home, work, study, hobbies
4–5 min
Part 2
You speak alone for 1–2 min on a cue card (1 min to prepare)
3–4 min
Part 3
A two-way discussion of abstract ideas linked to Part 2
4–5 min
The four marking criteria (each worth 25%)
Fluency & Coherence — speaking smoothly, not stopping, linking ideas.
Lexical Resource — range and precision of vocabulary.
Grammatical Range & Accuracy — variety of structures used correctly.
Pronunciation — being clearly understood; stress and rhythm.
Quick check
How many examiners are in the room?
How long do you prepare for the Part 2 talk?
Which part is a two-way discussion of abstract ideas?
1. One · 2. One minute · 3. Part 3
Key mindset: it's a conversation, not an exam recital. Memorised speeches lower your score — examiners are trained to spot them.
0:12 – 0:28
The Shape of a Great Part 1 Answer
One-word answers kill your score. So do five-minute speeches. The sweet spot is two or three sentences using a simple shape: Answer → Reason → Example (ARE).
ARE in action
Q: "Do you enjoy cooking?" Weak: "Yes." (one word — Band 4) Strong (ARE): "Yes, I really do. (Answer) I find it relaxing after a long day. (Reason) Last weekend, for instance, I spent the whole afternoon making a curry from scratch. (Example)"
Expand the one-word answer
Turn each short answer into an ARE answer. Write notes, then say it aloud.
"Do you live in a house or a flat?" → "A flat." →
"Do you prefer mornings or evenings?" → "Evenings." →
"Is your hometown a good place to live?" → "Yes." →
"I live in a flat, actually. I prefer it because there's much less maintenance than a house — for example, I don't have to worry about a garden."
"Definitely evenings. I'm not a morning person at all, and I tend to feel most creative late at night — that's when I do my best studying."
"Yes, on the whole. It's quite small, but it's got everything I need, and because it's close to the mountains, you can be hiking within twenty minutes."
Avoid these
One-word answers — always add a reason.
Over-long answers in Part 1 — keep it to ~20 seconds; save depth for Part 3.
Memorised chunks like "That's a very interesting question" — examiners discount them.
0:28 – 0:45
Topic Vocabulary & Natural Fillers
Part 1 questions cluster around a few topics. Tap each to see useful, natural phrasing — these lift your Lexical Resource without sounding memorised.
Hometown / where you live
"a bustling city", "a sleepy town", "on the outskirts", "well-connected", "it's grown on me over the years".
Work / study
"I'm currently studying…", "I'm in my final year", "it can be demanding but rewarding", "my day-to-day involves…".
Free time / hobbies
"I'm really into…", "I dabble in…", "whenever I get the chance", "it helps me unwind".
Frequency phrases (great for Part 1)
"now and then", "once in a blue moon", "more often than not", "as a rule".
Natural fillers (buy thinking time)
"Let me think…", "I'd say…", "Well, it depends…". Use sparingly — they help fluency, but too many become a crutch.
Replace the basic word
Swap each plain word/phrase for a more natural one from the banks above.
"I like reading very much." →
"My city is very busy." →
"I do it sometimes." →
"I'm really into reading." / "I'm a keen reader."
"It's a bustling city." / "It's quite a lively place."
"I do it now and then." / "Once in a blue moon, to be honest."
0:45 – 1:05
Practice: Pair Interviews — Round 1
In pairs: Student A is the examiner and asks from the bank; Student B answers using ARE. After 4 minutes, swap. The "examiner" times each turn and notes one thing the partner did well and one to improve.
04:00
Round 1 — Student B answers (4 min)
Question bank — Set A
Let's talk about your hometown. Where are you from?
What's the most interesting part of your town?
Do you work or are you a student?
What do you enjoy most about your work / studies?
How do you usually spend your weekends?
Do you prefer spending time indoors or outdoors?
04:00
Round 1 — Swap, Student A answers (4 min)
Question bank — Set B
Tell me about where you live. Is it a house or a flat?
What do you like about your home?
How do you usually travel around your city?
What kind of food do you enjoy?
Do you prefer mornings or evenings? Why?
Is there a hobby you'd like to take up in the future?
1:05 – 1:22
Feedback Rubric & Round 2
Before round 2, give your partner one focused target using this simple rubric. Then repeat the interview — the second attempt should be visibly better.
Quick feedback rubric (tick what you noticed)
☐ Used ARE (didn't stop at one word)
☐ Spoke smoothly without long pauses
☐ Used at least one topic phrase from the banks
☐ Used a range of tenses (not only present simple)
☐ Was easy to understand (clear stress & rhythm)
One target for round 2:
05:00
Round 2 — improved answers (5 min, then swap)
Coaching cue
If your partner keeps giving short answers, the magic prompt is just: "Why?" or "Can you give me an example?" It forces the Reason and Example halves of ARE.
Extension
Extension Bank — If Time Remains
Extra 1 — Rapid-fire topic rounds
New examiner sets — keep answers to ~20 seconds each, ARE shape.
Set C — Daily life
What time do you usually get up? Why?
Do you use public transport much?
What's your favourite time of year? Why?
Do you prefer texting or calling people?
Set D — Preferences
Do you prefer reading books or watching films?
Are you more of a city person or a countryside person?
Do you like trying new foods? Why / why not?
Would you rather have a small or large group of friends?
Extra 2 — "Extend this answer" drill
Each answer below is too short. Add a reason and an example aloud.
"Do you like your city?" → "It's okay." →
"Do you cook often?" → "Not really." →
"It's okay, I suppose. It's not the most exciting place, but it's safe and affordable — for instance, I can walk almost everywhere, which I really appreciate."
"Not really, to be honest. I'm usually too busy with work during the week, so more often than not I'll grab something quick or order in."
Wrap-up
Wrap-Up & Homework
Recap: name the three parts and the ARE shape. Which marking criterion do you most want to improve?
Tonight's homework
Record yourself answering five Part 1 questions on your phone. Listen back once. Note where you gave one-word answers or paused too long, then re-record those two answers using ARE. 20 minutes.
That's the end of your free Day 1. Every day in the Full Class works exactly like this — timed handouts, instant answer keys, and homework with personal feedback. Tomorrow (Tuesday) the class continues with Speaking Day 2 — Part 1 — The IDEAS Technique, and the week builds all the way to a full mock test under exam conditions.