TOP TIPS FOR PREPARING FOR THE CAMBRIDGE PET SPEAKING EXAM

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TOP TIPS FOR PREPARING FOR THE CAMBRIDGE PET SPEAKING EXAM

Conflict is present everywhere in the world around us. We experience conflict on a daily basis, and it can be minor or major.

Conflict in a story is a struggle between opposing forces. Characters must act to confront those forces and there is where conflict is born. If there is nothing to overcome, there is no story. Conflict in a story creates and drives the plot forward.

3. How to improve PET Speaking Part 2.

This conflict develops from a protagonist’s inner struggles and may depend on a character trying to decide between good and evil or overcoming self-doubt. This conflict has both internal and external aspects, as obstacles outside the protagonist's force them to deal with inner issues.

In this part of the test you will have to interact with your partner to build a conversation. Together, you will need to discuss, make and respond to suggestions, and come to an agreement at the end.

Give examples of man versus self conflict in a literary work.

Giving your opinion

-I think that …. (we should go to the cinema.) -I’d say … (a computer is better than a TV.) -I’m pretty sure that … (he would like a new watch.)

Disagreeing

-Hmm, I’m not sure. -I don’t think so. -On the other hand, … -A better idea might be … -I think it’d be better if …

Agreeing

-Absolutely -Definitely. That’s a good point. -Good idea. I never thought of that. -Yeah, you’re right. -Me too.

Asking your partner

-What do you think? -Do you agree? -What’s your opinion? -Would you like to ……? -Do you think so? -Should we …….?

4. How to improve PET Speaking, Part 3.

In this type of conflict, a character must take on society itself, and not a single person. The character stands at odds with societal norms and realizes the necessity to work against these norms. This is an external conflict.

In this part of the test you will be asked to speak on your own about a picture for up to a minute. It’s very important that you speak for as long as possible and don’t worry at all if the examiner interrupts you and asks you to stop. That’s a good thing. It shows you are extending your speaking. The examiners just need to keep to the timings, though.

Give examples of man versus society conflict in a literary work.

You will need to do three things: refer to the picture, describe the picture, and speculate about the picture.

Speculating

We need to speculate when we are not sure of something. For example: -It could be a classroom or a busy library. -She looks like a teacher but could be a librarian. -They might be studying for an example. -Maybe they are studying for an exam. -It must be a library.

Describing the picture

You need to describe everything you see in the picture for up to 1 minute. You can talk about: -the scene. E.g., “It’s a picture of a very busy classroom.” -what the people are wearing. -what they are doing. -what objects you can see in the picture -and how the people are using them.

Referring to the photo

To refer to the photos you’ll need to say what you can see in different parts of the photos, like this:In the middle there is a woman, who might be a teacher, looking after the children. In the foreground, we can see two children who are studying hard

5. How to improve PET Speaking, Part 4!

This situation results from a protagonist working against what has been foretold for that person. While this conflict was more prevalent in stories where gods could control fate, such as in ancient Greek dramas, there are still examples of this type of conflict in more contemporary literature.

In this last part of the test you will need to talk to your partner again. You both will need to give opinions, and talk about your likes / dislikes, preferences, experiences, habits, etc

Give examples of man versus fate conflict in a literary work.

We recommend that you look back at the previous tips and reuse the language from each one for this task. But on top of that, in this question you may need to refer to yourself a lot

Referring to yourself

-For me, …. -In my experience, … -When I was … -When I am … -In my opinion …

2. How to improve your PET Speaking, Part 1!

In this type of conflict, a character is tormented by natural forces such as storms or animals. This is also an external conflict.

Here are some typical questions you may be asked about the past, present and future

Give examples of man versus nature conflict in the real world.

Questions about the future:

Do you think English will be useful for you in the future? Oh yes, because I will need it for my job / my studies / to talk with people from other countries, etc.

Would you like to live in another place? Yes, I would love to live in ______ because ______. or No, I wouldn’t like to live in another place because ________.

Where do you plan to go for your next holiday? Well, I hope to go to ____ because I love / I want to _____ .

Questions about the present:

What do you like or dislike about where you live? Well my city / town / village is amazing because __________ . The one thing I don’t like about it, though, is _________ .

How often do you go to the cinema? I hardly ever go to the cinema because I don’t have the time / money / don’t really like it.

What do you most enjoy doing with your family? Even though my mum doesn’t like it, I really like ________ .

Questions about the past:

How did you get here today? I came by car / by train / on foot. It took me about ___ minutes to get here.

How long have you been learning English? Well I have been learning English for ___ years.

Where did you go for your last holidays? I went to a place called _________. We spent our time sightseeing / sunbathing / swimming in the sea / having a great time on the beach, etc. I absolutely loved / hated it.

In part 1, you will be asked questions about your past, present and future. Make sure you answer in full sentences and not just a few words.

Give examples of man versus nature conflict in a literary work.

For example: “Where are you from?” “Well, I come from Madrid which is the capital of Spain.” And not “Where are you from?“ “Madrid.”

1. Get familiar with what you have to do.

A situation in which two characters have opposing desires or interests. The typical scenario is a conflict between the protagonist and antagonist. This is an external conflict.

Part 4

Give examples of man versus man conflict in the real world.

This is a general conversation based on the topic of the photographs in part 3. You’ll work with your partner and you both need to give opinions, talk about your likes/dislikes, preferences, experiences, habits etc. Again, try to develop a conversation.

Part 3

You will be given a colour photograph and, individually, will need to be able to describe and speculate about what you see for up to 1 minute. *To speculate means you have to say what you think you see. See below for more details.

Part 2

You will be given some images and will be asked to interact with your partner. You will need to discuss, make and respond to suggestions, and come to an agreement at the end. Focus on giving your opinions and supporting them with reasons, while also responding to your partner’s suggestions and opinions. Listen to what your partner says and develop a conversation.

Part 1

Give examples of man versus man conflict in a literary work.

You will be asked questions individually by the examiner. The questions will be about your life and you may be asked questions about the present, past and future. Focus on good pronunciation, and extending your answers just a little.