2.2. The Three Parts
Know which part you are in, and therefore how long to speak.
The short version
Part 1 is short questions about you.
Part 2 is a card and a talk of 1 to 2 minutes.
Part 3 is a discussion of ideas in general.
The questions get more abstract as you go.
More abstract as you go
First the examiner asks about you. Then they hand you a card. Then they move to people in general. Knowing the part tells you how long to speak.
The parts, in order
Short questions about you: home, work or study, free time, weather, transport. Three or four sentences is enough.
One minute to make notes, then a talk of 1 to 2 minutes from a card. The examiner may then ask one or two short questions on it. Talk about the thing on the card in one connected account, not a list of points.
Longer questions about ideas, linked to the Part 2 topic. A view, a reason and an example, not another story about you.
What each part looks like
Here is each part as you meet it: the examiner's questions in Parts 1 and 3, and the card in Part 2. Nothing here needs answering yet.
Let's talk about your hometown.
- Where is your hometown?
- What do you like most about it?
Part 1. Taught in How Part 1 Works.
Describe a bag or case you use regularly.
You should say:
- what it looks like
- how you got it
Part 2. Taught in How Part 2 Works.
Let's talk about everyday possessions.
- Why do some people become attached to ordinary things they use every day?
- Do people in your country usually repair belongings or replace them?
Part 3. Taught in How Part 3 Works.
One topic, three levels
Part 2 and Part 3 share a topic. The card might ask about a meal you remember. Part 3 then asks why families eat together less often.
Quiz time2 questions
Two questions on telling the parts apart.
Which part is this?
One topic, three parts. Match each thing the examiner says to the part it comes from.
How long to speak
Choose the right length for a Part 1 answer.
How much should you say to a Part 1 question?
Recap
Part 1 is about you, in three or four sentences.
Part 2 is a one minute plan and a talk of up to two minutes.
Part 3 is about people in general, and wants a view with a reason.
Next: what the examiner is actually listening for while you talk.