Home > C1 Advanced > Speaking > Part 1
Many students seem to miss basic facts about the C1 Advanced Speaking Part 1, so this page is to fill in some of that missing information about Part 1. There is also a separate page for general information and advice as well as others for each part.
C1 Advanced Speaking Part 1
| Task Type and Format | A short conversation between the interlocutor and each candidate (spoken questions). |
| Focus | The focus is on general social and interactional language. |
| Timing | 2 minutes |
The candidates are not actively invited to talk to each other in this part of the test. This short social exchange is a natural way to begin an interaction, and it gives candidates time to settle before dealing with the more specific tasks in Parts 2, 3 and 4.
Information
This part tests the candidates’ ability to use general social and interactional language.
Part 1 gives candidates the opportunity to show their ability to use general social and interactional language and talk about themselves and their interests, experiences, plans for the future, etc.
The interlocutor asks candidates for some information about themselves, then widens the scope of the questions by asking about, e.g. candidates’ leisure activities, studies, travel and holiday experiences, and daily life.
Candidates are expected to respond to the interlocutor’s questions, and to listen to what their partner has to say.
The candidates are not actively invited to talk to each other in this part of the test. This short social exchange is a natural way to begin an interaction, and it gives candidates time to settle before dealing with the more specific tasks in Parts 2, 3 and 4.
Advice
a) In this part of the test, examiners will ask candidates one or two questions about themselves, for example where they live, to help them relax. They will then ask some further questions about, for example, their leisure time, their studies, their future plans, travel and holiday experiences, their daily routine.
b) You should respond promptly with answers which are as complete (not just one word) and spontaneous as possible. Rehearsed speeches should be avoided as these are easily spotted and they might be inappropriate for the questions asked.
c) Look for opportunities to socialise with English speakers. With a teacher, classmate or friend, you could role-play social occasions in which you meet new people, e.g. parties, long train journeys, joining a new class, starting a new job.
d) Try to react naturally and give full answers but not answers which are too long and dominate the interaction.
e) Train yourself to ‘think on your feet’ and answer a question quickly even if you have never thought about a particular subject before. Try to use written examples of unsuitable candidate responses and ask them to improve on them. For example:
Interlocutor: What do you hope to be doing in five years’ time?
Candidate: Er … I don’t know. ✗
Candidate: … ✓
f) With a teacher, classmate or friend, use role-cards with the name of a celebrity and try to pretend to be the person written on the card.
g) Interview each other in pairs or small groups and find out as much as possible about each other in a given time. This will help you to sustain an interaction in a less familiar situation.
h) Try and use a variety of appropriate tenses, structures and vocabulary in this part of the test. This will create a good impression and give you confidence to tackle the other parts of the test.
C1 Advanced Speaking Part 1 Sample Questions
- Where do you live?
- Who do you live with?
- How did you get here today?
- How long have you been studying English?
- What do you enjoy most about learning English?
- How long have you been studying English?
- What’s the best time of day for you to study? Why?
- What kind of holidays do you enjoy most? Why?
- Is there anything you dislike about travelling? Why?
- What kind of magazines or newspapers do you read regularly? Why/Why not?
Conclusion
I hope that has helped to give you a better understanding of what is required for the C1 Advanced Speaking Part 1, and that you will look into each part in more detail. There is a full list of pages on the C1 Advanced Speaking test here. Good luck with your test!
information on this page is adapted from The Cambridge C1 Handbook for Teachers