PET Speaking Part 1
Do you want to pass the Cambridge PET speaking exam?
Today, I am going to give you some essential tips to help you pass part one of the Speaking exam
and not just pass but pass with a better grade.
Remember to turn the subtitles on so you can follow along.
So let's get started.
The PET exam has 4 parts to it.
Speaking, Listening, Reading and Writing.
The PET Speaking exam lasts for between 10 and 12 minutes in total.
Speaking Part One lasts between 2-3 minutes.
There are 2 candidates (sometimes 3, but this is unusual)
There are 2 Examiners,
one who will talk to you and one who will assess you, who will not talk.
So what do you talk about in PET Speaking Part 1?
This part is a social conversation between
the examiner and each candidate in turn.
They ask questions about you , your daily routines, and your likes and dislikes.
and It focuses on general social language.
It's aimed to help you relax and therefore do your best.
The first question is always, "What is your name and your surname?"
and then you're asked to spell it.
So make sure you practise spelling your surname
and remember to practise the alphabet and how to say the letters correctly.
So what topics can come up?
Well, possible subjects are:
where you live, your family and home, school, English lessons and teacher.
or your work.
So at this stage you don't talk to the other candidate
but do listen as you might get asked
.. and what do you think?
So let's look at some possible questions.
The most obvious one is: "Where are you from?" "Where do you live?" or
where do you come from?
These are all different ways of asking the same question.
How old are you?
What is/was your favourite subject at school?
Tell me something about your family.
What did you do yesterday evening?
Do you study English at school?
Do you like it?
Tell us about your English teacher?
What do you like doing in your free time?
Although I wouldn't advise that you learn
lots of pre-prepared sentences, as you would sound unnatural and will not impress the examiner.
I would recommend that you practise talking about these subjects
and thinking about possible answers that you could give.
So how can you get a better grade?
Firstly and most importantly answer your questions in full sentences
and always add more information.
So for instance: "Where do you come from?"
Don't just answer, Madrid.
Say, "I come from Madrid, the capital city of Spain."
This is a much better answer.
Or
Do you study English at school?
Instead of saying just, "Yes."
How about? "Yes, we have English 3 times a week and each lesson is an hour long."
This is a much better answer.
Secondly, try and be precise with the verbs and tenses you use
and show off your understanding of them.
So for example: Do you play sport?
Yes, I used to play tennis, but at the moment
I play volleyball and in the future, I am going to take up football.
If the examiner asks a question about the past, remember to use past tenses.
For example:
What did you do yesterday evening?
Yesterday evening, I went to the cinema and I saw a film about spaceships.
If they ask you a question about the future, remember to use future tenses.
So for example: What are going to do this summer?
I am going to go to England.
Or I'm going to England.
Check out my video lesson on the 4 future tenses
by clicking the link above or at the end of the video if you need to revise these tenses.
If they ask you about your habits and routines
remember to use the present tense.
For example: What do you do in your free time?
I play the piano and like to go running twice a week.
Or, I love playing video games and I like playing with my friends.
So, try also and use a range of vocabulary and interesting words.
For example: Tell us about your English teacher.
Instead of saying: "She is nice."
which is not a very good answer.
You could say: She is a wonderful teacher who has a lot of energy and enthusiasm for her subject.
This is a much better answer.
Lastly you're also assessed on how you link what you say.
This is called Discourse Management.
So try and use some very common language to link your ideas such as:
as you know, you see, or actually, basically,
I mean, well, anyway, like.
This helps you sounds more natural and authentic.
So here are top tips for the PET Speaking Part 1
My number one tip is to listen carefully,
and make sure you answer the question.
No 2: Don't answer with just one word.
Give a sentence and always add more information.
3: It’s normal to feel nervous at the beginning of the Speaking test. But try and speak clearly and confidently
and look at the person you are talking to.
If you don't understand a question ask the examiner for more information.
"I'm sorry, I don't understand what you mean."
This is better than answering the question
wrongly and will not mean a lower grade.
And finally practise. Practise talking in small groups,
and asking and answering questions about your personal life and interests.
Finally, Good Luck, You now know how to pass part 1 of the PET Speaking exam.
Remember to like this video and subscribe
to my channel Oxford English Now.
PET speaking part 1