What does the paper consist of?

• The test lasts between 11 and 14 minutes

• The format is 1 examiner and 1 candidate, and the examiner uses a script, to ensure all candidates are treated in the same way.

• The speaking test consists of 3 parts:

Part 1: 4-5 minutes

Giving personal information

• The examiner asks you questions about common topics

• You can give short answers, 1-2 sentence each

• The examiner will normally ask you about three topics

Examples:

Home  Work or study  Family  Learning English Animals

Fashion Travelling  Music   Food   Festivals

Part 2: 3-4 minutes

Long individual turn

• You have to speak for 1-2 minutes on a topic while the examiner listens

• The examiner will explain this topic and give you a card which explains it as well

• You can prepare for up to a minute by making notes(pen and paper are provided)

Part 3: 4-5 minutes

Discussion with examiner

• This is based on the topic from part 2

• The examiner will ask more general questions on this topic & wider questions connected to it

• This part of the test should be more like a normal discussion of a topic

Insert the correct article in the gaps.  Write a / an / the / 0

Technology and development

When 1_______ developing countries  adopt 2­­­_______ high technology 3_______ results may be disastrous. For example, in one such country 4_______ traditional shoemakers had no trouble finding 5_______ work. All 6_______ shoes were made by 7_______ hand, using 8_______ traditional materials like 9_______ wood and 10_______ leather. Many people supplied 11_______ goods to 12_______ shoemakers, and so were kept in 13_______ employment.  Then 14_______ new scheme to produce 15_______ plastic shoes was introduced. 16_______ very large factory was built, and 17_______ expensive plastic injection moulding machine was bought. 18_______ shoes were to be made from 19_______ PVC, which is 20_______ cheap material, but could only be  bought outside 21_______ country. 22_______ plastic shoe factory employed only 40 people. 23_______ plastic shoes were cheap but lasted 24_______ long time. As a result, 25_______ traditional shoemakers soon found themselves without 26_______ job.

(ANSWERS BELOW)

When 1. X developing countries  adopt 2­­­   X high technology 3_THE results may be disastrous. For example, in one such country 4X traditional shoemakers had no trouble finding 5X work. All 6 X shoes were made by 7 X  hand, using 8_X  traditional materials like 9 X wood and 10_ X leather. Many people supplied 11_ X goods to 12 THE  shoemakers, and so were kept in 13_ X employment.  Then 14_A new scheme to produce 15_ X  plastic shoes was introduced. 16_A very large factory was built, and 17  AN expensive plastic injection moulding machine was bought. 18_THE shoes were to be made from 19 X  PVC, which is 20_ A cheap material, but could only be  bought outside 21_THE country. 22 THE plastic shoe factory employed only 40 people. 23THE plastic shoes were cheap but lasted 24 A long time. As a result, 25THE traditional shoemakers soon found themselves without 26_A  job.

Academic Reading

What does the paper consist of?

Three sections of increasing difficulty 

The three texts are taken from a range of sources – magazines, journals, newspapers etc, and at least 1 text develops an argument. There may be diagrams also. 

There are 40 questions in total, and 40 marks.

How long does it last?

• 60 minutes – you answer on the question sheet and transfer your answers to the  answer sheet

• There is no extra time for transferring your answers (unlike the listening)

What kinds of questions are there?

• Multiple choice

• Short-answer

• Completing sentences and information using no more than 3 words or numbers

• Filling in a table

• Labelling diagrams

• Identifying attitudes

• Yes / No / Not given summaries

• Matching headings to paragraphs

• Matching lists and phrases

General Training Reading

What does the paper consist of?

Three sections and a variety of texts 

The first section is ‘social survival’. It looks at basic survival English. The second is ‘training survival’. It looks at English in a training context. The third is general reading. 

The texts are taken from a range of common sources – newspapers, advertisements, manuals, leaflets, magazines, newspapers etc. 

There are 40 questions in total, and 40 marks.

How long does it last?

• 60 minutes – you answer on the question sheet and transfer your answers to the  answer sheet

• There is no extra time for transferring your answers (unlike the listening)

What kinds of questions are there?

• Multiple choice

• Short-answer

• Completing sentences and information using no more than 3 words or numbers

• Filling in a table

• Labelling diagrams

• Identifying attitudes

• Yes / No / Not given summaries

• Matching headings to paragraphs

• Matching lists and phrases

What does the Listening paper consist of?

4 sections of increasing difficulty: 

• section 1  a conversation between 2 speakers e.g. about making arrangements

• section 2 a monologue e.g. a talk about student services on a university campus

• section 3  a conversation of up to 4 people

• section 4 a lecture or talk of academic or general interest

How long does it last?

• The test lasts for about 30 minutes – you write your answers, while you are listening, on the question sheet

• You then have 10 minutes to transfer your answers onto the answer sheet

What kinds of questions are there?

• Completing sentences and information using no more than 3 words or numbers

• Short-answer

• Multiple choice

• Filling in a table

• Labelling diagrams

• Circling or ticking correct information