Tips for Cambridge Speaking Exam Part 3

Sep 7, 2024

Notes on Cambridge First Certificate Speaking Exam - Part 3

Overview of Part 3

  • Duration: 4 minutes (1 partner) or 5 minutes (2 partners)
  • Discuss a question provided by the examiner.
  • Each question includes 5 prompts for guidance.
  • Initial awkwardness: Participants may be hesitant about who speaks first.

Starting the Conversation

  • Turn chairs inwards: Initiates contact with your partner and shows engagement to the examiner.
  • Ask your partner: "Should I go first or would you like to?"
  • Important to maintain eye contact and smile to convey friendliness.

Communication Tips

Dos and Don'ts

  1. Avoid being too personal
    • Focus on general points rather than personal anecdotes only.
    • Personal experiences should support your points, not be the main topic.
  2. Active listening:
    • Maintain eye contact, nod, shake head, and make verbal affirmations (e.g., "mm-hmm").
  3. Express happiness:
    • Positive demeanor enhances intonation and pronunciation.
  4. Do not say "I agree" or "I disagree":
    • Instead, rephrase your partner's statements and connect your responses to what they said.
  5. Link contributions:
    • Show understanding by connecting your thoughts to your partner’s contributions.
  6. Ask questions:
    • Demonstrate engagement by inquiring about your partner’s opinions.

Example of Effective Response Structure

  • Rephrase and link:
    • E.g., "Yes, meeting new people can make people happy, especially since..."

Interactive Communication

  • Marked on "Interactive communication" by examiners:
    • Link what you say to what your partner said.
    • Demonstrate negotiation towards an answer with your partner.

Common Challenges

  • If your partner is quiet or hesitant:
    • Ask open-ended questions to encourage discussion.
    • Expand upon their answers to elicit more information.

Final Discussion Preparation

  • Decide on two main points for discussion (e.g., meeting new people, learning new skills) based on previous discussion.
  • Use all eight tips provided to enhance the discussion quality.

Conclusion

  • Practice makes perfect: The more you practice these techniques, the better you will perform in the exam.
  • Engagement is key: Always aim to create a dialogue with your partner.
  • If you found the video helpful, engage with content: like, subscribe, comment.
  • Instructor: Toby, channel: SMASH English.