This test should not exceed 20 minutes.
[Note: You will take the test with another candidate. During the test, you will be allowed to take notes to prepare your answers. The examiner will not mark your notes, only your speaking and listening skills are marked.]
Examiner: Hello Noah, hello Lily. My name is Sophie and I will be your examiner today. Let’s begin…
Phase 1a (4–5 minutes)
[The Examiner will select questions from those provided in the test pack, in a variety of areas such as name, nationality, work/study, where candidates live, and free time activities.]
Name:
Q. Could you tell me your full name, please?
Q. Who gave you this name?
Q. How is your name special to you?
Work/study:
Q. What do you do?
Q. Do you enjoy your study? [Why/Why not?]
Q. What profession would you like to have in future? [Why?]
Food and Cooking:
Q. What sorts of food do you like eating most? [Why?]
Q. In general, do you prefer eating out or eating at home? [Why?]
Phase 1b (6 minutes)
[In this part of the test, you are each going to talk for about one minute. While you are talking, your partner will listen to you. Your partner will then ask you two questions about what you have said.]
Noah, you’re going to tell Sarah about the pictures or paintings you like to look at and why you like looking at them.
Lily, you’re going to tell Noah about animals you like and why you like them.
Now you both have one minute to think about what you want to say. You can make notes if you want to. If there’s anything you don’t understand, please ask me.
🕑 One minute for preparation…
Examiner: Noah, are you ready? Please tell Lily about the pictures or paintings you like to look at and why you like looking at them.
Lily, listen, and ask two questions at the end.
🕑 One minute…
Examiner: Thank you, Noah.
Examiner: Lily, please ask Noah your questions now.
Examiner: Thank you, Lily.
🕑 One minute…
Examiner: Lily, are you ready? Please tell Noah about animals you like and why you like them.
Noah, listen, and ask two questions at the end.
🕑 One minute…
Examiner: Thank you, Lily.
Examiner: Noah, please ask Lily your questions now.
Examiner: Thank you, Noah.
Phase 2a (4 minutes)
Examiner: In this part of the test, you are going to listen to two recordings and answer some questions. You can make notes if you want to.
You hear some students talking in different places. Where are they? A café, a study centre or a sports hall?
Play the Recording:
[You will listen to the recording only once.] Audio Copyright – Cambridge IELTS
Where are they?
Examiner: Noah, in the first recording, where are the students? A café, a study centre or a sports hall?
Noah: ………………..
Examiner: Thank you.
Examiner: Lily, in the second recording, where are the students? A café, a study centre or a sports hall?
Lily: ………………..
Examiner: Thank you.
Now listen again, and answer these questions.
Examiner: Lily, in the first recording, what time does the café close? And where must the woman go before she eats?
Lily: …………
Examiner: Noah, in the second recording, what is the woman doing? And what will the man help the woman to find?
Noah: …………
Examiner: Thank you.
Phase 2b (4-5 minutes)
Examiner: Now you’re going to talk together about how you study. Talk to each other about where you like to study and what helps you to study.
Studying – prompt questions
Q. Do you like studying at home or in a public place like a library or a café? (Why?)
Q. Do you like studying with other people? (Why/Why not?)
Q. How often do you use a computer when you study? (What do you use it for?)
Q. Do you like to listen to music when you study? (Why/Why not?)
Examiner: Thank you. That is the end of the test.
Answer Section:
Phase 1a:
Name:
Q. Could you tell me your full name, please?
Answer 1: My full name is Noah Hathaway. While everybody calls me Noah, my grandfather calls me James, a name he really likes.
Answer 2: Sure, my name is Lily Carter. Lily is my nickname while Carter is my family name.
Q. Who gave you this name?
Answer: I heard from my mother than my paternal uncle- Morris, who is senior to my father by three years choose this name for me.
Q. How is your name special to you?
Answer: Well, I believe everyone’s name is special to him or her, and my name is special to me because this is the very identity I bear no matter where I go. People call me (…say your name here…) and it also bears the family title my grandfather, great grandfathers and many of my ancestors before them carried. Thus this name reminds me who I am, which family I belong to and how grateful I am to my family for bringing me to this world and sharing their very core existence and identity with me.
Work/study:
Q. What do you do?
Answer 1: I am studying “Bachelor of Business Administration” at the (…say the name of a university…). My major is “Management” and I have already finished seven semesters. Hopefully, I will finish my BBA degree at the end of next year.
Answer 2: I am a doctor by profession and I have finished my MBBS from the (…say the name of your medical college…) a few years ago. Since then, I have been practising medical treatments at a hospital called (…say the name of the hospital where you work…).
Q. Do you enjoy your study? [Why/Why not?]
Answer: I really like the university where I study, I admire the teachers who teach us there and I like the way I am being prepared to take my future career. Most of all, I love to study as it always helps me learn new things, enhances my knowledge and allows me to explore different domains of knowledge and wisdom.
Q. What profession would you like to have in future? [Why?]
Answer: I am not sure what the future will bring to me or what the “fate” has in mind for me, but I wish to work in a multinational company after I finish my graduation. After five years or so, I want to see myself in a senior position where I would be able to use my knowledge and experience to contribute to the growth of the company. I want to grow further and reach to the top position in such a company before I retire from my job. Please wish me luck!
Food and Cooking:
Q. What sorts of food do you like eating most? [Why?]
Answer: I love eating fruits, vegetables, home-made cookies and cakes, fried rice with vegetables, noodles, and pizzas (I prefer pizzas that are made at home.) I try to avoid junk food and prefer eating food made at home. Besides, I believe every young-adult should eat plenty of fruits and vegetables and that is why these two items are on the top of my list.
Q. In general, do you prefer eating out or eating at home? [Why?]
Answer: I prefer mostly home-made food and that’s why eating out at a restaurant or a fast-food shop is not something I really like. However, I absolutely love the idea of social programmes and occasions when many people gather to enjoy a birthday or a wedding ceremony at a community centre or a restaurant.
Phase 1b:
Examiner: Noah, you’re going to tell Sarah about the pictures or paintings you like to look at and why you like looking at them.
Examiner: Lily, listen, and ask two questions at the end.
Sample Answer:
Thank you, madam, for giving me the opportunity to talk about a few pictures or painting I love to look at and the reason behind it.
Well, Sarah, I must first tell you that I am not an expert in painting or any sort of artworks and that’s why my taste in art is not world class! Having said that, I also need to mention here that I like some paintings, not because of its creative works, artistic values or historic significance, but simply because I have seen them so many times and like the way they look and feel to my ordinary eyes.
My most favourite photograph is the one that hangs on my parents’ bedroom wall which depicts a very young me with my parents. I was probably four years old at the time of taking the picture and I love it above all because it reminds me of my magical childhood and simply because I can’t believe how thin and young my parents were!
Another favourite picture of mine is a black-and-white 3R size photograph that has my grandfather, his three siblings and their parents in it. I have not met most of them in person and yet the photo indicates how strongly and passionately I feel about all of them. This is strange and this picture reminds me of our love for persons whom we have never met!
Among the famous paintings, “Mona Lisa” by Leonardo da Vinci is the one I have always been fascinated about. It is perhaps one of the best-known paintings of all time. I like it because it is absolutely gorgeous and it always reminds me of Leonardo the Vinci – one of the most versatile talents the world has ever produced.
Well, Sarah, that’s pretty much of it.
Lily: Well, Noah, thank you for telling me about the photographs and paintings that you really like. To tell you the truth, I also like the “Mona Lisa”.
Now my first question is “Have you ever tried to draw a picture yourself?”
Okay. And my second question is “Will you be interested in taking a short course in photography? [Why/Why not?]”.
Thanks.
Examiner: Lily, you’re going to tell Noah about animals you like and why you like them.
Examiner: Noah, listen, and ask two questions at the end.
Sample Answer:
Well, I like animals whether they are considered as “pet” animals or animals in their natural habitat. But, I certainly prefer animals like Zebras and Giraffes over others.
Talking about Zebras, I think that they are some of the very best and beautiful animals that one can ever find in the animal kingdom. With their distinct black and white stripes, creating an optical illusion when getting closer, along with their ‘surprised’ looks when approached, you are certain to lose words on how to describe them properly. I like them because they are very social! I also like them not just because they look “elegant” but they are also very peaceful.
When it comes to Giraffes, they are simply the most amazing and unique creature of God. I like them, of course, primarily because they are the tallest animal in the world. I like Giraffes because of their height, but I adore them also because of their quiet and intelligent nature. By the way, if one looks carefully, Giraffes probably have the most innocent, funny and hilarious faces of all the animals. And, if you ever see a “baby Giraffe”, you will certainly think that it is the cutest animal ever, and you will want to cuddle it the whole day!
Noah: Well, Lily, thank you for telling me about the animals you like so much. It was interesting to listen to you.
Now my first question is “Have you ever considered having a pet?”
And my second question is “Why should we ensure a safe harbour for the animals around us?”
Thanks.
Phase 2a:
Where are they?
Script 1: a café
Script 2: a study centre
Q. What time does the café close? Answer: half past four/ four thirty.
Q. Where must the woman go before she eats? Answer: (to) (the) bank.
Q. What is the woman doing? Answer: (her) homework.
Q. What will the man help the woman to find? Answer: (the) books (they need).
📻 Listening script 1:
F: Hi James, how are you?
M: I’m fine – but I’m hungry!
F: Me too, the sports class was really long today. Do you know when this place shuts?
M: At half past four but they stop serving food soon.
F: OK, well I’m just going out for a minute – I’ll be straight back. I have to go to the bank and get some money though.
M: Well you’d better be quick or they’ll be nothing left to eat!
F: Alright. I won’t be long.
📻 Listening script 2:
M: Hi Sarah, what are you doing in here?
F: I’m trying to do my homework – it’s really difficult though.
M: Oh, I haven’t started doing that yet. Do you want to work together?
F: Sure, but I don’t think we can talk in here can we?
M: I think it’s OK as long as we’re quiet. Shall I help you look for the books we need?
F: OK thanks! That’d be great. But should we just go for a coffee before we start?
M: Good idea.
Phase 2b:
Studying – prompt questions
Q. Do you like studying at home or in a public place like a library or a café? (Why?)
Answer: I prefer to study at home because this is like a “sanctuary” to me where I can feel comfortable doing anything from relaxing, sleeping and listening to music to “studying” without any “restriction” hanging over my head to pull me back. Of course, I wouldn’t mind going to a library once in a while, but that is only when I would need to do some extensive research works for my studies. Otherwise, again, I would prefer to study at home at any time of the day.
Q. Do you like studying with other people? (Why/Why not?)
Answer: No, I don’t really like to study with other people primarily because when I am around them, there surely will be some noise and commotion, even if I am not creating them, to distract me from my studies. And, if there are, indeed, no sounds or commotion around me to distract, the chances are that either I will want to communicate with them, or they will want to interact with me for some reasons. Whatever is the case, I am risking noise and distraction when I am studying with people.
However, I sometimes like to discuss complex study materials with my classmates in a group and that helps me in my studies a lot.
Q. How often do you use a computer when you study? (What do you use it for?)
Answer: Using a computer has become an integral part of our lives, and I am no exception. Therefore, the question is how often I don’t use a computer! Anyway, I use a computer pretty much all the time since I am a student of computer science. I use my computer when I am studying. I use a computer when I am doing my homework as well. I use a computer when I am doing some study related researches and getting information on the internet also.
Q. Do you like to listen to music when you study? (Why/Why not?)
Answer: Yes, I do like to listen to music when I study as it is soothing and relaxing, and thus helping me to beat the stress or anxiety in general. Besides, background slow music also helps me improve my focus, motivation and mood on difficult tasks during long study sessions. In some cases, I have found that when I listen to slow music, it helps me with memorisation as well rather quickly by stimulating my memory cells.
[That is the end of the answer section.]
A very useful guide for a potential examinee.