Preliminary for Schools Speaking Part 4

Activity – Notes for teachers

Description
Students listen to Part 4 instructions and discuss what they have to do for this part of the test. They read the
script of a sample answer to identify useful phrases and functional language and discuss how good this
answer is. They then do Part 4 in pairs, trying to use the phrases and language from the exercise.

Time required: 45 minutes

Materials  Sample paper Part 4
required:
 Activity handout
 OHT of Part 4 instructions (if possible)
 Different coloured pens (if possible)
 Photographs from Part 3
Aims:  to introduce Part 4
 to analyse a sample answer
 to give students practice in answering a Part 4 task.

Procedure
1. Make sure that your students have done the Part 3 activity already. Briefly elicit what they had to do,
and the topic of the photographs they described (teenagers’ bedrooms). Show the Part 3 photographs
again. Explain that Part 4 is always a continuation of the topic in Part 3 so that candidates are already
familiar with it.
2. Read out the following instructions for the sample paper Part 4 to the class:
Your photographs showed teenagers in their bedrooms at home. Now, I’d like you to talk together
about the things you have in your bedrooms at home now and the things you’d like to have in your
bedrooms in the future.
3. Elicit how many things they have to talk about in this task (two: things in their bedrooms now and
things in their bedrooms in the future) and whether they should talk separately or discuss the topic
together (discuss it together). Add that in Part 4, the interlocutor sets up the task and then doesn’t
interrupt the candidates again until the end, so the candidates are responsible for keeping the
conversation going.
4. As a class, brainstorm some of the things they have in their bedrooms now. Write a list of ideas and
vocabulary on the board.

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 5. Once you have a list of several items, go back over each one and elicit what you can say about it.
Either give examples yourself or ask students to think of examples. Examples are:
- Bed: I have a bed which is soft and cosy. My bed is pink and so are my curtains.
- Computer: I have my own computer in my room so I can study in there.
- Bookshelf: I have a huge bookshelf with books because I love reading.
6. Now ask the students to imagine their lives in the next 10 years. Invite them to share their ideas with
their partners. Review future tenses as appropriate by contrasting plans and intentions “I’m going to
study at university in the UK” with predictions “I’ll probably be rich and famous when I’m 20”.
7. Now ask students to imagine their bedrooms in the next 10 years. What do they think they will have in
their bedrooms in the future? Ask students to discuss their ideas with their partner. Again review how
to talk about the future by contrasting plans and intentions, e.g. “I’m going to have a sofa bed in my
room so I can have friends over to stay” with predictions, e.g. “I’ll probably have my own TV in my
room soon.”
8. Go round the class and monitor and provide any vocabulary which is needed. Take notes on good
and weak language used.
9. Give the language feedback to the class. Ask students to correct or improve the weak language.
10. Remind students that in Part 4 candidates must talk together. Explain that it is important to show you
are discussing the topic with your partner instead of just giving your opinion and you must try to keep
the conversation going. Elicit how they can do this (e.g. ask for your partner’s opinion, continue your
partner’s ideas, show you are listening and interested in your partner’s ideas etc).
11. Hand out the Activity sheet. Ask students to read the sample answer for Part 4 and to answer the
questions. If possible, have students underline a) – h) in a different colour for clarity.
12. Whole class check. Go over any questions, issues or language points that arise. Establish that this is
a very good answer, but not long enough and that the interlocutor would wait for the candidates to
start speaking again. If they didn’t, the interlocutor would prompt them to speak by repeating some
aspect of the task.
13. Now set up the class to do the sample Part 4 task. Change the pairs of students so that everyone has
a new partner and ask them to listen to the instructions which you read out before they begin. Tell the
class you are going to listen for how well they keep the conversation going. Time students for 3
minutes.
14. Monitor the class and take notes on how well students interact and expand on both their own and
their partner’s ideas.
15. Go over the feedback.
16. Change the pairs of students again and have them repeat the task, giving feedback again at the end.

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use provided no charge is made. For further information see our Terms and Conditions.
 Key
Activity Q2

Victoria: There are many things in my bedroom. (a) The most important is my bed.

David: Same here. (b) My bed is very big and comfortable.

Victoria: Mmm. I have all my favourite pop stars’ pictures on the wall above my bed. (d)

David: Oh, I’ve got posters (h) of footballers.

Victoria: Do you have a computer or a TV in your room? (c)

David: I’ve got a TV but I haven’t got a computer. I have to share my brother’s. (d) What about you? (c)

Victoria: I got a computer for Christmas so I could do my homework. (d) I keep it on the desk in my room.

David: Oh my room is too small for a desk so (e) I have to study downstairs. (d)

Victoria: Let’s talk about our bedrooms in the future (f). Do you think yours will be different from now? (c)

David: I hope it will (g) be bigger and tidier.

Victoria: Me too, (b) I’m going to (g) have a huge (h) clean room where I can keep all my books, computer games,
DVDs and clothes. And a big walk-in wardrobe (h) like you see in the films.

David: I don’t have many clothes so I don’t need a wardrobe. But I’ll probably (g) have a really big screen TV and a
comfy (h) sofa where I can watch TV with my friends in private, (h) without my parents.

Victoria: Yes, (b) and a big loud stereo (h) too.

Activity Q 3
a) Yes
b) Yes
c) Yes

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use provided no charge is made. For further information see our Terms and Conditions.
Preliminary for Schools Speaking Part 4
Activity

1. Read this sample answer for Part 4. The two candidates are Victoria and David.

Victoria: There are many things in my bedroom. The most important is my bed.
David: Same here. My bed is very big and comfortable.
Victoria: Mmm. I have all my favourite pop stars’ pictures on the wall above my bed.
David: Oh, I’ve got posters of footballers.
Victoria: Do you have a computer or a TV in your room?
David: I’ve got a TV but I haven’t got a computer. I have to share my brother’s. What about you?
Victoria: I got a computer for Christmas so I could do my homework. I keep it on the desk in my room.
David: Oh my room is too small for a desk so I have to study downstairs.
Victoria: Let’s talk about our bedrooms in the future. Do you think yours will be different from now?
David: I hope it will be bigger and tidier.
Victoria: Me too, I’m going to have a huge clean room where I can keep all my books, computer games, DVDs and
clothes. And a big walk-in wardrobe like you see in the films.
David: I don’t have many clothes so I don’t need a wardrobe. But I’ll probably have a really big screen TV and a
comfy sofa where I can watch TV with my friends in private, without my parents.
Victoria: Yes, and a big loud stereo too.

2. In the sample above, find and underline in different colours examples of the following:
a) An opening phrase
b) Phrases / words used to show you agree with your partner
c) Questions which invite your partner to speak
d) Examples where one of the speakers gives extra information about something
e) A word or phrase used for linking two ideas together
f) A phrase used to move on to the next topic
g) Phrases and tenses used to talk about the future
h) Some interesting vocabulary

3. a) Do the candidates talk for about the same amounts of time?

b) Do the candidates answer the examiner’s question?
c) Do the candidates discuss the topics together?
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use provided no charge is made. For further information see our Terms and Conditions.
Sample paper Part 4

© UCLES 2008. This material may be photocopied (without alteration) and distributed for classroom
use provided no charge is made. For further information see our Terms and Conditions.