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 have a sweet tooth?
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: sweet, tooth
- To be honest, …
- …, which is something I have always found useful.
- The main reason for that is …
Part 1 · Question 2
What sweets did you like as a child?
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: sweets, child
- 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
How often do you eat something sweet?
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: sweet
- 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 give sweets to a child as a treat?
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: sweets, child, treat
- 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
Are traditional sweets still made 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: traditional, sweets, still
- 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
Should sweets be advertised to children?
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: sweets, advertised, children
- To be honest, …
- …, which is something I have always found useful.
- The main reason for that is …
Part 1 · Question 7
Is the food in your country spicy?
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: country, spicy
- 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
Which spices do you keep in your kitchen?
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: spices, kitchen
- It depends, but generally …
- …, whereas ten years ago it was quite different.
- A good example of that would be …
Part 1 · Question 9
How did you learn to use them?
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: learn
- 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 10
Would you order the hottest dish on a menu?
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: order, hottest
- 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 11
Describe a building that you consider 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: building, consider, beautiful
- To be honest, …
- …, which is something I have always found useful.
- The main reason for that is …
Part 3 · Question 12
What qualities do most admired buildings have in common?
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: qualities, admired, buildings
- 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 beauty in architecture more a matter of materials or of proportion?
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: beauty, architecture, matter
- It depends, but generally …
- …, whereas ten years ago it was quite different.
- A good example of that would be …
Part 3 · Question 14
How much should a city spend on making its public buildings attractive?
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: spend, making, public
- 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
Why do so many tourists travel specifically to look at architecture?
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: tourists, travel, specifically
- 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
Have modern styles made cities around the world look too similar?
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: modern, styles, cities
- To be honest, …
- …, which is something I have always found useful.
- The main reason for that is …
- where it is
- when it was built
- what is special about its design