Are you preparing to take the Cambridge C1 Advanced speaking exam? Do you know what five aspects of your speaking are covered in the marking scheme, and how you could improve your performance for each of them? The exam was previously called the Certificate in Advanced English (CAE), so if you’re looking for materials to prepare for that, you’re in the right place!
In this free lesson from Oxford Online English, you will listen to examples of two candidates doing the four parts of the C1 Advanced speaking exam, and consider what to practise for the different areas of the marking scheme.
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C1 Advanced Speaking Exam Parts One and Two — video lesson
C1 Advanced Speaking Exam Parts Three and Four — video lesson
When you’re ready, click Start Quiz in the four parts below, and listen carefully!
C1 Advanced Speaking Exam Part One
In part one of the C1 Advanced speaking exam, the examiner asks you questions about your life and experiences.
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Question 1 of 10
1. Question
Question 1a
Listen to a part one question and a candidate’s answer.
What is the problem with the vocabulary in this answer?
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Question 2 of 10
2. Question
Question 1b
Listen to the same answer, this time with correct collocations.
Write one missing word in each gap to complete the collocations you hear.
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spare
work hours
hiking
the mountains
coast
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Question 3 of 10
3. Question
Question 2a
This time the focus is grammar. There are no grammatical mistakes here, but the answer won’t get a very high score.
What’s the problem?
CorrectIncorrectHint
A complex sentence has at least two clauses, each with its own subject and verb.
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Question 4 of 10
4. Question
Question 2b
Listen to this alternative version of the answer, which includes complex sentences.
Write the speaker’s words in the gaps below to complete the linking devices used.
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“Well, unfortunately, the long hours I work, I don’t actually have a lot of spare time, but I get the chance, I love going hiking, particularly in the mountains or along the coast path. I could do it more often.”
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Question 5 of 10
5. Question
Question 3a
Listen to a more developed answer. This time, there’s an issue relating to another aspect of the marking scheme.
What is the problem with this answer?
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Question 6 of 10
6. Question
Question 3b
What do you do in a situation like this – where the examiner asks about your experience, but you don’t have any relevant example? This time, the speaker still starts by saying “I don’t actually have a lot of spare time”. Listen to how he continues.
How does he make his answer relevant to the question?
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Question 7 of 10
7. Question
Question 4a
The last question (about giving relevant examples) relates to your discourse management score. This answer also contains a problem with discourse management – the organisation of the ideas.
What’s the issue?
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Question 8 of 10
8. Question
Question 4b
Listen to the same answer, now with appropriate linking devices, and look at the transcipt below.
“I’ve started a couple of new hobbies at home recently – I’ve got into baking and also I’ve taken up gardening. In fact, what I like most of all is doing these things at my house near the beach down in the southwest, so I go there at weekends as often as I can.”
Which of the underlined linking words introduces more precise detail to clarify something? Write the linking device in the space below.
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Question 9 of 10
9. Question
Question 5a
Lastly, let’s look at the other part of the marking scheme: pronunciation. Listen to an incorrect example.
What is the problem with the pronunciation here?
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Question 10 of 10
10. Question
Question 5b
This time, the stress pattern is far more natural.
Which statement about stressed and unstressed words is true?
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C1 Advanced Speaking Exam Part Two
In part two of the C1 Advanced speaking exam, you talk about two photographs and answer two questions. You have one minute to speak by yourself and three photographs to choose from. Open the tab to see an example task.
How might they be feeling?”
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Question 1 of 10
1. Question
Question 1a
First, listen to the examiner’s instruction.
Now listen to a candidate beginning the task.
What is the problem with this answer?
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Question 2 of 10
2. Question
Question 1b
In the last question, you saw that it’s unnecessary to say “I’m going to talk about the first photo and the third photo.” Listen to the speaker identifying her two photos in a different way.
How does she identify the photos?
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Question 3 of 10
3. Question
Question 2a
When speaking, you should use signposting language (also called linking devices) that indicate to the listener what sort of information you’re about to say. Listen out for signposting in this answer.
What is the problem with the signposting language here?
CorrectIncorrectHint
Pay attention to the signposting before “a trip on a traditional boat would be something that tourists do”, and before “the people on the boat just want to relax.”
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Question 4 of 10
4. Question
Question 2b
Listen to the same answer again, this time with the signposting language in the correct places.
Write the speaker’s words in the gaps below.
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“The man has probably gone to the art gallery because it’s a tourist attraction and he’s only in town for a short time. , a trip on a traditional boat would be something that tourists do during their brief stay in the city. They’re very different activities though: he’s probably keen to learn something from visiting the gallery. , the people on the boat just want to relax.”
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Question 5 of 10
5. Question
Question 3a
In this answer, listen to how the speaker tries to speculate about the people’s feelings.
What’s wrong with her speculation?
CorrectIncorrectHint
Speculating means considering some evidence and making a guess about something.
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Question 6 of 10
6. Question
Question 3b
Listen again – this time with correct modal verbs of deduction.
Complete the rules about how to use modal verbs to speculate, plus the example used by the speaker. Write the same modal verb in each rule and example, as in the first one, which has already been completed.
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Use must when the evidence suggest you can be 100% certain of a fact, e.g. “they must be seeing some really interesting things, since a number of them are taking photos”.
Use could, may or when something is possible, but there isn’t enough evidence to be certain, e.g. “the man appears to be looking down at something – which be his phone”.
Use when you conclude that something is definitely not true, e.g. “so he be very excited about the art.”
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Question 7 of 10
7. Question
Question 4a
Listen to an example of some pronunciation which is not appropriate when speaking.
What is the problem with the pronunciation here?
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Question 8 of 10
8. Question
Question 4b
Listen again to the same answer, this time with contractions.
How many contractions does the speaker use? Write a number between 1 and 4 in the space below.
CorrectIncorrectHint
There is one contraction that includes a verb + ‘to’. It’s not the only contraction!
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Question 9 of 10
9. Question
Question 5a
Now listen to a full one-minute answer. It contains a lot of the comparisons and speculation that you have seen in previous questions.
Although this answer meets many of the requirements of the marking scheme, there is one new problem. What is it?
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Question 10 of 10
10. Question
Question 5b
Listen to this version of the full answer, which answers all parts of the task.
The notes below show how the speaker has made comparisons and answered both questions. Write one of her words in each gap.
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Why the people have visited the places
Similarity: both are attractions; the people are only visiting the city briefly
Difference: the man wants to something in the gallery; the people on the boat just want to relaxHow the people might be feeling
Difference: the people on the boat are themselves; it’s difficult to know if the man is
Similarity: the people on the boat are looking at interesting things; maybe the man’s fascinated, too
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C1 Advanced Speaking Exam Part Three
In part three of the C1 Advanced speaking exam, you talk with another candidate to answer a question, with reference to five ideas which are shown to you on a piece of paper. You have two minutes to speak about them. Then, the examiner asks you another question and you have one more minute to choose one or two of the ideas. Open the tab to see an example task.
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Question 1 of 10
1. Question
Question 1a
Listen to the examiner’s instruction, and two candidates beginning the task.
What is the problem?
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Question 2 of 10
2. Question
Question 1b
Listen to a different answer, which includes some filler phrases and signposting language, giving the candidates the opportunity to think of ideas while they are speaking.
Complete the gaps below with the words you hear.
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Man: “ … shall we start with new classrooms? Why do schools spend money on them?”
Woman: “ , let me for a moment. , you can’t have a school without classrooms … why new ones? it’s due to population growth in most countries: you ? The number of children in schools must be increasing all the time, new classrooms would be needed because they’ve reached capacity.”
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Question 3 of 10
3. Question
Question 2a
Listen to the speakers using a lot of filler phrases, like in the last question.
What’s the problem with how they use them here?
CorrectIncorrectHint
The filler phrases are underlined in this trascript.
Man: Would you like to start?
Woman: OK. Let’s start with sports facilities. I think a school might invest in them because … all children need to do regular exercise.
Man: Yes. I see your point, but you don’t need to invest much just to have a field just to play football on. What do you think about the nature garden?
Woman: That’s a good question. I’ve never really thought about it before. -
Question 4 of 10
4. Question
Question 2b
Look at some of the phrases used in the last answer and listen closely to how the speakers say them this time.
“Would you like to start?”
“Let’s start with …”
“I see your point, but …”
“What do you think about …”
“That’s a good question. I’ve never really thought about it before.”What do the speakers do to make these phrases sound natural, not mechanical? Choose three answers.
CorrectIncorrectHint
The incorrect option is a description of what you should not do!
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Question 5 of 10
5. Question
Question 3a
For parts three and four of the C1 Advanced speaking exam, you get a mark for interactive communication. This means how you have a conversation – not just state your opinions. Listen to part of an answer and focus on how the two speakers engage each other in conversation.
What problem occurs?
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Question 6 of 10
6. Question
Question 3b
This time, the speakers ask each other questions in a slightly different way.
Which two things do you hear?
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Question 7 of 10
7. Question
Question 4a
For all parts of the C1 Advanced speaking exam, you get a mark for discourse management – the way the ideas you express are linked to each other. Listen for connections between the ideas in this answer.
What is the problem with discourse management in this answer?
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Question 8 of 10
8. Question
Question 4b
Now listen to a full answer, in which the speakers find things that some of the topics have in common. This enables them to link from one topic to another, not just say them as a list.
Write the missing words in four of the sentences that you hear.
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“Actually, keeping on top of the latest ideas teacher training, isn’t it?”
“ extra-curricular activities, I suggest.”
“ teacher training is investing in the staff, providing funding for after-school clubs and things like that is supporting the pupils.”
“ sports facilities, if you’re the local school that has the best gym and the best equipment, you’ll probably have the best teams too.”
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Question 9 of 10
9. Question
Question 5a
When you have finished the first section of part three, the examiner asks a follow-up question and you have a further minute to make a decision. Listen to the two speakers doing this.
What problem occurs here?
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Question 10 of 10
10. Question
Question 5b
There is more than one way to structure an answer in the second section of part three. Listen to how these speakers do it.
Put the things in order to show how these candidates organise their ideas.
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The man explains the second of his suggestions.
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The woman makes a decision about which two things to choose.
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The woman disagrees with one of his points and asks him to give a reason for the other.
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The woman suggests one of the two things they need to choose.
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The man agrees with her and proposes a choice of two more things.
View Answers:
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C1 Advanced Speaking Exam Part Four
In part four of the C1 Advanced speaking exam, you talk with the other candidate to answer questions asked by the examiner. You should interact with your partner, not the examiner.
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Well done! You have finished all the questions, with most of them correct. You can do them as many times as you like, so if you would like to try them again now, click on Restart Quiz. If you prefer to review the answers, click on View Questions.
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Question 1 of 10
1. Question
Question 1a
Listen to the examiner asking a question in part four and the two candidates answering.
What is the problem?
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Question 2 of 10
2. Question
Question 1b
Listen to the two candidates interacting with each other.
In addition to asking his partner a question, what two things does the man do to involve the woman in the discussion?
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Question 3 of 10
3. Question
Question 2a
Listen to the two candidates extending the same answer.
What is the problem with their discourse management this time?
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Question 4 of 10
4. Question
Question 2b
Listen to a different version of the same answer and focus on how the speakers go into detail.
Put the things the speakers do in the order you hear them.
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The man makes a point about himself and the woman, and invites her to agree.
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The woman adds her own example, using a hypothetical sentence to relate it to the question.
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The man uses a hypothesis to illustrate how he has avoided something undesirable.
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The woman gives an example from her own life and asks the man to give his own.
View Answers:
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Question 5 of 10
5. Question
Question 3a
Listen again to the same answer you’ve just heard. There are a lot of good examples of how to go into detail, but it could still be improved.
Which of these things is still a problem?
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Question 6 of 10
6. Question
Question 3b
Now listen to an alternative answer, which starts the same but goes in a completely different direction.
Put the things the speakers do in the order you hear them.
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The man accepts her point, but points out an alternative way of seeing it.
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The man makes a point about himself and the woman, and invites her to agree.
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The man needs clarification, so asks the woman to explain her point.
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The woman admits some agreement but offers a reason to disagree.
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The woman gives a hypothetical example of what a different person might think.
View Answers:
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Question 7 of 10
7. Question
Question 4a
Before you finish, let’s look at the other parts of the marking scheme. Listen to a different answer to the same question. We hope you recognise that it sounds quite ridiculous!
What’s wrong with this? Choose two answers.
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Question 8 of 10
8. Question
Question 4b
Listen to a far more natural version of the last answer, which includes neutral language and some more informal things, too.
Look at the inappropriate formal versions from the last question and complete the more natural versions that you hear this time. Write two words in each gap, exactly as the speakers say them. Contractions count as one word.
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“It is often said that …”
> “Well, that …”“irrespective of the experience that may have been acquired”
> “it doesn’t how much experience in life …”“Might it even be enhanced as each individual ages?”
> “You might actually benefit more as you .”“A point well made!”
> “Yeah, you’ve really well.”“any opportunities afforded are embraced far more readily whenever a tangible benefit can be envisaged”
> “there’s often a real-life to learning.”
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Question 9 of 10
9. Question
Question 5a
In this last example of a problematic answer, there is a problem with pronunciation.
The speaker is doing something deliberately wrong. What is it?
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Question 10 of 10
10. Question
Question 5b
This time, the speaker says the sentences more naturally and includes aspects of connected speech.
Match the types of connected speech with the examples in this clip.
Sort elements
- don’t they
- do you
- there’s always
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elision – when a final consonant is dropped before another word starting with a consonant
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weak forms – when the vowel in unstressed words is pronounced as the neutral /ə/ sound
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catenation – when a final consonant attaches to the vowel at the start of the next word
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