Speaking
What this section tests
Speaking tasks assess fluency, pronunciation and intonation, grammatical control, vocabulary, and ability to complete a communicative task - introducing yourself, describing a routine, giving an opinion, or handling a role-play (asking directions, ordering food, making an appointment).
Concepts to master
- Self-introduction formulas: Намайг … гэдэг, Би …-аас ирсэн, Миний мэргэжил …
- Everyday functions: requesting (… өгөөч, … болох уу?), asking permission (… болох уу?), apologising (уучлаарай), thanking (баярлалаа).
- Question formation for interaction: … юу?, … уу/үү?, … хаана вэ?
- Tense control in speech: -ж байна (ongoing), -сан (past), -на (future/habitual).
- Fillers that buy time naturally: за, тийм ээ, энэ нь…, яахав.
- Intonation: question particles -уу/-үү carry rising pitch; statements fall.
Traps
- Silence under pressure - long pauses cost fluency marks; use a filler and continue.
- Answering with one word - extend with a reason or detail.
- Ignoring the role-play - the examiner plays a role; respond to their turns, not a memorised script.
- Harmony errors under speed - slow slightly at suffix endings.
- Not asking back - interaction tasks reward a return question.
Worked example
Task: ask for directions to the railway station. Model: Уучлаарай, галт тэрэгний буудал хаашаа байдаг вэ? (Excuse me, where is the railway station?) Then react: Тийм үү, баярлалаа. Алхаад хэдэн минут болох вэ? - a follow-up question demonstrates interactive ability.
Rule of thumb
Use the "answer plus one" rule: every response gets a reason, detail, or return question. Rehearse three flexible frames (opinion, description, request) and adapt them rather than memorising full scripts.