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
Is there a clock in the room you're in now?
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.
Pick up and paraphrase: clock, you're
- To be honest, …
- …, which is something I have always found useful.
- The main reason for that is …
Part 2 · Question 2
Describe a balcony, terrace or rooftop that you have used.
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: balcony, terrace, rooftop
- 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 an old or unusual tree that you have seen.
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: unusual, looks
- It depends, but generally …
- …, whereas ten years ago it was quite different.
- A good example of that would be …
Part 2 · Question 4
Describe an object you own that came from a different country.
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: object, different, country
- 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 celebration you enjoyed as a child.
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: celebration, enjoyed, child
- 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 time you agreed to more than you could actually manage.
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: agreed, actually, manage
- To be honest, …
- …, which is something I have always found useful.
- The main reason for that is …
Part 2 · Question 7
Describe a time when you had far too much work to do.
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: through
- 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
- how often you go out on it
- what you can see from it
- where the tree is
- what it looks like
- how old you think it is
- what the object is
- which country it came from
- how you got hold of it
- what the celebration was
- who you spent it with
- what you did
- what you had taken on
- why you agreed to it
- how you eventually coped
- what the work was
- why so much came at once
- how you got through it