First 50 of 200 questions. Each one lists the choices, the correct answer, and an explanation. The checker at the top of this page saves progress in this browser when it is available.
Continue in the practice tool above to load more questions, 50 at a time.
Question 1Oral Interaction (listening and speaking)
In a Secondary 5 ESL oral interaction exam, a student hears: 'Could you run that by me again?' What is the speaker most likely asking the listener to do?
- Stop interrupting
- Speak more quickly
- Change the subject
- Repeat the information Correct answer.
Explanation
The fixed expression 'run that by me again' is an informal request for repetition of something just said. It signals that the listener missed or wants to confirm the content, not that the pace or topic should change.
Question 2Oral Interaction (listening and speaking)
A student wants to check understanding politely during a class discussion. Which utterance best performs that function in an oral interaction?
- Explain the plan again because I did not listen.
- The plan costs too much, right, yes, no?
- So, if I've understood you correctly, you're saying the plan costs too much. Correct answer.
- You are wrong about the plan, obviously.
Explanation
A comprehension check reformulates the other speaker's idea and invites confirmation, which is why 'if I've understood you correctly' works. It is polite because it takes responsibility for the understanding rather than blaming the speaker.
Question 3Oral Interaction (listening and speaking)
Two students are negotiating roles for a group presentation. Which turn uses the most appropriate language for making a suggestion in an oral interaction?
- You will do the research and I will not.
- The research must be done by somebody.
- Research is boring, so let's skip it.
- Why don't we split the research and meet on Thursday? Correct answer.
Explanation
'Why don't we...' is a standard collaborative suggestion pattern that invites the partner to respond and keeps the floor open. It proposes a concrete action and a time, which supports negotiation.
Question 4Oral Interaction (listening and speaking)
A speaker says: 'I see your point, but I'd look at it slightly differently.' What is the speaker doing in this oral interaction?
- Acknowledging an idea and then disagreeing politely Correct answer.
- Ending the conversation
- Asking for clarification of a word
- Agreeing completely with the previous speaker
Explanation
The first clause concedes the other person's view, and 'but' introduces a contrasting position softened by 'slightly differently'. This is the classic acknowledge-then-disagree move in discussion.
Question 5Oral Interaction (listening and speaking)
During a paired speaking task, a student says: 'Sorry, I didn't catch that. Could you say it once more?' Which listening problem is the student managing?
- Disagreement with the message
- Boredom with the topic
- Inability to pronounce a word
- Failure to hear or process the message Correct answer.
Explanation
'Didn't catch that' reports that the message was not heard or processed, and the request for repetition is the repair strategy. It targets reception of the message rather than its content or the speaker's pronunciation.
Question 6Oral Interaction (listening and speaking)
In a discussion, one student keeps the floor by saying: 'If I could just finish my point...' What communicative purpose does this serve?
- Conceding that the other speaker is right
- Changing the topic of the discussion
- Holding the turn after an interruption Correct answer.
- Inviting the other speaker to continue
Explanation
The formula politely signals that the speaker has not finished and wishes to keep the turn. It manages turn-taking rather than expressing agreement or introducing a new topic.
Question 7Oral Interaction (listening and speaking)
A student listens to a short announcement: 'The workshop has been moved to Room 12 at 3 p.m.' Which detail confirms the student understood the key information?
- Room 3, 3 p.m.
- Room 3, 12 p.m.
- Room 12, 12 p.m.
- Room 12, 3 p.m. Correct answer.
Explanation
Accurate listening requires holding both the place and the time as stated, here Room 12 and 3 p.m. Swapping the numbers is the most common error when the two figures appear close together.
Question 8Oral Interaction (listening and speaking)
Which response best shows active listening during a one-to-one oral interview?
- Repeating the question word for word without answering
- Looking away and answering with a single word
- Interrupting to talk about a different topic
- Nodding and paraphrasing the interviewer's question before answering Correct answer.
Explanation
Active listening is shown through nonverbal signals plus a brief paraphrase that confirms the question before responding. This keeps the interaction coherent and demonstrates comprehension.
Question 9Oral Interaction (listening and speaking)
A student hears a classmate say: 'I'm not really into team sports.' What does the speaker mean?
- They do not enjoy team sports much. Correct answer.
- They have never heard of team sports.
- They are very skilled at team sports.
- They are currently playing team sports.
Explanation
'Not really into' is an informal way of expressing low interest or enjoyment, softened by 'not really'. It describes attitude rather than ability, knowledge, or current activity.
Question 10Oral Interaction (listening and speaking)
In an oral interaction, a student responds to a proposal with: 'That could work, provided we have enough time.' What does the response accomplish?
- A request for a new proposal
- Complete rejection of the proposal
- Conditional agreement with a stated condition Correct answer.
- An unrelated change of topic
Explanation
'Provided' introduces a condition attached to acceptance, so the speaker agrees only if the time is sufficient. This is conditional agreement, a key negotiation move.
Question 11Oral Interaction (listening and speaking)
A speaker says: 'It's not that I disagree, exactly.' How should the listener interpret this?
- The speaker wants to end the discussion.
- The speaker strongly supports the idea.
- The speaker has no opinion at all.
- The speaker has reservations but is not fully opposing the idea. Correct answer.
Explanation
The hedge 'not that...exactly' signals partial or hesitant disagreement rather than outright opposition. Listeners must read the softened wording as reservation, not as support.
Question 12Oral Interaction (listening and speaking)
During a group discussion, a student says: 'Sorry, are we talking about the budget or the timetable?' What function does this question perform?
- Introducing a completely new idea
- Disagreeing with the budget
- Clarifying which topic is under discussion Correct answer.
- Summarising the group's decision
Explanation
The question asks which of two possible referents is current, which is a clarification of topic. It prevents misunderstanding rather than offering a decision or a new proposal.
Question 13Oral Interaction (listening and speaking)
A student is asked in an oral exam: 'What do you think about school uniforms?' Which opening best begins a structured opinion response?
- What do you think about them?
- Uniforms, yes, my cousin wears one.
- That's a difficult question for everyone.
- Personally, I think uniforms have both advantages and drawbacks. Correct answer.
Explanation
A structured opinion response opens with a clear stance signal and frames the answer, which the examiner can follow. It commits to a position while leaving room for balanced development.
Question 14Oral Interaction (listening and speaking)
A listener hears: 'You must have been exhausted after that trip.' What is the speaker doing?
- Giving the listener a direct order
- Refusing to believe the trip happened
- Making a deduction about the listener's experience Correct answer.
- Asking a factual question about the trip
Explanation
'Must have + past participle' expresses a strong logical deduction about a past situation. It is not an obligation, because modal 'must' for obligation does not take this perfect form.
Question 15Oral Interaction (listening and speaking)
In a paired speaking task, a student says: 'Let me get this straight - you want us to interview three people, not two?' Why is this an effective interaction strategy?
- It confirms a detail before the pair acts on it. Correct answer.
- It delays the task without purpose.
- It criticises the partner's instructions.
- It introduces a new requirement.
Explanation
Restating a detail with a question tag confirms shared understanding before work begins, which prevents errors. The phrase 'let me get this straight' explicitly frames the turn as confirmation.
Question 16Oral Interaction (listening and speaking)
A speaker says: 'I'd rather we didn't leave it until Friday.' What is the speaker's message?
- They are unsure what day it is.
- They insist on finishing on Friday.
- They prefer not to postpone the task until Friday. Correct answer.
- They want to cancel the task entirely.
Explanation
'I'd rather we didn't...' expresses a preference against a proposed action, here leaving the work until Friday. It is a softened but clear preference, not a factual question.
Question 17Oral Interaction (listening and speaking)
During a listening task, a speaker says: 'The trip was cancelled, so we ended up staying home.' Which relationship between the two clauses does 'so' express?
- Concession
- Result Correct answer.
- Contrast
- Condition
Explanation
'So' is a result conjunction: the cancellation caused the staying at home. Contrast would need 'but', condition 'if', and concession 'although'.
Question 18Oral Interaction (listening and speaking)
A student in a discussion says: 'Hold on - before we vote, can we hear from someone who disagrees?' What is the main interactional purpose?
- Repeating an earlier decision
- Slowing the group down to include another viewpoint Correct answer.
- Ending the discussion politely
- Forcing an immediate vote
Explanation
'Hold on' pauses the flow, and the request widens participation before a decision is taken. This is a procedural move to ensure balanced discussion.
Question 19Oral Interaction (listening and speaking)
A speaker says: 'Honestly, the presentation went better than I expected.' Which element carries the speaker's attitude?
- 'better than I expected' Correct answer.
- 'went'
- 'the presentation'
- 'Honestly'
Explanation
The comparative clause reveals surprise at a positive outcome, which is where the attitude lies. 'Honestly' is a stance marker but only frames sincerity; the evaluation itself is in the comparison.
Question 20Oral Interaction (listening and speaking)
Two students disagree about a project theme. Which utterance best de-escalates the disagreement while keeping the discussion moving?
- We seem to be stuck; shall we list the pros of each idea first? Correct answer.
- Everyone knows my idea is the best one.
- You're just not listening to me at all.
- Fine, do whatever you want.
Explanation
Naming the impasse and proposing a concrete procedure redirects energy from conflict to task. It preserves the relationship and both positions, which is what de-escalation requires.
Question 21Oral Interaction (listening and speaking)
A student hears: 'If I'd known the deadline was today, I would have started earlier.' What does the speaker imply?
- They are asking when the deadline is.
- They did not know the deadline and started late. Correct answer.
- They will start early next time because they know now.
- They knew the deadline and started early.
Explanation
The third conditional describes an unreal past: the condition was not met, so the result did not happen. The speaker therefore did not know and did not start early.
Question 22Oral Interaction (listening and speaking)
In an oral interaction, a speaker says: 'That's one way of looking at it, though I'd want to see the figures.' What is the speaker's stance?
- Confusion about the figures
- Polite scepticism that requests evidence Correct answer.
- Refusal to discuss the matter
- Full endorsement of the proposal
Explanation
The concessive opener acknowledges the view, while 'though I'd want to see the figures' signals doubt and a demand for support. The combined effect is polite scepticism, not agreement.
Question 23Oral Interaction (listening and speaking)
A listener hears a classmate say: 'It's not so much the cost that worries me as the timing.' Which paraphrase is most accurate?
- Neither cost nor timing concerns the speaker.
- Timing is a bigger concern than cost for this speaker. Correct answer.
- Cost is the only concern for this speaker.
- The speaker is worried about both equally.
Explanation
The 'not so much X as Y' construction ranks Y above X, so timing outweighs cost as a concern. The cost is acknowledged but downgraded, which rules out equal weighting.
Question 24Oral Interaction (listening and speaking)
During a group oral assessment, a student says: 'Can I just pick up on what Mei said about the budget?' What does this move accomplish in the interaction?
- It closes the topic of the budget.
- It corrects a factual error in Mei's statement.
- It links the speaker's contribution to a previous point. Correct answer.
- It asks Mei to repeat her entire point.
Explanation
'Pick up on' signals that the speaker is building on an earlier contribution, which creates coherence across turns. It does not evaluate accuracy or request repetition.
Question 25Oral Interaction (listening and speaking)
A speaker says: 'I was going to suggest we meet online, but I suppose that depends on everyone's connection.' How does the second clause affect the proposal?
- It adds a practical condition that weakens the proposal's certainty. Correct answer.
- It rejects the proposal completely.
- It repeats the proposal in different words.
- It introduces an unrelated topic.
Explanation
'But I suppose that depends on' introduces a practical constraint that qualifies the suggestion, making it tentative. The proposal remains on the table, so it is not a rejection.
Question 26Oral Interaction (listening and speaking)
A student in a group discussion says: 'Sorry to interrupt, but I think we've drifted from the main question.' Which communicative function does this utterance perform?
- Apologising for arriving late to the meeting
- Expressing disagreement with the chair's decision
- Redirecting the group back to the task Correct answer.
- Asking another member to repeat a point
Explanation
The phrase 'we've drifted from the main question' signals that the speaker believes the discussion has lost focus, so the function is to steer the group back on task. The apology softens the interruption but is not the main purpose. Recognising this function helps a candidate respond appropriately in a group oral assessment.
Question 27Oral Interaction (listening and speaking)
During a listening task, a speaker says: 'The library closes at six, so we should head over by half past five.' What is the main purpose of the second clause?
- To give a recommendation that follows from the first fact Correct answer.
- To describe a past event
- To ask the listener a direct question
- To contradict the information about the closing time
Explanation
The connector 'so' introduces a consequence or recommendation drawn from the stated fact about closing time. The speaker is advising a departure time, not questioning the fact. Identifying cause-and-effect links is a core listening skill in oral interaction tasks.
Question 28Oral Interaction (listening and speaking)
A student hears a teacher say: 'Feel free to hand in the draft whenever you're ready.' What does the teacher's tone suggest?
- Firm insistence on an immediate submission
- Disappointment with the student's progress
- Confusion about which draft to submit
- A relaxed attitude with no fixed deadline Correct answer.
Explanation
'Feel free' and 'whenever you're ready' convey flexibility and a non-pressuring tone. The teacher is offering latitude rather than imposing urgency. Tone and word choice are key cues for interpreting a speaker's attitude in listening tasks.
Question 29Oral Interaction (listening and speaking)
In a paired speaking task, a student says: 'Could you say that again a bit more slowly?' What is the student doing?
- Ending the interaction politely
- Requesting clarification of the previous utterance Correct answer.
- Correcting the partner's grammar
- Changing the topic of the conversation
Explanation
Asking someone to repeat something more slowly is a clarification request, a repair strategy used to keep communication going. It does not change the subject or end the exchange. Recognising repair strategies is part of managing oral interaction effectively.
Question 30Oral Interaction (listening and speaking)
A speaker says: 'I'm afraid I can't make it on Tuesday.' Which element softens the refusal?
- The phrase 'I'm afraid' Correct answer.
- The pronoun 'I'
- The contraction 'can't'
- The day 'Tuesday'
Explanation
'I'm afraid' is a politeness marker that cushions the negative message that follows. The day, the contraction and the pronoun carry content but do not soften the refusal. Understanding mitigation devices helps candidates interpret and produce appropriately polite refusals.
Question 31Oral Interaction (listening and speaking)
During an oral interview, the examiner asks: 'How do you usually prepare for a speaking test?' Which reply answers the question most directly?
- Yes, preparation is very important.
- My brother took one last year, I think.
- Speaking tests are quite common in many countries.
- I record myself and listen back to fix my pronunciation. Correct answer.
Explanation
A direct answer to a 'how do you usually...' question describes a habitual method, which option 0 does. The other replies either make general comments or fail to describe a personal routine. Answering the question asked, rather than a nearby topic, is a key interaction skill.
Question 32Oral Interaction (listening and speaking)
A listener hears a classmate say: 'The poster's done, the leaflets are printed, and the room's booked.' What is the speaker mainly communicating?
- That help is needed with printing
- That the room booking has failed
- That the event has been cancelled
- That the preparations are complete Correct answer.
Explanation
The three completed items, signalled by 'done', 'printed' and 'booked', summarise finished tasks. The speaker is reporting readiness, not problems. Listening for a list of completed actions helps identify the overall message.
Question 33Oral Interaction (listening and speaking)
A student says to a partner: 'Let's split the research - you take the interviews and I'll do the survey.' What is the student proposing?
- A division of tasks between the two partners Correct answer.
- A decision to cancel the interviews
- A delay to the project deadline
- A change of topic for the project
Explanation
'Let's split the research' followed by assigning each partner a task is a proposal to divide the work. The interviews are being allocated, not cancelled. Recognising task-allocation language is useful in collaborative speaking tasks.
Question 34Oral Interaction (listening and speaking)
In a group discussion, a student says: 'I take your point, but the data doesn't really support it.' How does the student combine agreement and disagreement?
- By conceding the point first, then challenging it with evidence Correct answer.
- By agreeing fully and adding no objection
- By rejecting the point outright without comment
- By asking the group to change the subject
Explanation
'I take your point' acknowledges the other speaker, while 'but the data doesn't support it' introduces a reasoned objection. This concession-then-counter pattern is a common way to disagree politely. It keeps the discussion constructive while still advancing a different view.
Question 35Oral Interaction (listening and speaking)
A speaker says: 'It was supposed to be a short meeting.' What does the speaker imply about the meeting?
- It finished earlier than expected
- It was shorter than usual
- It was cancelled at the last minute
- It lasted longer than planned Correct answer.
Explanation
'Was supposed to be' contrasts an expectation with reality, implying the meeting did not match the plan. Since the plan was for a short meeting, the implication is that it ran long. Recognising this contrast structure is important for inferring implied meaning.
Question 36Oral Interaction (listening and speaking)
During a listening task, a speaker says: 'Not only did we finish early, but we also came under budget.' Which two achievements does the speaker report?
- Finishing late and overspending
- Starting early and hiring more staff
- Finishing early and spending less than planned Correct answer.
- Cancelling the project and saving money
Explanation
'Finish early' reports completing ahead of time, and 'under budget' means spending less than planned. The 'not only... but also' structure presents two positive outcomes. Tracking paired information in a single utterance is a useful listening skill.
Question 37Oral Interaction (listening and speaking)
A student in a discussion says: 'That's a fair point - although, thinking about it, would that work for the younger students?' How does the speaker manage the turn?
- Acknowledging the previous point, then raising a new consideration Correct answer.
- Repeating the previous speaker's idea word for word
- Refusing to continue the discussion
- Summarising the whole discussion so far
Explanation
The speaker first accepts the earlier contribution with 'that's a fair point', then uses 'although' to introduce a fresh question. This is a turn-taking move that builds on others' ideas while adding a new angle. It shows constructive engagement rather than simple repetition.
Question 38Oral Interaction (listening and speaking)
A speaker says: 'I could be wrong, but I think the deadline is next Thursday.' Why does the speaker use 'I could be wrong'?
- To ask the listener to change the deadline
- To refuse to discuss the deadline
- To state that the deadline has already passed
- To hedge a claim the speaker is not fully certain about Correct answer.
Explanation
'I could be wrong' is a hedge that lowers the strength of the claim and protects the speaker if the information turns out to be inaccurate. It signals uncertainty, not refusal. Hedging is a common feature of polite, cooperative spoken interaction.
Question 39Oral Interaction (listening and speaking)
Two students are planning a presentation. One says: 'Shall we decide the order of the slides first?' What is the speaker doing?
- Asking for permission to leave the meeting
- Complaining about the slides already made
- Proposing the next step in the planning process Correct answer.
- Reporting a problem with the projector
Explanation
'Shall we...' is a common way to make a suggestion about what to do next. Here it proposes sequencing the slides as the immediate task. Recognising suggestion forms helps candidates participate actively in planning discussions.
Question 40Oral Interaction (listening and speaking)
A listener hears: 'The film started at eight, so by the time we arrived, the opening scene was over.' What does the listener understand about the arrival time?
- They arrived exactly at eight o'clock
- They arrived before the film started
- They missed the whole film
- They arrived after the film had begun Correct answer.
Explanation
'By the time we arrived, the opening scene was over' shows the arrival happened after the start. The past perfect 'was over' marks an earlier event completed before their arrival. Understanding time relationships in connected speech is essential for accurate listening comprehension.
Question 41Oral Interaction (listening and speaking)
In an oral exam, the examiner says: 'Some people say homework should be banned. What's your view?' Which response best shows a structured opinion?
- Yes, some people do say that, don't they?
- On balance, I'd keep it, mainly because it builds independent study habits. Correct answer.
- Homework? I don't really know, to be honest.
- That's a difficult question for everyone.
Explanation
A structured opinion states a position and supports it with a reason, as in 'On balance, I'd keep it, mainly because...'. The other replies avoid committing to a view or simply echo the question. Signalling a position and a reason is a key speaking assessment criterion.
Question 42Oral Interaction (listening and speaking)
A speaker says: 'I wasn't sure about the venue at first, but it turned out really well.' How does the speaker's attitude change?
- From anger to indifference
- From enthusiasm to disappointment
- From doubt to a positive judgement Correct answer.
- From certainty to confusion
Explanation
'I wasn't sure at first' expresses initial doubt, and 'it turned out really well' reports a positive outcome. The 'but' marks the shift in attitude. Tracking attitude changes across a sentence is a common listening objective.
Question 43Oral Interaction (listening and speaking)
During a group discussion, one student says: 'Sorry, I've lost the thread - where are we with the budget?' What does the student need?
- Permission to leave the group
- A brief recap of the discussion so far Correct answer.
- A written copy of the budget
- A new topic to discuss
Explanation
'I've lost the thread' indicates the speaker has lost track of the conversation and needs a summary. The question about the budget shows a wish to rejoin the current topic, not change it. Requesting a recap is a legitimate interaction strategy in group work.
Question 44Oral Interaction (listening and speaking)
A speaker says: 'The workshop was cancelled; otherwise, we'd have had a full house.' What does 'otherwise' signal here?
- A summary of what actually happened
- A consequence that would have followed under different conditions Correct answer.
- An additional reason for the cancellation
- A direct quotation of another speaker
Explanation
'Otherwise' introduces what would have happened if the cancellation had not occurred, so it marks a hypothetical consequence. The actual outcome was an empty venue. Recognising conditional meaning carried by adverbs helps listeners follow complex spoken ideas.
Question 45Oral Interaction (listening and speaking)
In a discussion, a student says: 'Hang on - if we cut the activity, won't students just lose interest?' What is the effect of the question form?
- It invites the group to consider a likely objection Correct answer.
- It ends the discussion on the proposal
- It confirms that the activity will be cut
- It asks for factual information about student numbers
Explanation
A negative rhetorical question like 'won't students just lose interest?' presents an objection for the group to weigh rather than seeking a simple yes or no. It challenges the proposal indirectly. Recognising rhetorical questions helps listeners identify implied criticism.
Question 46Oral Interaction (listening and speaking)
A speaker says: 'It's not that the plan is bad; it's that nobody has time to carry it out.' What is the speaker's main criticism?
- The plan takes too little time to prepare
- The plan is badly designed and should be rewritten
- The plan is sound but impractical given time constraints Correct answer.
- Nobody understands the plan
Explanation
The 'not that... it's that...' structure explicitly denies the first criticism and replaces it with a second. The speaker accepts the plan's quality but questions its feasibility. Distinguishing the rejected criticism from the real one is a demanding listening skill.
Question 47Oral Interaction (listening and speaking)
During a paired oral assessment, a student says: 'So what you're saying is we should focus on one example rather than three?' What is the student doing?
- Checking understanding by restating the partner's idea Correct answer.
- Correcting the partner's pronunciation
- Disagreeing with the partner's suggestion
- Introducing a completely new proposal
Explanation
The frame 'So what you're saying is...' restates the partner's point to confirm it has been understood correctly. This is a comprehension check, not a counter-argument. It demonstrates active listening and keeps the pair's planning accurate.
Question 48Oral Interaction (listening and speaking)
A speaker says: 'Had we known about the change, we would have reorganised the schedule.' What does the speaker suggest?
- The speaker knew about the change in advance
- The schedule was not reorganised because the change was unknown Correct answer.
- The schedule was reorganised before the change was announced
- The change was announced and the schedule was updated
Explanation
The inverted conditional 'Had we known... we would have...' describes an unreal past situation. Because the change was not known, the reorganisation did not happen. Understanding inverted conditionals is important for following formal spoken English.
Question 49Oral Interaction (listening and speaking)
In a group discussion, a student says: 'I see it differently, but I'm happy to go with the majority.' What does this show about the student's interaction strategy?
- Abandoning all personal views immediately
- Refusing to participate in the vote
- Maintaining a position while accepting the group's decision Correct answer.
- Persuading the group to change its mind
Explanation
The student signals a different view with 'I see it differently' but accepts the group outcome with 'happy to go with the majority'. This balances personal stance with group cohesion. It is a valuable strategy in assessed group discussions.
Question 50Oral Interaction (listening and speaking)
A speaker says: 'The feedback was useful, up to a point.' How should the listener interpret this?
- The speaker did not read the feedback
- The feedback was entirely positive
- The feedback was completely useless
- The feedback helped partly, but the speaker has reservations Correct answer.
Explanation
'Up to a point' limits the positive evaluation, so the feedback was useful only in part. The phrase signals a qualified judgement rather than full praise or total rejection. Interpreting limiting expressions is important for catching a speaker's real stance.