Speaking (Optional Component, Where Applicable)
Speaking is an optional component, where applicable. The compulsory written Državna Matura English exam does not include a speaking section; some schools or higher-education institutions add an oral interview or presentation. Such an interview typically assesses interaction, fluency, range, accuracy and pronunciation at CEFR B1 or B2. You may be asked to describe a topic, give an opinion, compare options or respond to a follow-up question. Because it is optional and locally organised, check the exact format with your school or the institution requiring it.
Core rules
- Prepare ideas, not scripts. For common topics (school, technology, environment, travel, work), prepare a position, one reason and one example.
- Develop answers. A one-sentence answer gives the examiner little to assess; add a reason, a consequence or a personal example.
- Use interaction strategies: ask for clarification, paraphrase a word you do not know, and take a moment with 'That's an interesting question' rather than silence.
- Control the basics under pressure: tense consistency, subject-verb agreement, articles and word stress.
- Pronounce for meaning: sentence stress on key information, clear final consonants and natural linking.
Worked example
Examiner: 'Some people say students should choose their own subjects at 15. What do you think?' Weak answer: 'I think yes because it is good.' It gives no reason and no development. Stronger answer: 'I'd argue students should have some choice, but not complete freedom. At 15, many of us don't know enough about careers, so a core curriculum plus electives seems more balanced. For example, I chose IT early and it helped me, but I still needed maths.' Reasoning: The answer states a qualified position, gives a reason, offers a concrete example and uses a conditional structure ('I'd argue') and a comparative ('more balanced'). It is not a memorised speech; it responds directly to the question.
Traps that cost marks
One-word or two-word answers, memorised speeches that ignore the question, and long silences are the main problems. Candidates also lose marks by switching tenses in the middle of a narrative, or by using a sophisticated word with the wrong stress. If you do not understand, do not guess blindly: ask 'Could you repeat that, please?' or 'Do you mean ...?' Finally, do not dominate the interaction; an oral interview is a conversation, so listen and respond.