hi I'm Holly welcome to Oxford online
English in this lesson you can learn how
to do parts three and four of the
Cambridge B one preliminary speaking
exam before we start one question do you
find it difficult to understand spoken
English yes help yourself and turn on
the subtitles now all our videos have
English subtitles click the CC button in
the bottom right of your video player to
turn them on if you're watching on a
mobile device use the Settings icon at
the top
in part three of the B one preliminary
speaking test you talk to your partner
not to the examiner it lasts two to
three minutes at the beginning the
examiner will say now in this part of
the test you're going to talk about
something together for about two minutes
I'm going to describe a situation to you
then the examiner will give you a
booklet with the task you'll see several
pictures it might look something like
this
then you'll hear the instructions for
example a family wants to go on a trip
this weekend
talk together about the different places
the family could visit and decide which
trip the family would most enjoy all
right now talk together listen to the
examiner carefully because the
instructions won't be written on this
task if anything is not clear ask the
examiner to repeat the instructions
first point remember that the situation
is about other people not about you the
task is not asking you to describe where
you want to visit this weekend it is
asking you to talk about where the
family in the picture should visit don't
say I think the castle is a good idea
because I love history this trip is not
for you you are only recommending ideas
for the family instead say I think the
castle is a good idea because it would
be educational for the family now let's
look at another situation pause the
video if you want more time to read and
think remember also that the
instructions will not be written on the
tasks in your real be one speaking exam
let's look at how to begin do you know
how you should start a good way to start
is to ask your partner a question for
example for this task you could ask
which present do you think is the best
or what do you think about getting him a
camera let's look at another task
imagine you're in the b1 speaking test
this is your task can you think of a
question you could ask your partner to
start pause the video and try to make
one or two questions you could use to
start this task do it now
could you do it of course there are many
possibilities you could ask what do you
think about bringing a camera or do you
think they should bring a guidebook
asking a question is a good way to start
what next the conversation should be 50
percent you speaking and 50 percent your
partner speaking you don't get extra
points for speaking more give your
opinion about something and then ask
your partner a question your opinions on
each idea should not be very long one or
two sentences maximum then ask another
question ask your partner to respond to
your ideas let's go back to our first
example remember one or two sentences
then ask a question for example I think
going to the beach is a good idea if the
weather is nice because the children
could play in the sea
what do you think about the family going
to the beach let's move on to our next
point linking your ideas when you speak
in part 3 of the b1 speaking exam you
need to link your ideas with comparisons
and contrasts look at our second task
again imagine you're in the exam your
partner says I think the mobile phone is
a good idea because our classmate could
keep in contact with us what do you
think about the camera and then you
reply I don't think the camera is a good
idea because cameras are old-fashioned
what do you think about the book these
are good answers and ideas but as a
conversation it sounds unnatural there's
no connection between one answer and the
other here's a better example your
partner says I think the mobile phone is
a good idea because our classmate could
keep in
contact with us what do you think about
the camera you reply I don't think the
camera is a good idea because today all
mobile phones have cameras what do you
think about the book this sounds better
right comparing and linking your ideas
helps you to sound more like you're
having a normal discussion our next
point you need to react to your
partner's ideas and suggestions how can
you do that when your partner speaks you
need to listen actively don't just sit
there like a robot react nod your head
or say something to show how you feel if
you agree with what your partner says
you could say something like I agree
good idea that's interesting
you're right that's true well I think so
too if you disagree with your partner
remember to be polite you could say
really I'm not sure about that
I don't think I agree I don't think so
or good idea but I prefer also when you
disagree with your partner give a reason
or an alternative suggestion for example
if your partner says I think the book is
a good idea because books are not that
expensive and you disagree you could
reply I don't think I agree I understand
that a book would be a cheap present but
we want to get our classmates something
special to remember us like the watch
when you finish discussing your options
you should make a decision together at
the end ask your partner something like
what have we decided or shall we choose
one remember you don't have to be honest
if your partner thinks that one idea is
better you can agree just to finish the
conversation it doesn't matter if you
really agree or not
if your partner is unsure try to lead
the decision look at our first task you
could say I think the family should go
to the beach because we agreed it has a
lot of activities for all the family
this shows that you have control over
the conversation what about our second
task you could say I think we can agree
that the mobile phone is the best idea
because our classmate can keep in
contact with us again you're controlling
the discussion but also involving your
partner doing these things can help your
score make sure to leave enough time to
reach a final decision together but you
also need to talk for the full two to
three minutes if you stop too early the
examiner will not say anything and you
will be sitting in uncomfortable silence
when preparing for the b1 speaking exam
try to get a feeling for how long you
need to speak don't answer the question
too quickly after around two and a half
minutes start trying to reach a final
decision now you should understand how
to do part 3 of the B one preliminary
speaking exam
what about part four
in part four the examiner will ask you
questions and you'll discuss the
questions with your partner this means
you need to speak to both the examiner
and your partner in part four the
questions will be on a similar topic to
part 3 part 4 lasts around three minutes
for example if the topic in part three
was connected to travel you might hear
questions like do you prefer to travel
with friends or alone what can people
learn from traveling to different
countries what do you like doing when
you go on holiday think how could you
answer these questions here's a sample
answer for the first question I prefer
to travel with friends it's more
interesting what do you think good
answer it's not terrible
but it could be better this answer is
just two short sentences and it doesn't
have many ideas first try to join your
ideas together using words like but
although or because for example I prefer
to travel with friends because it's more
interesting next try to use more
specific vocabulary interesting is very
general for example I prefer to travel
with friends because it's more sociable
then try to add more ideas to your
answer like this I prefer to travel with
friends because it's more sociable plus
you always have people to talk to and
hang out with remember these three
points join your ideas together use
specific vocabulary and add ideas to
your answer in this way you can make
your answers stronger like in part 3 you
should ask your partner for their
opinions the examiner will ask questions
in part 4 however you should also talk
to your partner
so at the end of your answer you can ask
your partner a question like how about
you or do you agree also react to what
your partner says for example imagine
your partner says people can learn a lot
from traveling to different countries
for example they can see how things like
culture food and architecture are
different around the world
how could you react to this first of all
you could agree or disagree for example
you could say yes I think so too
or I'm not sure I agree with you
even better try to add your own ideas
for example yes I think so too
also people can learn about different
traditions for example how festivals are
celebrated or I'm not sure I agree with
you traveling is a great experience but
I think you can learn about other
countries culture food and so on even if
you don't go there let's try another one
imagine that your partner says when I'm
on holiday I just like lying on the
beach and doing nothing all day
how could you respond to this try to
make two or three sentences say if you
have the same opinion or not and add
your own ideas pause the video and say
your response aloud could you do it
there are many possible answers let's
look at two you could say I'm the same
way
my works really busy so when I'm on
holiday I just want to relax and forget
about the stress of daily life or you
could say I guess I'm quite different to
you I love active holidays so I enjoy
things like hiking rafting cycling and
so on if I stayed on the beach all day
I'd get really bored in general in part
4 try to add reasons details and
examples to your answers this will let
you use a wider range of grammar and
vocabulary which improves your score
let's put these ideas together for each
question the examiner asks you should do
one of two things first you can give
your answer then ask your partner for
their opinion you can also continue the
discussion by reacting to what your
partner says or you can let your partner
speak and then react to what they say a
good idea would be to take turns so that
you answer one question first and then
your partner speaks first for the next
question it's better in part four if you
and your partner can control the
discussion rather than waiting for the
examiner to speak the examiner might
stop you if you speak for too long or go
off-topic but that's not a problem
that's it
good luck if you have a b1 preliminary
speaking exam soon thanks for watching
see you next time
you