What the exam asks
- Procedure. The examiner introduces themselves and checks your identity, then asks questions from a script. The first set is about you, usually your work or studies or where you live. Two more sets follow on familiar topics such as weekends, food, weather, music, transport, shopping, friends or technology. Expect about ten to twelve questions in all.
- Scripted, timed questions. Examiners read the questions as written and keep strict time. If you run on, they will interrupt and move to the next question. That is time management, not a penalty. They may add a quick Why? or Why not? to invite you to say more.
- Same criteria as the whole test. Fluency and Coherence, Lexical Resource, Grammatical Range and Accuracy, and Pronunciation are rated across all three parts. The examiner never comments on how you are doing.
- Target length. About 15–30 seconds per answer, which is two to four sentences.
Core ideas
The answer shape: answer, then extend
Every strong Part 1 answer has the same skeleton: a direct answer in the first few words, then one or two extensions. Choose extensions that suit the question.
| Extension move | Example (question: Do you like cooking?) |
|---|---|
| Reason | … mainly because it helps me switch off after work. |
| Example or detail | Last weekend I finally managed to make fresh pasta from scratch. |
| Contrast (then vs now, me vs others) | I couldn’t boil an egg as a teenager, but living alone forced me to learn. |
| Frequency or routine | I cook most weeknights, but I’m lazier at weekends. |
| Feeling or opinion | There’s something really satisfying about feeding friends. |
| Future or hypothetical | If I had more time, I’d love to take a proper course. |