DAY 10 – VLU – AV7 – SPEAKING PART 2

A. SPEAKING PART 2
- Individual long turn
- The Part 2 task tests your ability to give a short talk on a topic that is given to you
by the examiner.
- The examiner gives you a task card. On the card, you see the topic that you’re going to
talk about in this part of the test.
- You have to talk on your own for between one and two minutes on this topic, and you
have one minute to prepare before you begin. There are also some bullet points on the
card. These give you some ideas about what to include in your talk.
- You’re also given some paper and a pencil, so that you can make some notes in the
preparation time.
- The topics for Part 2 are also familiar everyday ones, and there should be plenty to say
about the topic you’re given. For example, it could be a holiday you enjoyed, or
something you want to buy. The examiner gives you one minute’s preparation time to
think about what you want to say before you start talking. Use the bullet points to help
you prepare and structure your talk.
- When the preparation time is up, the examiner asks you to start speaking, and then lets
you speak on your own for up to two minutes without interrupting you.
- When the time is up, the examiner stops you, asks a question to ‘round off’ and collects
the task card and paper and pencil from you.
❖ TIPS & TACTICS
- Read the task card very carefully to make sure that you know what to talk about and
what the four points underneath the topic instruction are.
- Make the most of your planning time. On the paper you are given write the topic word
at the top, e.g. ‘a building’, then write the name of the building you want to talk about,
e.g. ‘The Capital Gate Building’, then draw a cross shape underneath so you have four
boxes in which to make notes on the four points underneath.
- Don’t write sentences on the paper – you don’t have time. Key words and expressions
are enough to focus your ideas and give you some support as you speak.
- Structure your talk by introducing each part of the talk and then indicating when you
are moving on to the next part, e.g. ‘I’m going to talk about ...’, ‘OK, first, the building is
located in ...’, ‘Secondly, the appearance of the building. Well, the building looks quite
strange from the outside ...’, ‘Now, moving on to what the building is used for ..’,
‘Finally, the reason I like this building so much is ...’
- Home Practice
o Practise talking about topics for two minutes so that you get a feel for how long the
time lasts. Make sure you can fit a beginning, middle and end into this time.
o Record yourself and listen to your talk. Check several criteria, e.g. timing,
organisation, hesitation, use of linking words, pronunciation and range and
accuracy of vocabulary and grammar.
o As you talk, think about the marking criteria that the examiners will use to mark
your response.
o Ask a friend to listen to you speak and see if he or she can guess your topic and the
four points you covered. Your friend could also comment on the criteria.
o Don’t memorise a talk to use in the test. It is impossible to predict which topic you
will be asked to talk on, and it is much better to sound natural.
❖ NOTE-TAKING in 1 minute
o Four – corner notes
Enjoyable holiday – simple past
Where: Who:
- Camping - Family
- Beach - Annual get-together
- 2 hours home

What: Why:
- Swimming - Unwind
- Cycling - Fun
- Picturesquev villages - Glorious weather
- Stunning landscape

o Mind mapping using question words

1. What equipment do you need?

2. When do you play tennis?
3. Where do you play tennis?
4. How often do you play tennis?
5. Why do you enjoy playing tennis?
6. Who do you play tennis with?
❖ STRUCTURE YOUR TALK
Okay, so I’m gonna talk about ….
First, ….
Second, speaking of ….,
Next, as for ….
Now, when it comes to ……
❖ EXPAND YOUR LEXICAL RESOURCES
Choose 3 to 5 words/phrases from each topic to include in your part 2 talk. Then
make sentences with the chosen words/ phrase and ask your teacher to check them
for you.
Example: Describe a wild animal.
You should say:
- what it looks like;
- what it likes to eat or do;
- where it lives;
- and explain why you like this animal.
OUTLINE – WILD ANIMAL
→ I would say that I’m an animal lover. I’m into different kinds of wild animals and one of my
favorites is __________.
→ First, speaking of its appearance, _____ is generally _______ in colour. Its distinguishing
feature is the ________. It looks fierce/ gentle/ lovely/ ……
→ Next, as for its food, They are known for a kind of predator/ herbivore/ carnivore/ omnivore
so their main source of food includes _______/so they feed primarily on _____. I would
imagine they are not a fan of ________.
→ When it comes to its natural habitat, you can be expected to find it in a number of places like
_______, _____ or ________. They can also be found in _________. (Or you can also see
them in the zoos but those are the tamed kinds.)
→ There are some main reasons why I really like this kind of animals. First, my love for them
was fostered when I watched ____/ when I read a book called “______”. They represent
________.
 USEFUL LANGUAGE
1. Describe a person
 Appearance:
- He/ She have a(n) beautiful/ pretty/ good figure.
- Her/His hair is short/ long/ straight/ wavy/ ….
- Her/His eyes are big/ blue/ brown/ bright/ ….
- He/ She has [attractive/ unusual] features.
- He/ She often dresses [smartly/ elegantly/ casually /fashionably].
- He/ She is [young/ in their 50s].
 Personality:
- He/ She is [friendly/ outgoing/ sociable/ personable].
- He/ She has a(n) [adjective] sense of humor/ personality/ trait.
- Positive personalities: charming, patient, mature, considerate, kind-hearted,
etc.
- Negative personalities: selfish, arrogant, annoying, hot-tempered, etc.
 Achievements:
- He/ She has achieved [success/ awards/ recognition].
- He/ She has [skills/ experience/ expertise] in [field/ profession/ industry].
- He/ She has contributed to the [community/ society].
- He/ She has [shown/ developed] leadership/ managerial qualities.
- He/ She has [overcome/ faced] [challenges/ obstacles/ difficulties] and
succeeded.
 Relationships:
- He/ She is [popular/ loved/ respected] by [people/ groups/ family].
- He/ She has [close/ friendly/ positive] relationships with [people/ family/
colleagues].
- He/ She has [supported/ inspired/ mentored] [people/ students/
colleagues] to achieve [goals/ success].
- He/ She maintains [balanced/ happy/ fulfilling] relationships over time.
 Impression:
- He/ She creates a [positive/ favorable/ impressive/ influential] impression.
- He/ She leaves a lasting [impact/ memory] on [people/ groups/ society].
- He/ She has [inspired/ motivated/ positively influenced] [people/ groups/
 society].

*You can use relative pronouns to add information, for example: My grandma,
who is in her 70s, has a gentle smile that can light up a room.
- They possess [unique/ distinctive/ interesting characteristics] that make them
memorable.
2. Describe a place
Describing cities/ countries

- Location:
+ The place is located in [the heart of the city/ countryside].
+ It is situated on [the coast/mountainside].
+ It can be found in [the northern/southern/eastern/western part of the
country].
- Cityscape:
+ It’s [picturesque/ charming/ unique/ polluted].
+ It has [contemporary architecture, classical architecture].
+ There are many [skyscapers].
- Entertainment:
+ It’s [bustling/ lively/ dull/ boring/ touristy/ quiet].
+ The place has a very peaceful atmosphere, which is perfect for relaxation.
+ It has a wide variety of [entertainment facilities].
- People:
+ The people are very [friendly/ welcoming/ polite].
+ They have a diverse cultural background.
+ The locals are very proud of their [heritage and traditions].
Describing buildings

- Location: downtown, at the corner of a hectic street
- Exterior: elegant, contemporary designed , classical architecture, plain
- Interior: spacious, modern, bright, dark, dull
 - Atmosphere: cozy, comfortable, lively
- Impression: breathtaking, delightful, majestic, ugly, boring
 Describing natural places
- Places: the sea/ beach/ mountain/ waterfall/ lake
- Location: remote, along the coast, in a mountainous area, in the suburb
- Activities: go sightseeing, doing extreme sports, kayaking, take a boat tour, go
camping

* You should emphasize the positive features or attributes of the place. For
example, "What I love most about this city is its rich history, breathtaking
architecture, and welcoming people."
- Impression/ Opinion: breathtaking, spectacular, majestic, picturesque, tranquil,
peaceful
3. Describe an object
 Size: tiny, medium-sized, huge, enormous
 Color: bright, dark, bold, pastel, warm, cool
 Texture: rough, hard, soft, smooth, fluffy
 Weight: lightweight, heavy
 Material: metal, plastic, glass, ceramic, wooden, rubber, leather, stone, paper
 Age: new, old, classic, futuristic, modern, contemporary
 Shape: round, oval, square, diamond, rectangle, cube
 Function/ purpose: practical, efficient, innovative, cutting-edge

* You should use metaphors or comparisons to make your speech more

descriptive and engaging. For example: To me, my phone is like a personal
assistant. It helps me stay organized, informed, and connected all day long.
 Impression: classy, elegant, impressive
4. Describe an event/ experience
Location:
- The event was held in/ at [a bustling city/ a peaceful countryside/ the university].
 Time:
- The event took place/ happened [weekends/ a sunny day]/ every spring.
 Activities: before – during – after the activity (dancing, singing, cooking, etc.)
 People involved in the event: family members, friends, strangers, etc.
 The importance of the event: a cultural tradition, a once-in-a-lifetime
experience
 Impression/ Opinion:
- I was overwhelmed with emotion when …
- It’s an experience that I will never forget.
TOPICS FOR PRACTICE