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Part 1 – sample questions
- Which languages do you speak?
- Do you think it’s important for children to learn a foreign language?
- When did you start learning a foreign language?
- Do you enjoy learning languages?
- What activity do you find most useful for learning English?
- What do you find most difficult about learning English?
- Are there any other languages you would like to learn in the future?
Part 2 – sample task card
Describe a conversation you had which was important to you.
You should say:
- when the conversation took place
- who you had the conversation with
- what the conversation was about
and explain why the conversation was important to you.
Part 3 – sample questions
- What are the main differences between spoken and written communication?
- To what extent do you think the media influences how people communicate with each other?
- Do you think there are differences in the way men and women communicate?
- Do you think that people become better communicators as they get older?
- Do you agree that education has a strong and positive effect on people’s ability to communicate effectively?
- What impact has the growth of technology had on the way people communicate and how do you think this will develop in the future?
Useful Vocabulary
Modern forms of communication
- speaking / talking / chatting face-to-face
- speaking / talking / chatting on the phone / by mobile phone / by skype
- sending a text message/an SMS / texting
- sending / writing an email
- using an electronic messaging service
- social networking
- video-conferencing
Non-verbal forms of communication
- lip-reading
- using body language
- using sign language
- using hand gestures / signals
- using facial expressions
Informal utterances
- Give me a call/ring/bell/buzz
- Call / ring / phone me
- Send me a text / an email / a whatsapp
- Text me / email me
- Drop me a line
- Keep me posted
- Let me know
- Keep / stay in touch
- I’ll be in touch
Other forms of communication
- making / giving a speech
- speaking in public / public speaking
- giving a lecture / lecturing
- giving a seminar / presentation
- giving / having / conducting an interview
- having / maintaining a dialogue/conversation/discussion
- having an argument
Reasons for communicating
- giving a demonstration / demonstrating
- giving instructions / instructing
- asking for/giving directions / directing
- asking for/giving advice / advising
- making a complaint / complaining
- making small talk / building social relations / exchanging pleasantries
- exchanging/defending/challenging views/opinions
- requesting/supplying information
- gossiping / spreading rumours
Effective communication skills
- maintaining eye-contact
- projecting your voice
- varying your intonation
- punctuating your sentences
- emphasizing / repeating key words
- engaging the listener
- asking rhetorical questions
- using discourse markers
Useful linkers for giving opinions
- In my view…
- In my opinion…
- From my point of view…
- In my experience/case…
- As I see it…
- Personally, I think…
- I believe / feel that…
- For me personally…
- As far as I’m concerned…
Sample Answer
Do you think that people become better communicators as they get older?
I think that people’s ability to communicate does improve with age because generally speaking, people get more confident as they gain more experience of life and I believe that confidence is a major factor. On the other hand, some people may become more self-conscious as they got older, particularly when they reach certain stages in their life such as adolescence. For me personally, I feel that I’m a better communicator now than when I was younger.