There are 3 task in part 2 of the Aptis speaking exam:
1. Describe the picture. (You have to speak for 45 seconds )
2.Giving an opinion. (You have to speak for 45 seconds )
3. Comparing with own situation/experiences. (You have to speak for 45 seconds)
Question 1: Describing the picture.
DESCRIBE , SPECULATE , and REACT.
DESCRIBE THE PICTURE:
Who do you see? Where are they? What are they doing? What do they look like? How do you think they feel? What’s in the background?(if applicable) What’s the weather like?(if applicable)
It’s best to give a general impression or description rather than separate details. And if you have time give short details about separate details of the picture.
Example:
This is a picture of a busy neighborhood.
There are five people in the picture. I think they are at a family event. The man on the right is making a toast.
I can see many skyscrapers in the background.
SPECULATE
This is a busy, bustling city. It must be New York.
She looks very sad. Perhaps no one remembered it was her own birthday.
I suppose it’s a holiday.
They all look very happy. The woman on the left is wearing skiing gear. They might be getting ready to go on vacation.
The man is wearing a tailored suit and a top hat. He must be Japanese because of the flag on his briefcase. The woman behind him looks friendly.
They are all wearing formal clothes. They might be getting ready for a wedding.
The girl in the middle seems to be excited. She must be getting ready for a fun adventure..
He must be the child’s father.
She could be his grandmother.
They seem to be really relaxed.
She looks very sad.
She looks surprised. Perhaps she’s meeting and old friend.
I get the impression he is hurt because he is holding his head.
It’s not clear whether it’s a competition or not.
REACT
I like this photo. It reminds me of my family.This photo makes me think of my own mother and the time we celebrated her winning an award.
I would love to try this. In fact, I’m going to try it this weekend.
I like this picture, though I’m afraid of dogs and I am not keen on being around animals.
Useful structures and vocabulary for describing a photograph
Beginning you description
This is a picture of………..
It shows………… key features)
Key tenses & structures
Present continuous: He’s riding a bicycle. They’re running under a bridge.
There is/are + object + verb +ing:
There’s a boy riding a bike. There are several people having dinner here.
Speculating (making guesses)
It looks as if… + a sentence (he/she/ it +is+ ing / they are + ing / there is/ are … etc.)
(He /She/ It looks …. or / They look like…) + a noun
(He/ She/ It looks …. or / They look…)+ an adjective.
I think..( he’s / she’s/ they’re probably)… (Verb + ing)
(He/She/ it/ they) might be… or/ must be…
Spatial language (Where in the picture you are talking about)
In the foreground / background…
Next to / Behind/ in front of… this, there is/ are…
Paraphrasing (explaining a word that you can’t remember)
It’s a thing that you use for…(making pancakes/ flipping eggs over in the pan)
It’s similar to a …
It looks like some kind of..
Question Two : Opinion
To do this we usually use adverbial phrases at the start of the sentence.
Here are some phrases/structure to use when giving an opinion.
Expressing your opinion
I think that…
Personally…
Surprisingly…
And after expressing your opinions, here are some ways that you can justify them:
Justifying you opinion
because.. (+subject verb)
as…(+subject verb)
since… (+subject verb)
because of… (+noun phrase)
due to….(+noun phrase)
as a result of…. (+noun phrase)
Question Three: Comparison with your own situation.
I would definitely choose picture one as I like……..
I guess my first choice would be picture two.
For me, the most important thing is to …………
I don’t think it really matters where you go as long as …………
Personally, I would prefer …………
Of course, the good thing about living in the city is that there are tons of facilities and entertainment. On the other hand, life in the country is much less stressful.
I wouldn’t mind being on a beautiful island like that, but on the other hand, I think I would be bored to death after a couple of days there.
If I had to choose one of these places, I would definitely go for the one in the picture at the bottom.