B2 First · Speaking · Module 5, Lesson 1

Part 1: Interview

Two minutes of quick personal questions, asked to each candidate in turn. It looks like small talk, but every answer is being scored — the difference between a bare fact and a developed answer is the whole game here.

~2 min total Both candidates, in turn 4 assessment criteria Personal, everyday questions
Learn

What this part really tests

The examiner asks each of you short questions about everyday things — home, family, school or work, free time, future plans. There's no visual prompt and nothing to prepare in advance. It's testing whether you can hold a natural, accurate short conversation in real time, not whether you have interesting hobbies.

The four things every part of Speaking is scored on

Grammar & Vocabulary
The range and accuracy of the language you use.
Discourse Management
Whether your answers are coherent, developed, and the right length — not too short, not rambling.
Pronunciation
Clear enough that the listener doesn't have to strain to follow you.
Interactive Communication
Responding appropriately and keeping the exchange moving naturally.

The examiner's method

  1. Answer the actual question directly, in your first sentence — don't circle around it.
  2. Add one reason or example. A bare fact is a start, not a finished answer.
  3. Keep your grammar simple and accurate rather than reaching for something complex you're not sure of — this part rewards reliability, not ambition.
  4. Use a natural connector while you think (well…, actually…, to be honest…) instead of a long silent pause.
  5. Aim for about 15–20 seconds per answer — long enough to develop, short enough that the conversation keeps moving.

Traps that cost marks

The bare answer
"Yes." "A park." One word or one fact, with nothing added, undersells Discourse Management even in a short answer.
The rehearsed detour
Delivering a memorized paragraph about a similar topic instead of answering the actual question asked hurts Interactive Communication.
Reaching too far
Attempting a complex structure you're unsure of and getting it wrong costs more than a simple, accurate sentence would have.
The dead pause
Long silence while searching for a word reads as a fluency problem even if the eventual answer is fine.

Worked example

Question: "What do you like about the town or city where you live?"

Weak: "It's okay. There's a park."

Strong: "Honestly, my favorite thing is the old town center — it's small, but there are a lot of independent cafes, and everything's within walking distance, so I don't really need to take the bus anywhere."

  1. The strong answer opens with a direct, specific response ("my favorite thing is the old town center"), not a vague gesture at the topic.
  2. It develops with a reason (independent cafes) and a concrete consequence (no bus needed) — two pieces of new content, not one.
  3. "Honestly" is a natural spoken connector, not filler — it buys a half-second of thinking time without sounding hesitant.
  4. The grammar stays simple and completely accurate throughout — nothing fancy is attempted, and nothing goes wrong.
Try

Spot the weakness

Each clip below is a real interview question with a weak answer. Listen, then decide which of the four criteria is the answer's biggest problem.

Try score: 0 / 3
Now it's your turn — scroll down to Apply for a timed practice interview, a self-check, and full model answers.
Apply

Timed practice

This isn't machine-scored — speaking is judged by a person, not a right/wrong key. Answer all four questions below out loud (to yourself, or better, a partner) before the timer runs out, exactly the brisk pace of the real interview. Then self-check your own performance and compare it with a strong and a weak model answer.

Answer these four questions out loud. This timer approximates your combined speaking time for this part — it isn't the full paired-exam duration, since a real interview also includes the examiner's own speaking time.

  1. What kind of music do you enjoy listening to?
  2. Tell me about a typical school day.
  3. What do you usually do to relax after a busy day?
  4. Do you think it's better to travel somewhere new, or to return to a favorite place?
01:30

Complete the timed practice above to unlock the self-check and model answers.

Self-check

Grammar & Vocabulary
Discourse Management
Pronunciation
Interactive Communication

This self-check is a reflection tool, not a score. Speaking is assessed by a person against these four criteria across the whole test, not per answer.

Model answers

Strong example
Ready

Q: What kind of music do you enjoy listening to? A: Mostly indie and acoustic stuff — I like it because the lyrics are usually easier to actually listen to than something with a really heavy beat. Q: Tell me about a typical school day. A: Honestly, pretty packed — classes until early afternoon, then I usually stay for a club or catch up with friends before heading home to do homework. Q: What do you usually do to relax after a busy day? A: I'll normally just put music on and go for a short walk — it clears my head better than sitting on my phone does. Q: Do you think it's better to travel somewhere new, or return to a favorite place? A: I'd say somewhere new, actually — I like not knowing what to expect, even if it means a few things go wrong.

Every answer opens with a direct response, then adds a reason. Discourse Management and Interactive Communication are both strong — nothing is bare, and every question is actually answered, not redirected to a rehearsed topic.
Weak example
Ready

Q: What kind of music do you enjoy listening to? A: Pop music. Q: Tell me about a typical school day. A: It's normal. Q: What do you usually do to relax after a busy day? A: I don't know. Phone, I guess. Q: Do you think it's better to travel somewhere new, or return to a favorite place? A: New place.

Every answer is a bare fact with nothing added — no reason, no example, no natural connector. This is the single biggest, most avoidable mark-loss in Part 1: the content isn't wrong, it's just underdeveloped.
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