Speaking: interaction, fluency and functions
The Speaking test is a face-to-face interview with an examiner, in four parts: a conversation about you, a short talk on a topic you choose from options, a role play, and a discussion where you respond to the examiner's opinions. It tests fluency and interaction as much as accuracy - whether you can keep going, take turns, repair breakdowns and make yourself understood under mild pressure.
Core rules
- Extend every answer: add a reason or an example. "Yes, I like living here" invites nothing; "Yes, mainly because my office is ten minutes away" keeps the exchange alive.
- Learn functional language for each part: opinions ("I'd say...", "To my mind..."), polite disagreement ("I see your point, but..."), suggestions ("Why don't we..."), persuasion and compromise.
- Paraphrase instead of stopping: if "landlord" escapes you, say "the person who owns the flat".
- In the role play you have a job to do - get information, make arrangements, complain - so ask questions and reach an outcome.
- Fluency beats perfection: self-correct briefly and move on rather than restarting sentences.
Worked example
Role play: a friend wants to book an expensive restaurant for a birthday; you think it is too costly and prefer a picnic. Reasoning: you need a refusal plus an alternative that keeps the relationship positive. "That place looks amazing, but I'm not sure any of us can afford it just now. What if we did a picnic in the park instead? I could bring the cake." This uses softening ("I'm not sure"), a suggestion question and an offer - three functions the examiner is listening for, delivered without a blunt "No".
Traps that cost marks
- One-word answers and long silences, which lower fluency more than a grammar slip would.
- A memorised speech that ignores the actual question.
- Never asking anything in the role play, so the task is only half done.
- Freezing on a missing word instead of describing it in other words.