The Choir Roleplay
In the paired speaking test, you are Student B. Your role card says: 'You want to join the school choir. You do not know the rehearsal times. Ask Student A (the choir teacher) three questions: about rehearsal days, about auditions, and about what to prepare. You must also respond to one piece of information you did not expect.' Student A has this information: rehearsals are on Mondays and Wednesdays from 16.00 to 17.15; auditions are next Friday after school; candidates should prepare a short song in any language. Student A will also say: 'By the way, rehearsals are in the gym until the music room is repaired.' You have one minute to prepare and two minutes to speak. You are not allowed to read a written script. The examiner listens for clear questions, polite turn-taking, and a response that shows you understood.
1. Write the three questions you would ask Student A. Explain why each is suitable for the roleplay.
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Possible questions:
- 'Could you tell me which days the choir rehearses?' - asks about rehearsal days, uses a polite indirect question.
- 'When are the auditions, and what do I need to do at them?' - asks about auditions; combining two related points is natural in speech.
- 'What kind of song should I prepare, and does it have to be in English?' - asks what to prepare and checks a detail.
Each question is suitable because it targets one of the three required areas and is polite. The role card says you do not know the times, so direct questions are appropriate. In a speaking test, a mix of direct ('When are...?') and indirect ('Could you tell me...?') questions shows range. Avoid reading a script; the examiner wants to hear you respond to the answers, not recite.
2. Student A says, 'By the way, rehearsals are in the gym until the music room is repaired.' How would you respond, and why?
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I would show that I heard the new information and check the part that affects me: 'Oh, so we meet in the gym for now-will you tell us when we move back to the music room?' This responds to the unexpected detail instead of ignoring it, and it asks a sensible follow-up. It also uses 'so' to confirm understanding.
A weak response would be silence or 'OK' only, because the examiner cannot tell whether you understood. The role card explicitly asks for a response to one unexpected piece of information, so this is a scored part of the task.
3. What would you say if you did not understand the phrase 'auditions are next Friday after school'? Give a clarification question and explain why it is better than guessing.
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I would say: 'Sorry, I didn't catch that-are the auditions next Friday after school, or this Friday?' This repeats the key words and offers two possibilities, so Student A can correct me.
It is better than guessing because a wrong guess could make me prepare for the wrong day. It is also better than saying 'I don't understand' with no specific focus, because the other speaker does not know which part to repeat. In a paired speaking test, asking for clarification is a communication strategy, not a failure; it keeps the conversation going.