Tips for The Cambridge PET Exam. Lorca

Hola mundo! Os dejamos unos trucos sobre como preparar el Speaking del PET ( B1) de Cambridge. Recuerda, prepárate en Aulaglobal Lorca y no tendrás problemas:

DO

In general 

• Practise your English, in and out of the classroom, as much as you can.
• Listen carefully to the examiner's questions.
• Ask the examiner if you don't understand what you have to do.
• Speak clearly so that both examiners and your partner can hear you.
• Remember that both the examiners want you to do well in the test.

In Part 1 

• Talk to the examiner, not your partner.
• Make sure you can spell your name.
• Try to give more than one-word answers.
  

In Parts 2 & 4 

• Talk to your partner, not the examiner.
• Ask your partner questions.
• Listen to your partner's answers and look at them to show you are interested in what they are saying.
• Give your partner a chance to speak too.

In Part 3 

• Talk about everything you can see in the photograph, e.g. colours, clothes, time of day, weather.
• Try to explain what you mean in other words, if you don’t know a word.

DON'T 

In general 

• Don't worry too much about making grammatical mistakes.
• Don't worry too much if you don't know a word.
• Don't worry if your partner is a stronger or weaker speaker than you. The examiners assess you individually.
• Don't sit in silence in the test, even if you are nervous. Examiners can't give you marks if you don't speak. 
  

In Parts 2 & 4 

• Don't speak for too long without involving your partner. 
  

In Part 3 

• Don't try to talk about things/ideas outside the photograph.
• Don't stop talking if there is a word you don't know, just talk about something else you can see.  

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) 

What’s in the Cambridge English: Preliminary Speaking paper? 
The Cambridge English: Preliminary Speaking test has four parts and you take it together with another candidate. There are two examiners. One of the examiners talks to you (the interlocutor) and the other examiner listens and completes the mark sheet (the assessor). 

Can I take the test alone? 
No. You are examined in pairs (i.e. two students together) with two examiners. At centres with an uneven number of candidates, the last three candidates take the test together. The test is longer when three candidates take the test. Candidates cannot choose to take the test in a group of three. 

Why are there two examiners? 
One examiner (the interlocutor) speaks to you, and the other (the assessor) does not take part in the test but listens to you speak and interact with the other candidate. Both examiners give you a mark, but the assessor gives more detailed marks than the interlocutor. 

What happens if the other candidate won’t let me speak? 
Examiners know how to deal with this situation, and give both of the candidates an opportunity to speak. It is important both to talk and to give the other candidate the chance to talk. Remember, there is also a time in the test when you speak on your own. 

What should I do if I don’t understand what the examiner asks me to do? 
You can ask the examiner to repeat the instructions. However, you should listen carefully and try to understand them the first time. Don’t worry if you don’t understand a word. You can ask your partner to explain a word in Parts 2 and 4, but you must always talk in English! 

Will my speaking be compared to my partner's speaking? 
You are assessed on your own speaking, and not compared to your partner. 

Do I have to pass the Speaking test to pass the Cambridge English: Preliminary exam? 
No. If you do well in the other papers, you can still pass the exam. 

Do the Part 1 Phase 2 questions remain the same each year or vary? 
They vary, but will always be on general topics.