Cambridge 2 08-09-2026
Cambridge First Speaking
Lesduur is: 60 minOnderdelen in deze les
Cambridge First Speaking
Open the lesson by framing the exam as a communication task. Students often assume they need perfect grammar or very sophisticated ideas; make clear from the start that clear, effective communication is the main aim.
Today’s goal
I can understand the structure and requirements of the Cambridge FCE/First Speaking exam, and use appropriate strategies and language to perform Parts 2 and 3 more effectively.
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One word or phrase you connect with speaking exams
Use this to surface prior ideas such as stress, communication, fluency, partner, pictures or questions. Briefly address worries about needing perfect English before moving on.
How the speaking test works
About 14 minutes in total
Two candidates speak together
Two examiners are present
One examiner asks questions and manages the task
One examiner listens and assesses performance
Students may not know that the format is always shared with another candidate. Emphasise that interaction matters because candidates are not speaking in isolation.
The four parts
Part 1: short personal questions to help candidates settle in
Part 2: an individual long turn comparing two photographs
Part 3: a collaborative discussion and decision with a partner
Part 4: a wider discussion linked to Part 3 topics
Each part tests a slightly different speaking skill.
Keep this slide focused on purpose, not timing details for every part. The key point is that Parts 2 and 3 ask for different kinds of speaking.
What examiners are listening for
The aim is to communicate clearly and effectively.
Examiners are not waiting for perfect English or unusually clever ideas. Strong candidates answer the task, organise their ideas, keep speaking, and interact naturally with their partner.
Useful teacher emphasis: a simple idea expressed clearly is better than a complex idea expressed badly. This can reduce anxiety for B1 learners.
Success in the speaking test
Answer the actual question
Speak for the required time
Give reasons and examples
Listen and react in Part 3
Keep going, even if your English is not perfect
This is a bridge slide into strategy. You can mention that communication breakdown is more serious than small language mistakes.
What is the main aim of the speaking test?
Perfect grammar
Clear communication
Long answers only
Advanced ideas
Checks the key message from slides 2–5: candidates are assessed on communicating clearly and effectively, not on sounding perfect or especially clever.
Complete the exam summary
The speaking test lasts about 14 minutes and involves two candidates with two examiners. Success depends on clear communication, answering the task and keeping speaking, even if your English is not perfect.
The blanks focus on the load-bearing facts and message from the opening subtopic.
Part 2: the long turn
You speak on your own for 1 minute
You see two photographs
You must compare them
You must answer the question directly
A short comment from your partner follows
Students often focus only on describing pictures. Stress that the task is comparison plus a direct response to the printed question.
What good Part 2 answers do
A strong answer does not describe every detail in the pictures. Instead, it selects the most relevant similarities and differences, links them to the question, and explains ideas with reasons or examples.
A common weak response is a list of visible objects: 'In this picture I can see…' Encourage purposeful speaking instead.
Useful language for Part 2
Both pictures show ...
In both photos, ...
Whereas the first picture ..., the second ...
One difference is that ...
Compared with the first photo, ...
This might be because ...
Perhaps ... because ...
For example, ...
For instance, ...
This could help because ...
Comparing and contrasting
Reasons and examples
Model sentence stress and chunking so students can use these as ready-made frames rather than translating word by word.
A simple Part 2 structure
Start with the main similarity or theme
Mention one or two clear differences
Answer the question as early as possible
Add reasons or examples to support your ideas
Finish with a short concluding idea if you have time
You can demonstrate a rough timing pattern: theme first, then difference, then direct answer with support. This helps students avoid running out of things to say.
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Part 2 practice: free time
Imagine two photos:
teenagers playing football outdoors
friends playing video games at home
Task focus: Which activity is better for relaxing after a busy week?
Although the user asked for practice and interactivity, this pass creates content slides only. Use this slide as the prompt for oral practice in class.
Which activity is better for relaxing after a busy week?
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Model sentences for free time
Both pictures show people relaxing in their free time.
The football game is more active, whereas the video game is calmer.
Playing football might reduce stress because exercise can improve your mood.
On the other hand, gaming may be easier after a tiring week.
For me, the outdoor activity is better because it combines fun, movement and social contact.
Read this as a model, but also point out that students do not need to copy it exactly. The value is in the structure and task focus.
Part 2 practice: cooking
Imagine two photos:
a person cooking alone at home
a group preparing food together
Task focus: Which situation is better for learning useful cooking skills?
This gives a second familiar theme so students see that the same language works across topics.
Which situation is better for learning useful cooking skills?
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Model sentences for cooking
Both pictures are connected with cooking and food preparation.
In the first photo, the person may be learning independently.
In contrast, the group situation allows people to share ideas.
This could be more useful because learners can watch others and ask questions.
For example, someone might explain how to cut vegetables safely or season food properly.
Highlight that reasons and examples make the answer sound developed, even when vocabulary stays fairly simple.
In Part 2, what should you do besides compare the photos?
Describe every detail
Ask your partner first
Answer the question directly
Choose one photo only
Targets the common misconception highlighted on slides 6–9: Part 2 is not just description.
Complete the Part 2 advice
In Part 2, you speak for 1 minute about two photographs. A strong answer starts with a main similarity, adds one or two clear differences, and answers the task early. Then you give reasons or examples to support your ideas.
Echoes the structure and language from slides 6–13, including the two practice themes.
Which cooking photo is better for learning skills? Why?
Expected elements: students should choose one of the two situations from the practice slides and justify it with comparison language plus at least one reason or example. Accept varied wording.
Part 3: the collaborative task
You discuss prompts with your partner
You give opinions and respond to ideas
You ask for your partner’s view
You work towards a decision together
It should sound like a conversation, not two separate speeches
Stress the word 'collaborative'. Students can lose marks if they ignore the partner and deliver monologues.
What strong collaboration sounds like
In Part 3, good candidates build the discussion together. They react to what their partner says, extend ideas, compare options, and move the conversation forward so that a joint decision feels natural.
A useful contrast: interaction is not simply taking turns; it is responding, linking and co-constructing the discussion.
Useful language for Part 3
Agreeing and disagreeing politely
Inviting and reacting
I agree with you there.
I think so too.
I’m not sure I agree.
That may be true, but ...
I see your point, however ...
What do you think?
How about you?
Do you agree?
That’s a good point.
I see what you mean.
Model intonation for polite disagreement. Students may know the words but sound too direct without tone awareness.
Moving towards a decision
Compare the options, not just list them
Say which ideas seem more useful
Return to the task if the discussion becomes too wide
Use decision language such as So, shall we choose ... ?
Aim for a clear shared conclusion
Students often spend too long exploring ideas and forget to decide. This slide gives the strategic turn they need near the end of the task.
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Part 3 practice: improving school life
Options:
more sports facilities
a gaming room
a bigger outdoor area
better school food
a later school start
more creative subjects
Task focus: choose the two best changes.
Keep the task visible while students speak so they remember the final decision is part of success.
Part 3
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How a discussion can develop
more sports facilities → healthier students, but expensive
better school food → helps everyone every day
later school start → popular with students, but difficult for timetables
more creative subjects → motivating for many learners
A strong pair weighs these ideas and then chooses the best two together.
This slide is not a script. It shows the kind of comparison and trade-off language students need for decision-making.
Useful survival phrases
Let me think for a moment.
What I mean is ...
It’s a bit like ...
I don’t know the word, but ...
In other words, ...
What do you think about that?
Frame these as communication tools, not signs of weakness. Good speakers repair problems instead of stopping completely.
When you do not know what to say
If you get stuck, buy time, paraphrase, and keep the conversation moving. A short pause is fine, but silence is not helpful. Even simple English can work well when you stay connected to the task and your partner.
This slide reinforces resilience. Many students think a missing word means failure; remind them that strategic recovery is valuable.
What makes a Part 3 discussion strong?
Two separate speeches
Quick topic changes
A shared decision
One long opinion
Checks the central idea from slides 14–19: collaboration means reacting, comparing options and working towards a joint decision.
Complete the Part 3 strategy
In Part 3, candidates discuss the prompts with a partner. They should ask for the other person’s view, react to ideas, and use polite language to agree or disagree. Near the end, they should move towards a shared decision.
Reinforces the collaborative sequence from slides 14–19 and links naturally to survival language on slides 20–21.
Which two changes would you choose to improve school life?
More sports facilities
Better school food
Later school start
More creative subjects
Bigger outdoor area
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Key terms
candidate - a person taking the exam
examiner - the person who manages or assesses the speaking test
long turn - the Part 2 task where one candidate speaks alone for about one minute
compare - say what is similar and different
contrast - focus on differences between ideas or pictures
collaborative task - a discussion where two candidates work together
paraphrase - explain an idea using different words
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Key terms
prompt - an idea or option given to help start discussion
decision-making - discussing options in order to choose the best one
agree politely - show the same opinion in a friendly way
disagree politely - show a different opinion without sounding rude
reason - an explanation for why you think something
example - a specific case used to support an idea
communicate effectively - express ideas clearly so another person understands
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What is one useful speaking strategy you learned today?
Reflection only. Invite short, honest answers about learning, not performance quality.
Which part still feels hardest: Part 2 or Part 3? Why?
Reflection only. Likely answers: Part 2 timing, giving reasons, polite disagreement, making a decision, or paraphrasing when stuck.
