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
What's your favourite colour?
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: what's, favourite, colour
- To be honest, …
- …, which is something I have always found useful.
- The main reason for that is …
Part 1 · Question 2
Is that the colour of most of your clothes?
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: colour, clothes
- What springs to mind is …
- …, and that is fairly typical where I am from.
- If I had to pick one, it would be …
Part 1 · Question 3
What colour are the walls in your home?
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: colour, walls
- It depends, but generally …
- …, whereas ten years ago it was quite different.
- A good example of that would be …
Part 1 · Question 4
Do certain colours put you in a better mood?
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: certain, colours, better
- 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 river or stream that you know well.
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: river, stream, looks
- Not particularly, no — the thing is …
- …, which makes a real difference day to day.
- That said, I can see why others might …
Part 3 · Question 6
Why have so many towns and cities historically been built beside rivers?
Aim for 80–110 words, roughly 40–60 seconds.
Give your position, justify it, illustrate it with a general example rather than a personal story, then acknowledge the other side. Part 3 rewards discussion, not autobiography.
Pick up and paraphrase: towns, cities, historically
- To be honest, …
- …, which is something I have always found useful.
- The main reason for that is …
Part 3 · Question 7
What are the main causes of river pollution in your country?
Aim for 80–110 words, roughly 40–60 seconds.
Give your position, justify it, illustrate it with a general example rather than a personal story, then acknowledge the other side. Part 3 rewards discussion, not autobiography.
Pick up and paraphrase: causes, river, pollution
- What springs to mind is …
- …, and that is fairly typical where I am from.
- If I had to pick one, it would be …
Part 3 · Question 8
How effective are laws at stopping factories from dumping waste into waterways?
Aim for 80–110 words, roughly 40–60 seconds.
Give your position, justify it, illustrate it with a general example rather than a personal story, then acknowledge the other side. Part 3 rewards discussion, not autobiography.
Pick up and paraphrase: effective, stopping, factories
- It depends, but generally …
- …, whereas ten years ago it was quite different.
- A good example of that would be …
Part 3 · Question 9
Who should pay for cleaning up a river that has been damaged over many years?
Aim for 80–110 words, roughly 40–60 seconds.
Give your position, justify it, illustrate it with a general example rather than a personal story, then acknowledge the other side. Part 3 rewards discussion, not autobiography.
Pick up and paraphrase: cleaning, river, damaged
- I would say so, yes, mainly because …
- …, at least that has been my experience.
- On the other hand, some people would argue …
Part 3 · Question 10
In what ways do rivers matter to farming communities?
Aim for 80–110 words, roughly 40–60 seconds.
Give your position, justify it, illustrate it with a general example rather than a personal story, then acknowledge the other side. Part 3 rewards discussion, not autobiography.
Pick up and paraphrase: rivers, matter, farming
- Not particularly, no — the thing is …
- …, which makes a real difference day to day.
- That said, I can see why others might …
Part 3 · Question 11
Could rivers become an important form of transport again in the future?
Aim for 80–110 words, roughly 40–60 seconds.
Give your position, justify it, illustrate it with a general example rather than a personal story, then acknowledge the other side. Part 3 rewards discussion, not autobiography.
Pick up and paraphrase: rivers, become, important
- To be honest, …
- …, which is something I have always found useful.
- The main reason for that is …
- where the river is
- what it looks like
- what people do there