Name Class Date

C A M BRIDGE ENGLISH:
FIR ST SPE AKING PR AC TICE TEST
Time
The test lasts for approximately 20 minutes.

Instructions
Use the scripts to interview students in pairs.
In parts 1 and 2, interview the students individually.
For part 2, provide the students with the photographs found at the end of this practice test.
For part 3, ask the students to talk together. Provide the students with the diagram at the end of this practice
test to help them with the task. Do not join in the conversation.
For part 4, the students may comment on their partner’s answers.

Information
In part 1, students are asked to respond to questions about themselves for 2 minutes.
In part 2, each candidate is asked to compare two photographs and respond to a question for 1 minute. Then,
the other candidate is asked a question about their partner’s photographs. They provide a 30 second response.
In part 3, the students are asked to solve a problem or make a decision. This lasts for 4 minutes.
In part 4, students are asked further questions based on the topic discussed in part 3. These questions will lead
on to a general discussion. This part lasts 4 minutes.

Think CAMBRIDGE ENGLISH: First Speaking Practice Test PHOTOCOPIABLE © Cambridge University Press 2017
SPEAKING – PART 1 (2 or 3 minutes)
INTERLOCUTOR Good morning/afternoon/evening. My name is ............... . And your names are?
STUDENTS ........................................
INTERLOCUTOR Where are you from, [Student A]?
STUDENT A .........................................
INTERLOCUTOR And you, [Student B]?
STUDENT B .........................................
INTERLOCUTOR First, we’d like to know something about you.
(Select one or more questions from any of the following categories, as appropriate.)

Free time
●● How do you like to spend your free time? ........... What do you do? ........... Why?
●● Do you enjoy listening to music? ........... What sort of music do you like?
●● Tell us about a new hobby you would like to try.
●● Would you like more free time? ........... Why?

Home
●● Do you come from a small or a large town?
●● How many people live with you at home?
●● Has your home town changed a lot recently? ........... How? / Why not?
●● What do you most enjoy doing at home? ........... Why?

Studying
●● How much time do you spend studying in a week? ........... Would you like to spend less time than
that? ........... Why?
●● What subjects do you most like studying? ........... Why?
●● Tell us about a subject you don’t like studying.
●● Would you like to study something new? ........... What? ........... Why? / Why not?

Think CAMBRIDGE ENGLISH: First Speaking Practice Test PHOTOCOPIABLE © Cambridge University Press 2017
SPEAKING – PART 2 (4 or 6 minutes)
1  WORKING IN TEAMS / 2  HAVING FUN

INTERLOCUTOR I n this part of the test, I’m going to give each of you two photographs. I’d like you to talk about your
photographs on your own for about a minute, and also to answer a question about your partner’s
photographs.
[Student A], it’s your turn first. Here are your photographs. They show young people who are doing
something together in teams.
(Place photos from Part 2, Task 1 in front of Student A.)

I ’d like you to compare the photographs, and say what might be difficult about working in teams in
these situations. All right?

STUDENT A   (1 minute) .........................................

INTERLOCUTOR Thank you. [Student B], do you prefer working alone or in teams? .......... Why?

STUDENT B   (approximately 30 seconds) .........................................

INTERLOCUTOR Thank you. Can I have the photos, please? (Retrieve Part 2, Task 1 photos.)

Think CAMBRIDGE ENGLISH: First Speaking Practice Test PHOTOCOPIABLE © Cambridge University Press 2017
INTERLOCUTOR Now, [Student B], here are your photographs. They show young people having fun.
(Place photos from Part 2, Task 2 in front of Student B.)

I ’d like you to compare the photographs and say why you think the people enjoy doing these things.
All right?

STUDENT B (1 minute) .........................................

INTERLOCUTOR Thank you. [Student A], do you enjoy doing things like this? .......... Why? / Why not?

STUDENT A (approximately 30 seconds) .........................................

INTERLOCUTOR Thank you. Can I have the photos, please? (Retrieve Part 2, Task 2 booklet.)

Think CAMBRIDGE ENGLISH: First Speaking Practice Test PHOTOCOPIABLE © Cambridge University Press 2017
SPEAKING – PART 3 (4 or 5 minutes)
INTERLOCUTOR  ow I’d like you to talk about something together for about two minutes. (3 minutes for groups of three)
N
Here are some things that people can do to cheer themselves up if they are in a bad mood, and a
question for you to discuss. First you have some time to look at the task. (Give students Part 3 task.)
Now, talk to each other about why these things would help cheer someone up.

talking with a friend eating chocolate

Why would these things help

cheer someone up?

doing some exercise going shopping

outdoors

sleeping

STUDENTS (2 minutes; 3 minutes for groups of three) ......................................... 

INTERLOCUTOR  ank you. Now you have about a minute to decide which two things would be the best ways to
Th
cheer someone up.

STUDENTS (1 minute) ......................................... 

INTERLOCUTOR Thank you. Can I have the task, please? (Retrieve Part 3 task from students.)

Think CAMBRIDGE ENGLISH: First Speaking Practice Test PHOTOCOPIABLE © Cambridge University Press 2017
SPEAKING – PART 4 (4 or 6 minutes)
INTERLOCUTOR (Use the following questions, in order, as appropriate.)
●● What types of thing do you do when you want to feel better?

●● Why do people sometimes feel in a bad mood?

●● Some people think that it’s best to share problems with other people. What do you think? ...........

Why?
●● Do you think it’s beneficial for your mood if you exercise and eat healthy food every day? ...........

Why? / Why not?

●● Do you think having money makes people happy? ........... Why? / Why not?

●● Some people say that being at school is the happiest time of your life. What do you think? ...........

Why?
(Select any of the following prompts, as appropriate.)
●● What do you think?

●● Do you agree?

●● And you?

Thank you. That is the end of the test.

Think CAMBRIDGE ENGLISH: First Speaking Practice Test PHOTOCOPIABLE © Cambridge University Press 2017
VISUAL MATERIALS FOR THE SPEAKING TEST
Part 2, Task 1

Think CAMBRIDGE ENGLISH: First Speaking Practice Test PHOTOCOPIABLE © Cambridge University Press 2017
Part 2, Task 2

Think CAMBRIDGE ENGLISH: First Speaking Practice Test PHOTOCOPIABLE © Cambridge University Press 2017
Part 3

talking with a friend eating chocolate

Why would these things help

cheer someone up?

doing some exercise going shopping

outdoors

sleeping

Think CAMBRIDGE ENGLISH: First Speaking Practice Test PHOTOCOPIABLE © Cambridge University Press 2017