English Second Language·Speaking skills · NSSCO 7.1
The speaking test: what to expect & how it's marked
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The speaking test, Paper 3, worries a lot of learners — but it is simply a friendly conversation with your teacher or examiner, worth 30 marks and lasting about 10 to 15 minutes. In this lesson we walk gently through its three stages — the warm-up, the topic card, and the main talk — see exactly which part is marked, open up the five marking points S1 to S5, and learn the one habit that lifts your marks the most: growing every short answer into a full one. By the end, the nerves can go, and you can walk in feeling calm and prepared.
What you'll learn in this lesson
By the end you should be able to (NSSCO English Second Language 7.1):
- State that the speaking test is Paper 3, worth 30 marks, lasting about 10 to 15 minutes, and is a conversation rather than a prepared speech
- Explain that the test assesses spoken language, not knowledge of the topic
- Describe the three stages of the test: the warm-up chat, the topic-card planning time, and the assessed conversation
- State that only the main conversation (stage three) is assessed, and that no written notes may be made during preparation
- Identify the five assessment objectives S1 to S5 and what each one rewards
- Apply the 'opinion, reason, example' method to turn a short answer into a full, developed one
- Suggest practical do's and don'ts that score well and help a nervous learner stay calm
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