When you become a Cambridge Speaking
Examiner you receive this book, and it says
strictly confidential! So I thought I could not tell you about the way the
examiners assess your speaking during the B2 First Cambridge Speaking Exam!
But then I found the marking scheme on the
internet... On Cambridge's own website! My name is
Toby, I am a Cambridge Speaking Examiner, this is SMASH English and here is all
you need to know about how the examiners mark your B2 First
Cambridge Speaking exam! So this is going to take a while... In the
speaking exam you will meet two examiners. One is the interlocutor!
This is the person that talks to you, that really nice
exciting person! Oh my god... And there is the assessor! The person
that sits at the back of the room who looks at you and writes.
Both of these people give you marks. The interlocutor,
the person you speak to, gives you one mark for
Global Achievement. The assessor gives you four marks and we will look at
those categories today and what you can do to increase
your marks to get a fantastic mark and say "Wow!
I did really well in my B2 First Cambridge Speaking
exam!". We have four categories: grammar and vocabulary,
discourse management, pronunciation, and interactive communication. Each of these
categories are given a score from one to five. 3 or above is a pass,
anything below 3 is a fail. A 3 is the same as a 5 in the B1
Speaking exam. A 5 is the same as a 3 in the C1 speaking exam. Basically,
we need to make sure we score an average of 3 or above.
Firstly, to pass you do not need a 3 in everything, you just need
an average of three. So in theory you could get a five
in grammar and vocabulary and a one in interactive communication and still
pass. I have never seen it happen but it is
possible... What do these categories mean then? Grammar and vocabulary.
Three. Shows a good degree of control of simple grammatical forms and attempts
some complex grammatical forms. Uses a range of appropriate vocabulary
to give and exchange views on a range of familiar topics.
This is super-duper important! To get a three you must use
simple grammar correctly but also to get a one in the B2 First speaking exam
you must use simple grammar correctly. Remember a 3 in the B2 First exam
is the same as a 5 in the B1 speaking exam. A 1 in the B2 First speaking
exam is the same as a 3 in the B1
speaking exam. For the B1 speaking exam you must know simple grammar so if you
only use simple grammar in your B2 First exam
you will only get a one... Even if your grammar is perfect you will
only get a one! No! No! No! So the key difference between a
one and a three - a fail and a pass -
is "and attempts some complex grammatical forms". I have said this
before and I will say it again: it is better to
try and use complex grammar and get it wrong than it is to use simple grammar
and do it perfectly! Oh, and don't worry! I have a video all about avoiding the
present simple for part one of the B2 First Cambridge
Speaking exam! So watch that video if you want to
learn more about avoiding simple grammar! It's
fantastic! And so are you! Yes you are...
As for vocabulary, you need to be able to exchange views
on a range of familiar topics. That means you can talk about things
like diet, sports, jobs, hobbies, family life.
Basically open your B2 First textbook, look at the topics and learn some words
about each of them. Your book is organized into topics for a
reason! This is why! 5. Shows a good degree of
control of a range of simple and some complex grammatical forms. Uses
a range of appropriate vocabulary to give and exchange views on a wide range
of familiar topics. The difference here is that now the
candidates can use complex grammatical forms correctly.
For a three you don't have to use the grammar correctly,
you can make mistakes! All you need to do is show the examiner that you are aware
that these grammatical structures exist. To score a five you have to say "Hey!
I know that the third conditional exists and
I can use it! Look at me!". However remember that to get a 5 it says can use
some complex grammatical forms correctly. To get a 5 you can still make some
mistakes! See! It's easy! Here are some examples of
complex grammar and it is really easy to insert them
into your speaking. If you want to know how to use them for
part one watch my video about part one of the Cambridge B2 First speaking exam.
If you want to know how to use them for part two
watch my video about part two! I also have a playlist
all about the grammar that you need for the B2 First Cambridge
exam so check that out too when you have time
of course! And subscribe when you have time,
because if you're doing the B2 First Cambridge exam
it's great to follow someone that knows everything about
the exam because it is their life... My life
it's the B2 First Cambridge exam, I love that exam
so... This is weird. No, come on... Subscribe if you want...
You'll learn something about the exam. Bye!
Discourse management. Three. Produces extended stretches of language
despite some hesitation. Contributions are
relevant and there is very little repetition.
Uses a range of cohesive devices. Extended stretches of language eh?
This is why you mustn't give one word answers,
especially for part one where the interlocutor will ask you simple
questions on familiar topics. Monica, do you like
music? Yeah... Yeah I do!
This equals failure! Instead try to extend your answers!
Um it depends because if I'm on my own then I love
listening to music because I pretend that I'm in a music video!
But if I'm with my friends then I don't like listening to music because I like
to talk about myself! Notice that it says
"despite some hesitation". It's okay to stop and think for a moment about
what you are going to say. English people do this as well! Don't
panic, think, and then speak. It's fine.
"Contributions are relevant". This means that your answer
is related to the question and this may sound obvious
but students want to avoid one-word answers so to do this
they often start talking about things that were not related
to the original question and if you do that you lose marks too.
So, extended stretches of language please but also make sure that
those extended stretches of language are relevant to the question.
Bruce, who are you most similar to in your family?
If I had to choose I would say my dad and I also have a dog called Jimmy! He
likes running around the garden, he chases his ball and uh I like going
to the cinema with my friends. Yeah. Great!
This says to the examiner that "I don't have the vocabulary
or the grammar to answer the question that you have asked me
so I'm going to answer a different question instead".
So don't do it.... and what was that voice? "Cohesive devices" are words and
expressions like: as, but, as well as, moreover, furthermore,
despite, in order to, because of, due to. Words that
we use to link our ideas together. One way to make
sure that you use these is to avoid lists. Monica, do you have
anything planned for this weekend? Yeah of course I do! I'm
gonna go to the park, to the cinema, to Johnny's house (he's so
hot!), to the gym, to my house.
As Monica has used a list to answer this question
there are no cohesive devices! Of course I do!
Firstly, I'm gonna go to the cinema then I'm gonna go to the restaurant and after
that I'm gonna go to johnny's house because
he is so hot! Moreover I'm gonna go to the gym
and finally I'm gonna go home, because I don't sleep outside!
This was much better. 5. Produces extended stretches of language
with very little hesitation. Contributions are relevant and there is
a clear organization of ideas. Uses a range of cohesive devices and
discourse markers. For a five we need less
hesitation but you can still hesitate a little bit.
"Organization of ideas" means there is a logical progression to what you
say, very similar to how you structure an essay. Give your reasons for your
thoughts before you present them. Monica, what do
you think is more important in competitions
winning or taking part? I don't know like winning is great
and I love taking part like when I win I feel really sexy
because I take part in beauty competitions a lot and I always win
and when I win everyone says "we knew you were gonna win because you're so hot"
so I feel great when I win but if I didn't take part
people would be really sad because they would say "Monica why didn't you take
part you're the most beautiful girl in the
world!" so I also love taking part. Here Monica is being relevant, she's not
hesitating, it's an extended stretch of language,
her grammar is perfect, her vocabulary is good,
but organizationally it is a mess. We can see no clear thought process here.
And you, Bruce? When I was young I never used to win
anything and all the other kids would laugh at me.
My mum she would say "Little Bruce, don't you worry! The taking part is what
is important" but I never felt anything
from taking part. In fact, it made me feel sad. So I think that winning is more
important than taking part." Here Bruce recounted personal
information at the beginning which gives a context
to his opinion so we understand why he has that opinion.
This is what we mean by "organization of ideas".
For a five we have the addition of "discourse
markers". These usually don't mean anything.
English people use them a lot before or after they speak
to give them time to think about what they are going to say
or what they have said. Words like: like, so, you know, to be honest,
basically, to tell you the truth, actually, to be
frank, well. Monica, do you enjoy dancing? So, like, well, yeah, basically, yeah,
you know, uh, I don't really love it but like, the guys
when they see me do it, they really love me so like I do it
all the time like, right, you know what I mean, right, totally!
Yeah don't use them that much like Monica.
Pronunciation. Three. Is intelligible. Intonation is generally
appropriate. Sentence and word stress is generally
accurately placed. Individual sounds are generally
articulated clearly. To score high marks in pronunciation you
don't need to sound like a native english speaker.
To score a three you must be intelligible.
That means that the interlocutor and the assessor
can understand what you are saying. Also your sentence and word stress should be
accurately placed. For example: Do you prefer watching movies at home or
going to the cinema? I always go to the cinema. Here
Bruce has stressed the word cinema and this is
strange. Instead the stress should be on the word always. I always
go to the cinema. My mother is a secretary. Here
Bruce has stressed the second syllable secretary of the word secretary.
The stress should be on the first syllable,
so the word stress is wrong. "Individual sounds" refers to phonemes. If you get these individual sounds
wrong you might be unintelligible and so being intelligible and
pronouncing these single sounds correctly
are connected. And we also have "intonation is generally appropriate".
Intonation is how your voice rises and falls when you talk. For example
in Wnglish when we ask a question the intonation
generally rises. Really!? Yeah really. The best advice I can give you
for this is be happy. Don't be bored or nervous or
anxious because when you're bored and nervous and
anxious your intonation flattens. If you are happy your intonation usually
rises and falls and you express more emotion and your
intonation will be more natural. So don't worry
about this, don't practice it because then you might
sound like a weirdo. Instead relax and enjoy
yeah enjoy your exam.... Five. Is intelligible. Intonation is
appropriate. Sentence and word stress is accurately
placed. Individual sounds are articulated
clearly. Yeah I mean to get a five, what can I say?
It's the same as three, just do it better! What! That's your advice!? Yeah, yeah.
What do you want? Interactive Communication.
Three. Initiates and responds appropriately.
Maintains and develops the interaction and negotiates towards an outcome
with very little support. "Initiating appropriately"
means asking your partner relevant questions.
This is especially important for part three
of the speaking exam which requires you to talk with
and work with your partner like a team, a great English learning
team! Yes! We love teams! "Responding appropriately" means you
understand what the question is being asked and you give an answer
that's relevant to that question. Oh wow, Bruce! You have a dog!?
What's he like? Sausages and balls. Balls and sausages. Sausages
and balls. Yes! Oh, okay. Here Bruce misunderstood the
question so he is not responding appropriately.
Yeah I really love animals too! When I was young
I used to have this pet rabbit and he was called Tin-Tin. Yeah
uh Monica, do you like pizza? Here Bruce is not initiating appropriately!
His question had nothing to do with what Monica was talking about
before him. "Maintaining and developing the
interaction towards an outcome" is very important. Think about
part three of the speaking exam where you must talk and work with your
partner. You will be given a question to discuss
and topics to include in your discussion. It
is very important that you cooperate, that you interact, that you work with
your partner when you do this to try and solve the
problem of the task. The simplest way to do this
for a three is to ask your partner questions.
Seriously, to get a three after you have spoken
ask your partner a question. That will get you a three,
I promise. But that's not very difficult and we want a five
so what must we do to get a five for Interactive Communication in the
B2 First Cambridge speaking exam? Five. Initiates and responds
appropriately, Linking contributions to those of other
speakers. Maintains and develops the interaction
and negotiates towards an outcome. The most important thing for a
five is linking what you say to what your
partner said before you. Everything you say
must be connected in some way to what your partner said
before you started opening your mouth. What do you think makes a good
friend? I think that a good friend is someone
that will always tell me how beautiful I am! Yeah it's nice to be
told that you are beautiful, Monica. And I wish my friends would tell me I
was beautiful more. But in my opinion, Monica, a good friend
is someone that does not always tell you what you
want to hear. Someone that tells you the truth!
The truth is, Monica... You've got a beard! Here Bruce clearly disagrees with what
Monica said before him but he didn't say "I disagree".
Instead he acknowledged what Monca said by
rephrasing it, he gave his opinions on it and then he expressed his disagreement
with her. That's what you need to do with your partner to get a five in the B2 Firat
speaking exam! If you want more information on how to do that then
watch my video all about Part Three of the B2 First
Cambridge speaking exam! So that strange person
sitting at the back of the room looking at you and writing
is marking you on those four criteria: grammar and vocabulary, discourse
management, pronunciation and interactive communication. But
that happy person you're talking to is also
secretly marking you in their head and this is on
something called Global Achievement. I cannot find this marking scheme online
so I cannot share it with you. If I do Cambridge might eat my face! However,
I can tell you what that person is thinking
when they are giving you a mark! They are thinking
"how comfortable is this candidate? Is this candidate relaxed?
Does this exam seem difficult to the candidate?
Can I have a natural conversation with this candidate?
Can the candidate's partner have a good conversation with the candidate?"
If the answer is YES to those questions then you are going to score
high marks. Relax, this is the easiest mark to get good marks on!
Trust me! Of course if you need extra help with the individual parts of the
B2 First Cambridge speaking exam then i have individual videos on part
one, part two, and part three, as well as other
videos on little tips and pieces of advice that
might help you get the marks of your dreams!
Is that even a thing? Marks of your.... Who dreams about high marks?
God... And with that we are finished! Now you know all you need to know about
how examiners mark your B2 First speaking exam! If you
liked the video don't forget to SMASH that like button, subscribe if you
haven't already, leave a comment down below! My name is Toby and this
was SMASH English.... you
