Model answer notes
Built from each question on this page — a shape to follow and some phrases to borrow, not a script to memorise. Examiners mark you down for answers that sound learned by heart.
Part 1 · Question 1
When were you last late for something?
Aim for 40–60 words, roughly 20–30 seconds.
Answer the question directly in the first sentence, add the reason behind it, then finish on one concrete detail from your own life. Do not stop after three words, and do not turn it into a speech.
- To be honest, …
- …, which is something I have always found useful.
- The main reason for that is …
Part 2 · Question 2
Describe a shopping centre or mall that you have visited.
Aim for 180–220 words — the full two-minute long turn.
Use the one minute of preparation to jot a word per bullet. Take the bullets in the order they are printed, spend the most time on the last one, and close by answering the final line of the card. Keep talking until the examiner stops you.
Pick up and paraphrase: shopping, centre, visited
- What springs to mind is …
- …, and that is fairly typical where I am from.
- If I had to pick one, it would be …
Part 2 · Question 3
Describe a view that you find beautiful.
Aim for 180–220 words — the full two-minute long turn.
Use the one minute of preparation to jot a word per bullet. Take the bullets in the order they are printed, spend the most time on the last one, and close by answering the final line of the card. Keep talking until the examiner stops you.
Pick up and paraphrase: beautiful, usually
- It depends, but generally …
- …, whereas ten years ago it was quite different.
- A good example of that would be …
Part 2 · Question 4
Describe a piece of technology you used to rely on but no longer use.
Aim for 180–220 words — the full two-minute long turn.
Use the one minute of preparation to jot a word per bullet. Take the bullets in the order they are printed, spend the most time on the last one, and close by answering the final line of the card. Keep talking until the examiner stops you.
Pick up and paraphrase: piece, technology, longer
- I would say so, yes, mainly because …
- …, at least that has been my experience.
- On the other hand, some people would argue …
Part 2 · Question 5
Describe a reunion with people you had not seen for a long time.
Aim for 180–220 words — the full two-minute long turn.
Use the one minute of preparation to jot a word per bullet. Take the bullets in the order they are printed, spend the most time on the last one, and close by answering the final line of the card. Keep talking until the examiner stops you.
Pick up and paraphrase: reunion, talked
- Not particularly, no — the thing is …
- …, which makes a real difference day to day.
- That said, I can see why others might …
Part 2 · Question 6
Describe a situation where you had to do something with no preparation at all.
Aim for 180–220 words — the full two-minute long turn.
Use the one minute of preparation to jot a word per bullet. Take the bullets in the order they are printed, spend the most time on the last one, and close by answering the final line of the card. Keep talking until the examiner stops you.
Pick up and paraphrase: situation, preparation, asked
- To be honest, …
- …, which is something I have always found useful.
- The main reason for that is …
Part 2 · Question 7
Describe a piece of technology that changed the way you study or work.
Aim for 180–220 words — the full two-minute long turn.
Use the one minute of preparation to jot a word per bullet. Take the bullets in the order they are printed, spend the most time on the last one, and close by answering the final line of the card. Keep talking until the examiner stops you.
Pick up and paraphrase: piece, technology, changed
- What springs to mind is …
- …, and that is fairly typical where I am from.
- If I had to pick one, it would be …
- where it is
- what you can find inside
- how the space is laid out
- where you can see it from
- what you can see
- when you usually see it
- what the device was
- how much you used to rely on it
- why you stopped using it
- who you met again
- how long it had been
- what you talked about
- what you were asked to do
- how much warning you had
- how you coped
- what the technology is
- how you used to do things before
- what is different now