Part 1 of the Cambridge First Certificate Speaking exam is the easiest part. But that
doesn't mean you don't need to prepare! My name is Toby, I am a Cambridge Speaking Examiner.
This is SMASH English and here is how to pass Part 1 of the Cambridge First Certificate
Speaking Exam! So what do you need to do? Part 1 normally lasts for 2 minutes if you
have 1 partner, or 3 minutes if you have 2 partners. Normally you will only have 1 partner
but in some circumstances you could have 2. The examiner will ask you basic questions
on familiar topics. For example: your routine, your family, your friends, your plans for
the future, your hometown. There is no limit to how many questions the examiner will ask
you. If you give very short answers the examiner will ask you a lot of questions to try and
get you to produce the language. If you produce very long answers to the questions then the
examiner might only ask you 1 question. So then, shall we meet our candidates? I just
can't believe I'm doing this, babe! I'm on this Cambridge exam, I don't even know why
I'm doing it, like I speak English anyway! I'm from California...Oh my God! What am I
even doing here!? Oh and don't bring your phone with you, that is a really bad idea.
First the examiner will ask for your names. Good morning! My name is Toby, and your names
are? Oh hi! I'm Monica! My name is Bruce. And then the examiner will ask you for your
marksheets. This is a piece of paper you receive when you enter the examination centre. And
can I have your marksheets please? Yeah, totally! Thank you. Now the examiner will ask you both
the same question: 'Where are you from?' Where are you from, Monica? Oh my God! Good question!
Um, I'm from my house, and I have lived there for 10 years and next year I will have been
living there for 11 years! Future perfect continuous, Bruce! Beat that! Thank you. And
you, Bruce? I'm from Africa! Who do you think gave the best answer? Well actually, it wad
Bruce. In the exam room there are two people watch you. There is the Interlocutor. This
is the person that I am. The person talking to you. And there is the Assessor. At the
beginning of the exam, as you saw, the candidates pass their marksheets to the interlocutor,
and the interlocutor passes the marksheets to the assessor.
For the first 30 seconds to 1 minute of the exam, the assessor is completing the forms
to make sure all the information is accurate and correct. This means that the assessor
cannot really listen to you for the first 30 seconds or so of the exam. But more importantly,
the examiners know, that you know, that they will ask you this question at the beginning.
Every exam begins with a 'Where are you from?' question. If you prepare an answer and it
is obvious to the examiner that you have prepared an answer, they will stop listening. We don't
care if you can write down sentences with good grammar and memorise them. We really
don't. We want you to produce language naturally in a conversation. So for this question, please,
keep it short. "I am from..." and then say the name of your hometown. Urr, Bruce, don't
say the name of a continent, and I am pretty sure you're not from Africa. Alright! Alright!
I'm from London! Whatever! And finally the questions begin. Monica, what do you do to
help at home? Yeah totally, like yesterday I was doing the dishes and my mum came in
and she said "Monica! Are you dating John again!?" and I was like "Yeah of course I'm
dating John, he is so hot!" but she said "But Monica, he broke your heart!" Well yeah mum!
Maybe he broke my heart but you know what? Everyone deserves a second chance and mum!
I'm 16 now! OK!? I can make my own choices! Right? Here Monica is producing a lot of language
but it's not all related to the question. Imagine, if your friend asked you about the
housework, they probably wouldn't, but if they did, would you talk about your boyfriends,
and arguing with your mum about who your boyfriend is? You, you wouldn't. So sometimes it's better
to keep things shorter to try and stay on topic, especially for part 1. Bruce, do you
prefer watching, or playing sports? Urrr, watching sports or playing sports? Neither.
Here we have the opposite problem to Monica's. Sure, Bruce's answer answers the question,
but it does not give the examiner the opportunity to mark your language. The examiner does not
care if Bruce likes watching sports. The examiner does not care if Bruce likes playing sports.
The examiner, to be honest, doesn't care about you! The examiner is asking you these questions
to try to get you to produce language. This language they can mark and hopefully give
you the marks that you want. If you give very short answers, then you are not helping the
examiners help you. And Monica, what do you enjoy doing in your city? Yeah well, I like
going out with boys, I like going to the cinema with boys, I like going to the restaurants
with boys, I like going to the gym... for boys! You've gotta look hot! The problem here,
is that Monica's answer was a list. Lists are fine, we use lists to communicate. I love
lists, but not in a speaking exam. Why? Because it means you cannot use linking expressions.
I like meeting boys, I like going to restaurants with boys, I like going to the park. Instead:
"I like meeting boys as well as gong to restaurants with boys. Moreover, I also go to the gym
for boys." Here we have linking expressions: "as well as", "also", "moreover" to connect
your speech together. The examiners will notice this, and you will be rewarded for doing it.
So, no lists. Thanks. Bruce, have you seen a good film recently? I saw a great film last
night! It was like about a girl, and a boy and they....It was a great film. Uhh, you
gotta watch it. I advise you watch this film, yeah. What Bruce just said was very inappropriate.
Now, people use bad language, it is a fact of life. But remember, an exam is a formal
environment. So, use formal language when talking to the examiner. Do not use bad language,
and if you do, demonstrate to the examiner that you understand that it was inappropriate
and apologise. If you do that, it's not a problem. Alright, I apologise! That was inappropriate.
My favourite film is Toy Story because when I was young I would talk to my toys because
they were my only friends. Alright!? Are you happy now!? Better. Thank you, Bruce. And
Monica, do you have any plans for the immediate future? Do I have any plans for the future?
Umm, totally yeah, yeah sure. Umm, I wanna get my nails done. Cuz they'e like ruined!
So, yeah, I want to do that on Sunday. And on Monday, I want to... umm... I don't know.
Honestly I don't think about my future that much. This answer wasn't terrible. But it
was only in the present simple. Here's an exercise... Every question you are asked,
try to answer without using the present simple. I love the present simple! I really love the
present simple! But it is simple grammar. You need to show to the examiner that you
can use more complex grammar. That you have more flexibility with the grammar. So, let's
try now. Bruce, what's your favourite colour? I've always loved green... Ooo, very nice!
Here Bruce impressed the examiner by using the present perfect. Instead of using the
present simple "my favourite colour is green" try using this structure instead. What is
your favourite animal? I have always loved pigs because they remind me of my sister.
What is your favourite day of the week?I have always loved Saturdays because I don't have
to work. Sorry, Bruce. Continue. Because when I was young, well, no, it's because I need
it now innit. Monica, who are you most similar to in your family? Well when I was young I
used to take after my mum... I like it! Here Monica used "used to" instead of the present
simple. We use "used to" to talk about past habits and routines. Why not give this a try?
What is your favourite animal? When I was young I used to love pigs because they reminded
me of my sister. But now I don't. I prefer fish. What is your favourite day of the week?When
I was a child I used to love Saturdays because I didn't have to go to school. Now I work
on Saturdays and my favourite day is Sunday. Uhh yeah, back to Monica. But then she got
old and like really ugly and I stayed young and beautiful so now I'm like an angel that
came from heaven and I don't really take after anyone in my family. Bruce, do you often listen
to music? Rarely do I listen to music these days! This sends the examiners crazy! Keep
going, Bruce! Bruce used an inversion, we can use inversion with negative adverbials
like "seldom", "rarely, "hardly ever", "barely ever", "never" plus the interrogative form.
For example, I never go to the gym. "I got to the gym" is the present simple. The interrogative
form is "do I go to the gym", so "Never do I go to the gym". "I hardly ever see my friends".
"Hardly ever do I see my friends". "I seldom have a shower". "Seldom do I have a shower".
How exciting, Bruce! Please carry on! Because I read books about astrophysics and philosophy.
Yeah? Ignorant people... Monica, do you have a pet? Oh my goodness, I would love a pet!
If only I had a pet! Well, this makes me feel all warm and happy inside. Monica decided
to use "if only" and "I wish" to talk about wants and desires. Here we can use "if only"
or "I wish" plus the past simple to talk about something that is not real, but we want it
to be real. For example: do you have a brother? If only I had a brother, he would be my best
friend! Do you like English? No I don't, if only Toby from SMASH English was my teacher
then I would love it! Come on then, Monica, continue! Tell us all about your imaginary
pet. But my mum is like so terrible and she says I can't have one because I'm not responsible
and I'm only sixteen. But I'd like do everything with it. I'd go to the gym with it, I'd go
to the park with it, I'd put it in my bag, we'd be in the bed together, I'd kiss it.
I'd call it princess. Even if it was a boy I'd call it princess because I think princess
is a name for girls and for boys. I'd love a pet! If only I had a pet! What a lucky animal!
Um, what did you just say!? And with that, we are finished! Now you know how to pass
part 1 of the Cambridge First Certificate speaking exam by following these five rules.
Number one: stay on topic. Make sure you answer the question the examiner gives you. Number
two: give extended answers. The more language you produce the more the examiner can mark
you on. Number three: stay away from lists. If you use lists, you are not able to produce
linking words and cohesive devices. If you don't do this, then you will lose marks. Four:
be formal. Remember the exam is a formal environment. The examiner is not your friend so please
be respectful. Number five: avoid the present simple. And we are finished. Thanks a lot
for watching this video and I hope it was helpful for you. In the next video we will
look at part 2 of the Cambridge First Certificate Speaking exam. If you liked the video don't
forget to SMASH that like button, SMASH subscribe and leave a comment down below. My name is
Toby, and this was SMASH English.