In this series of articles, I’m going to share my experience and impressions of CAE (New 2015 format) with you, which I took back in August. And today’s post is all about the Speaking paper. So what I’m going to do here is to give you some tips and techniques which helped me to get a high mark for Speaking.
1. Get introduced to the format of CAE Speaking.
First of all, you need to learn the format of the speaking test closely. For instance, how long you should speak in one or another part, how much time you have for the task, whether it is a monologue or a discussion with a partner, etc. However, you don’t need to learn all of these by heart. After you have had a look at the tasks you should prepare them accordingly and practice them with a partner (who is preparing for CAE either) or your teacher, and eventually, everything will stick in your mind and be performed automatically. I’ll talk about it in details soon.
Here are the format and the strategies for this paper:
CAE Speaking. Format & Strategies
2. Practise CAE Speaking with a partner on a regular basis.
Find yourself a partner and practise the tasks with him or her not less than 2-4 days a week. Note that your and your partner’s level of Speaking shouldn’t be under Upper-Intermediate one. Another important thing is that you need to ensure you have a good teamwork. The more both of you are reliable, responsible (that is, you don’t skip too many meetings, tend to prepare for them, etc.), considerate and approachable the more it is likely for you to reach excellence in the Speaking tasks. In addition, make sure you both stick to the rules by setting your stopwatch before doing a task and occasionally rereading the format in order for it not to be forgotten.
3. Always prepare for the Speaking practice meetings.
Before a CAE Speaking session with your partner, you should prepare the tasks of the test you’re going to practice with him or her. Additionally, there also should be an unprepared test which you will do on the spot. Briefly, there should be 2 speaking tests for each meeting, the one which you have prepared and the one which you haven’t prepared.
How you prepare a speaking test.
In the test, you are expected to use a wide range of vocabulary and grammar structures. So it’s not enough to just practice CAE test on a regular basis. All your knowledge of advanced words and phrases will not come out as often and easily as you expect them to. Therefore prepare a list of them, practise beforehand and, most importantly, keep the list in your sight when speaking to a partner.
Obviously, every set of pictures/every mind map is on a certain topic. So you can prepare a list of vocabulary related to it. Another thing is there are certain grammatical constructions which are most suitable for a set of pictures/a mind map to be used. So, essentially, before a meeting, you should make a list of vocabulary and constructions. Additionally, include linking words and phrases in your list either. They are highly important, as not only do they make your speech coherent, but they also help it flow smoothly. Again, you need to prepare a list which would include:
1)Advanced vocabulary
2)Advanced constructions (Conditionals, Inversion, Modals, Infinitive, Present Perfect Continuous, etc.)
3)Linking words and phrases
Here are the examples of the most confusing parts of CAE Speaking (2, 3) with vocabulary and constructions which are most suitable to be used:
The other parts of this series:
How to Reach Excellence in CAE. Reading & Use of English
How to Reach Excellence in CAE. Writing
How to Reach Excellence in CAE. Listening