Part 3 tips and useful phrases
These are the three important aspects of Part 3:
1 – Starting the dialogue
2 – Connecting and transitioning the ideas
3 – Reaching an agreement
1. Starting the dialogue
At the beginning of Part 3 you have to decide who will begin the conversation. It is important to be respectful and give your partner room choice. You can either initiate this yourself of wait for your partner to go first. Here are some phrases for both:
| Starting the dialogue | Responding |
|---|---|
| Do you mind if I go first? Would you mind going first/starting? Care to go first? Should I begin, or would you like to go first? Would it be okay with you if I started this? Is it okay for you if I start? | Yeah, sure, go ahead. Okay, I will! I’d rather you went first, if that’s okay with you. By all means, go ahead. Sure, not a problem |
The responses do not necessarily have to be linked to the corresponding question, so feel free to mix and match them. A good idea is to let the initiator go first, but ultimately it is up to you.
2. Connecting the ideas
A common mistake in Part 3 is to simply wait for your turn to speak, without paying attention to your partner’s response. This is going to bring your mark down! Instead, you want to implement ideas from your partner’s answer into your own. It’s important to transition the ideas smoothly – your exchange should look like a dialogue, not a series of isolated sentences! Here are some ways to make your speech more cohesive:
3. Reaching an agreement
In the second half of Part 3 you have to agree upon one or two aspects of the mind-map. If you fail to agree on one, it is okay to respectfully disagree. Here are some useful phrases for suggesting, encouraging a conversation, agreeing and disagreeing:
| Agreeing | Disagreeing (politely) |
|---|---|
| I totally agree with your point… I’m with you on that one… Your arguments are very compelling I had a different idea, but your arguments sound very convincing Your points are very persuasive, and I side with you on that one | I see what you mean, however… You make some valid points, but let’s consider… With all due respect, I can’t agree/I have to disagree Your logic here is flawless, but another point to consider is… |
Part 3 sample task and answers
Here are some different types of occupation people might choose to have. First you have some time to look at the task. (15 seconds)
Now, talk to each other about the advantages and disadvantages of each of these occupations.
Sample answer
Candidate A (Boris): Do you mind if I go first?
Candidate B (Ira): Sure, go ahead.
Boris: I believe that a part-time job offers a serious advantage of giving you more free time and flexibility to do something else while allowing to make enough money for a living.
Ira: It might be so, but are you sure working part-time will be enough to cover anything but one’s living expenses like bills and groceries? I really doubt it, to be honest.. I think working in a smaller company offers similar advantages to the ones you’ve mentioned, but the money must be better since you’ll be putting in more working hours.
Boris: I guess you are right. And the smaller companies are usually willing to give you more leeway with your schedule and your decisions. However, smaller businesses tend to go under quite often, so there’s very little in terms of job security. But what about self-employment? On paper, it should give you all the freedom you wish for, being your own boss and all!
Ira: Oh, I’m not so sure about that. You’ve brought up financial security, and working for yourself is such a dangerous venture! If stability is something you prioritise, that is probably not your best option. It does sound lucrative though – you earn as much as you make, there is nobody to order you around. It sounds so invigorating!
Examiner: Thank you. Now you have about a minute to decide which occupation is most stressful.
Ira: Being self-employed is likely to be the most taxing one emotionally, I mean you have the weight of the decision on your shoulders, everything depends on you, all this has to really taken its toll emotionally, wouldn’t you agree?
Boris: To be honest, at first I was thinking about working for a major company, but you do have a point and you’ve managed to convince me. In the light of your arguments mine seem to be irrelevant, I won’t even bother with them.
Another example
Extra question: which way of commuting might be most popular in rural areas?
Speaking Part 3 Useful Phrases
| Walking | Bus or tram | Train | Driving | Carpooling |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| – Walking is free – or almost free. All you need is a pair of comfortable shoes – Walking to work or place of study takes exactly the same amount of time as you are not dependant on traffic congestion. This makes it more reliable – It is a nice, gentle form of exercising | – Commuting by bus or tram is quick and affordable – Bus lanes make getting somewhere quick even during rush hour – Using public transport shows environmental awareness and that you care about the planet – You can read or listen to the music en route | – Trains never suffer from traffic congestion, although they might be overcrowded during peak times – Trains always run on schedule so you can plan your day more effectively and reliably – Arguably, trains can be more comfortable than cars and buses as they maintain constant speed throughout the way without having to accelerate or slow down | – Probably one of the most expensive ways to commute, driving offers unmatched personal freedom – It is most convenient for big families with kids as they have to be taken to places like school or kindergarten – Some people find the process of driving a car enjoyable in itself, without going somewhere in particular | – Affordable and environmentally friendly – Carpooling encourages socialising and bonding with your colleagues/fellow students – Both driver and the passengers benefit if they chip in to pay for fuel – Makes the commute more fun when there are more people in the car |
source : examenglishinfo
Vocabulary in Chunks 