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
Do you wear any jewellery?
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: jewellery
- To be honest, …
- …, which is something I have always found useful.
- The main reason for that is …
Part 1 · Question 2
When did you last buy a piece of jewellery?
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: piece, jewellery
- 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
Is jewellery a common gift 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: jewellery, common, country
- It depends, but generally …
- …, whereas ten years ago it was quite different.
- A good example of that would be …
Part 1 · Question 4
Would you rather be given something simple or something expensive?
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: rather, given, simple
- 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
Do men wear much jewellery 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: jewellery
- 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 people keep jewellery for so many years?
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: jewellery, years
- To be honest, …
- …, which is something I have always found useful.
- The main reason for that is …
Part 1 · Question 7
What colour socks are you wearing today?
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, socks, wearing
- 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
How often do you buy new socks?
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: socks
- It depends, but generally …
- …, whereas ten years ago it was quite different.
- A good example of that would be …
Part 2 · Question 9
Describe someone you recently read or heard about in the news.
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: recently, heard, story
- 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
Why do certain news stories spread far more widely than others?
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: certain, stories, spread
- 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 harm can be done when the media reports on a private individual?
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: media, reports, private
- To be honest, …
- …, which is something I have always found useful.
- The main reason for that is …
Part 3 · Question 12
How do people decide which news sources to believe?
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: decide, sources, believe
- 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
Are positive stories reported as fully as bad ones?
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: positive, stories, reported
- It depends, but generally …
- …, whereas ten years ago it was quite different.
- A good example of that would be …
Part 3 · Question 14
Should there be stricter rules about naming people in news reports?
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: stricter, rules, naming
- 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
How is the way we receive news likely to change over the next ten 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: receive, likely, change
- 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
Why are so many small shops closing in town centres?
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: small, shops, closing
- To be honest, …
- …, which is something I have always found useful.
- The main reason for that is …
Part 3 · Question 17
What can a physical shop offer that a website cannot?
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: physical, offer, website
- 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 18
How does the layout of a shop influence what customers buy?
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: layout, influence, customers
- It depends, but generally …
- …, whereas ten years ago it was quite different.
- A good example of that would be …
- what the story was about
- where you saw or heard it
- what the person had done