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 1 · Question 5
Would you paint a room a really bright 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: paint, bright, colour
- Not particularly, no — the thing is …
- …, which makes a real difference day to day.
- That said, I can see why others might …
Part 1 · Question 6
Why do so many companies use the same colour on everything?
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: companies, colour, everything
- To be honest, …
- …, which is something I have always found useful.
- The main reason for that is …
Part 1 · Question 7
Are there flowers growing near where you live?
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: flowers, growing
- 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 8
Do you ever buy flowers?
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: flowers
- It depends, but generally …
- …, whereas ten years ago it was quite different.
- A good example of that would be …
Part 1 · Question 9
On what occasions do people give flowers in your country?
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: occasions, flowers, 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 10
Describe a natural place that has changed since you first knew it.
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: natural, changed, since
- 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
What are the commonest reasons for landscapes changing so fast?
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: commonest, reasons, landscapes
- To be honest, …
- …, which is something I have always found useful.
- The main reason for that is …
Part 3 · Question 12
How do older people usually react to changes in familiar surroundings?
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: older, usually, react
- 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 13
Is development always at the expense of nature?
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: development, expense, nature
- It depends, but generally …
- …, whereas ten years ago it was quite different.
- A good example of that would be …
Part 3 · Question 14
What can be done to restore land that has already been damaged?
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: restore, already, 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 15
Who should have the final say over how open land is used?
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: final
- 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 16
Will future generations blame us for the state we leave the countryside in?
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: future, generations, blame
- To be honest, …
- …, which is something I have always found useful.
- The main reason for that is …
Part 3 · Question 17
What sorts of possessions get passed on from one generation to the next?
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: sorts, possessions, passed
- What springs to mind is …
- …, and that is fairly typical where I am from.
- If I had to pick one, it would be …
- where the place is
- what it used to be like
- how it is different now