The Cambridge English Speaking Test: How to Prepare for a Paired Exam
Hiroki Obara · DeveloperAlphaGeorgeHow-To
The standard format for a Cambridge English Speaking test is two candidates and two examiners. According to the A2 Key (KET) handbook for teachers, one examiner, the interlocutor, gives the instructions and asks the questions. The other, the assessor, does not join the conversation and only assesses.
Many speaking exams are one candidate with one examiner. In the Cambridge exams, you are paired with another candidate, often a stranger, and part of the test is a discussion between the two of you. Plenty of people find that worrying. This post uses the official handbooks and format pages to go through how the paired test works and what to keep in mind when talking with your partner.
Timing and parts by level
| Exam | Pairs | Groups of three | Parts |
|---|---|---|---|
| A2 Key (KET) | 8 to 10 minutes | 13 to 15 minutes | 2 |
| B1 Preliminary (PET) | 10 to 12 minutes | 15 to 17 minutes | 4 |
| B2 First (FCE) | 14 minutes | 20 minutes | 4 |
| C1 Advanced (CAE) | 15 minutes | 23 minutes | 4 |
The sources are the handbooks for KET, PET and CAE, and the format page for FCE. When there is an odd number of candidates, three may take the test together. The format stays the same; only the time is longer.
How the test runs
At every level, there are broadly three ways of speaking: with the examiner, on your own, and with the other candidate.
A short conversation with the examiner. In the first part, the interlocutor asks each candidate questions in turn: your name, where you live, your studies or work, what you like doing. The KET handbook notes that candidates do not talk to each other in this part.
Talking on your own (PET and above). In PET you get one photograph and describe what you can see for about a minute. In FCE you get two photographs and compare them for a minute, then answer a short question of about 30 seconds on your partner’s photographs. In CAE you choose two of three photographs and talk for a minute.
Discussion with the other candidate. In KET, the two of you look at five pictures and say which you like or dislike, and why. In PET, you are given a situation and pictures, and you make suggestions, compare the options and work towards agreement. In FCE and CAE, you discuss a question with written prompts for two minutes, then have one minute to reach a decision together. In this part the interlocutor sets up the task but does not take part.
Further discussion. At PET and above, the last part has the interlocutor asking more questions on the same topic as the discussion. Questions may go to one of you or to both.
The format of each exam as a whole is covered in How to Prepare for A2 Key (KET), How to Prepare for B1 Preliminary (PET), How to Prepare for B2 First (FCE) and How to Prepare for C1 Advanced (CAE).
About your partner
The biggest worry in a paired test is probably whether your partner’s level or manner will affect your score. The PET handbook says that throughout the test candidates are assessed on their own individual performance and not in relation to each other. Your partner may talk a lot or very little; either way, it is your English that is being assessed.
For the discussion part, the handbooks make these points:
- You are assessed on using suitable language and ways of interacting, not on your ideas.
- Respond to your partner’s ideas and move the discussion on, for example by giving your opinion or asking a question.
- Don’t rush to a conclusion; talk about all the pictures or prompts.
- Don’t worry if you are stopped before reaching a conclusion. Finishing the task is not part of the assessment.
- If you don’t understand an instruction or what your partner said, you can ask for it to be repeated. This does not normally lose marks.
Of these, I think the most important is to respond to what your partner said before giving your own view. Talking at length without handing over the turn is not interaction, and neither is nodding along without saying anything. Practising short linking phrases such as “I agree, because…”, “That’s a good point, but…” and “What do you think?” makes them easier to reach for on the day.
How it is marked
In KET, the assessor marks Grammar and Vocabulary, Pronunciation and Interactive Communication. From PET upwards, Discourse Management is added. The interlocutor gives a mark for overall performance. Marks are based on all parts of the test, so getting stuck in one part is not the end.
If you get nervous
The KET handbook says it is normal to feel nervous at the start, and that the first part uses simple everyday language and is designed to help candidates settle into the test. If your voice comes back while you answer the first few questions, that is enough.
The handbooks also advise against learning set answers by heart. Memorised answers sound unnatural and often don’t answer the question actually asked. I think it works better to prepare some English words for what you want to say about yourself (where you live, your studies or work, your weekends) and build the sentences on the spot. Prepare the materials, not a script.
Practice at home
Describe a photo for one minute. The PET handbook suggests practising talking about a picture for a minute and recording yourself to listen back. A phone timer and voice recorder are all you need. You will probably find that a minute is longer than you thought.
Practise a discussion with someone. With a family member or friend, try the same shape as the PET or FCE discussion: choosing one option from several. If the other person doesn’t speak English, even playing both roles yourself is practice in turning the question back to your partner.
Watch the official samples. The Cambridge English website has sample tests and videos of real candidates. The handbooks recommend watching sample videos and doing mock tests to get used to the format.
What AlphaGeorge can do
AlphaGeorge, an app I make for iPhone and iPad, is for preparing for the Cambridge exams. Every one of its 66 units, across six levels from A1 to C2, includes a speaking lesson. It is made up of listening to a conversation, filling gaps in a dialogue, putting words in order, and saying English sentences aloud, which the app checks with speech recognition. The daily warm-up includes shadowing, where you repeat a sentence you just heard, and shows how many of its words you said. The app’s interface and explanations are in English and Japanese.
What the app covers is learning the phrases you will need and getting used to saying them. It cannot give you a conversation with a partner, and it does not mark what you say in your own words. Practise the discussion parts with a person, as described above. Questions that use speech recognition need permission for the microphone and speech recognition.
AlphaGeorge is free to start, with ads and a limit of hearts. AlphaGeorge Premium, a monthly or yearly subscription, removes ads, makes hearts unlimited and lets you replay finished lessons. Which level to take is covered in Which Cambridge English Exam Should You Take?, and Getting Started with AlphaGeorge walks through the first session.
