The Speaking test is the same for Academic and General Training: about 11–14 minutes with an examiner, in three parts. You are marked on fluency, vocabulary, grammar range, and pronunciation — not on having “correct” opinions. Below is one complete lesson for each part. In every answer, one useful phrase is highlighted and one grammar point is underlined — copy those two things into your own answers.

Part 1 — Warm-up questions (4–5 minutes)

Short questions about familiar topics: home, work or study, hobbies, food, weather. Answer in 2–4 sentences: give your answer, add a reason, add one small detail. Never answer with one word, and never memorise — examiners hear memorised answers every day.

Q: Do you like where you live?
“Yes, I really do. I live in a quiet residential area which is only a short walk from my workplace, so I save a lot of time commuting. What I love most is that it feels peaceful and close-knit — neighbours actually know each other, which makes a big difference to everyday life.”

Why it works: the underlined relative clause adds grammar range without any risk, and “peaceful and close-knit” is a natural collocation examiners reward.

Part 2 — The 2-minute talk (3–4 minutes)

You get a cue card, 1 minute to prepare, and you speak for 1–2 minutes. Use your minute to write 4–5 keywords — one for each bullet on the card — then follow the bullets in order. Keep talking until the examiner stops you.

Cue card: Describe a memorable trip you have taken. Say where you went, who you went with, what you did, and why it was memorable.
“One trip I will never forget is a road trip I took with two close friends along the coast last spring. We had been planning it for months, and by the time we finally set off, we were all desperate for a break from work. We drove through small fishing villages, stopped wherever the view looked good, and ate in tiny local cafés. What made it so memorable was not the places themselves but the feeling of freedom — no deadlines, no timetable, just good company. It was honestly the trip of a lifetime, and we still talk about it whenever we meet.”

Why it works: the past perfect (“had been planning”) and the time clause (“by the time we finally set off”) show tense control, and the answer covers every bullet in order.

Part 3 — Discussion (4–5 minutes)

The questions get wider and more abstract, linked to your Part 2 topic. Give an opinion, a reason, and an example — then stop. Longer is not better; clear is better.

Q: Do you think tourism is good for local communities?
“On balance, yes. Tourism creates jobs in hotels, restaurants, and transport, which means money stays in the local economy. Having said that, it can push up prices for local people, so I think towns need rules that protect residents. A good example is limiting short-term holiday rentals in the centre, so homes stay available for the people who actually live there.”

Your practice task: record yourself answering the Part 1 question above about your own home. Then answer it again, this time using one “which…” clause and the phrase “close-knit community.” Listen to both recordings — the second one is the Band 8–9 habit you are building.

Want the short version of Part 1 technique? Read Speaking Part 1: How to answer without memorising →