Question Type 1: Basic Description Questions

Part Two Problems

The biggest problem with Part Two is that candidates focus on content. Most people are so busy trying to think about “what to say” and as a result they forget about "language content" of their speech.

As we have already concluded, there are no marks for content, so a Part Two that focuses on content will score quite low on the marking system.

I think it is good time to repeat myself here: The examiner is NOT listening to what you say – he / she is only listening to how you say it!

In the past, many of my students have approached me with questions like:

In Part Two is it OK for me to describe a Chinese book?

In Part Two should I describe A or B?

In Part Two, what if the examiner isn‘t familiar with the thing that I describe?

All of the above questions are totally irrelevant. The examiner is not concerned with your choice of content (however it must be related to the topic.)

During Part Two, the examiner is focused on the marking system. Any features of the marking system that you produce in Part Two will influence your score: content will not affect your score.

So again we can see that content or ideas are irrelevant. It really does not matter what you choose to talk about as long as you are talking on the topic. '

A good Part Two is NOT focused on "telling the examiner something".

In the same way as Part One, during Part Two you should be focused on the following features of language.