The School Council Role-Play: Polite Disagreement and Compromise
In the oral exam, you take part in a role-play with the examiner. The situation: Your school council is discussing a ban on mobile phones during breaks. You support a limited ban (phones in lockers during lessons, allowed in the courtyard at break). The examiner plays a student who disagrees and says: 'I think a ban is stupid. We need phones for emergencies.' You have two minutes to prepare. You must respond politely, give two reasons for your position, ask one question, and suggest a compromise. The examiner will then ask: 'What if a student needs to call their parents urgently?' You must not switch to German. You have 8 minutes for the whole role-play. The examiner may interrupt you. Your teacher has told you that 'I see your point, but...' is a useful phrase.
1. Write your first response to 'I think a ban is stupid.' How do you disagree without sounding rude?
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A good response starts with acknowledgement, then a polite disagreement, then one reason: 'I see your point, but I don't think a ban is stupid. Phones distract students during lessons, and teachers often have to repeat instructions. A limited ban could help everyone focus.' The phrase 'I see your point, but...' signals that you have listened; it does not mean you agree. Avoid 'You are wrong' or 'That's a stupid idea', which would damage the role-play. In the oral exam, examiners reward turn-taking and polite disagreement, not just grammatical accuracy. The reason is specific to school life, which is stronger than a general opinion.
2. Suggest a compromise and ask one question that addresses the examiner's emergency concern.
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'How about keeping phones in lockers during lessons but allowing them in the courtyard at break? Would that still let you reach your parents in an emergency?' This compromise answers both sides: it reduces distraction in lessons but does not ban phones completely. The question is genuine, not rhetorical; it invites the examiner to respond and keeps the role-play going. A weaker answer would simply repeat 'Phones are bad' or ignore the emergency point. The phrase 'How about...' is a natural way to make a proposal in spoken English, and 'Would that still let you...' checks whether the compromise meets the other person's need.
3. The examiner says 'designated area' and you do not understand the phrase. What should you say, and why is this better than guessing or switching to German?
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'Sorry, could you explain what you mean by "designated area"?' This is a clarification question in English, which is exactly what the oral exam tests. Guessing risks answering the wrong point, and switching to German breaks the task instruction. Asking for clarification is not a sign of weakness; it keeps the interaction going and shows communicative competence. After the examiner explains, you can continue: 'So you mean a specific place where phones are allowed? In that case, the courtyard could be the designated area.' Repeating the term back checks your understanding and gives you thinking time.