Introduction.

The speaking test is the shortest of the FCE papers. It is also the one which most depends on how you behave during the test. You will be interviewed by one examiner (the interlocutor) while another takes notes. The examiners will be looking at how well you can express yourself in English. You are not expected to be perfectly fluent, but they will give points for how well you get yourself out of trouble when you have started a sentence and can't finish or when you don't understand what another person is trying to say. Your accent will only get you into trouble if the examiners can't understand you because of it.You will probably not be interviewed alone. Normally, you are interviewed as a pair, though sometimes if there are a lot of students present, or if there are only three students left at the end, you will be interviewed as a group of three.

You will probably be asked to give some details about your personal life, and maye find out about the other person you are doing the exam with. You will be shown some pictures and asked to describe and compare them, and you may be asked your opinion of what you have seen. The examiner also might use the pictures to lead the conversation to a more general discussion of the topic. You will also be given the opportunity to have a longer discussion with your partner, for example by each telling the other about a film you have seen recently, or about your favourite place to go on holiday.