Speaking
~16 min · pairs of candidates · two examiners (interlocutor + assessor) · 4 parts · 20% of the overall mark. Part 1 is an interview with no visuals; Part 2 is a collaborative task built on one visual stimulus (one or several visuals); Part 3 is an individual long turn on three photographs (compare any two, speak for ~1 min); Part 4 is a discussion with no visuals.
| Part | Name | Format | Task |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Interview | Examiner ↔ each candidate · ~2 min · no visuals | Answer questions from the examiner about yourself and on familiar or abstract topics — studies, work, interests, opinions, future plans. |
| 2 | Collaborative Task | Both candidates together · ONE visual stimulus (one or several visuals) · ~4 min | Stage 1 (~1 min): discuss the visual stimulus together — react to, compare or evaluate what you see. Stage 2 (~1 min): work together to reach a negotiated decision. There is no correct answer. |
| 3 | Individual Long Turn | Three photographs · each candidate individually · ~1 min per long turn | The examiner shows THREE photographs and asks a written question printed above them. You choose ANY TWO of the three, compare them and answer the question. Speak alone for about one minute. The third photograph is not discussed. |
| 4 | Discussion | Examiner ↔ both candidates · ~4–5 min · no visuals | The examiner asks further questions connected to the theme introduced in Part 3. Candidates discuss the ideas together with the examiner. |
Assessment scales (each 0–5)
Grammatical Resource
Range and accuracy of C2 structures across all four parts.
Band 0–5
Lexical Resource
Range, precision and flexibility of vocabulary for everyday and abstract topics.
Band 0–5
Discourse Management
Extended, relevant, coherent contributions; cohesive devices used naturally.
Band 0–5
Pronunciation
Individual sounds, word stress, sentence stress, intonation — intelligible throughout.
Band 0–5
Interactive Communication
Initiates, responds, negotiates, develops the discussion with the partner.
Band 0–5
Official Cambridge samples
Watch a real Speaking test and see the official assessment scales — hosted on cambridgeenglish.org.