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hereinbeijing · Joined: 24 Dec 2007 Posts: 101

During part two of the speaking test, the candidate is given a written prompt. The candidate is then given one minute to prepare, during which time they can take notes. I know the candidate can then keep the notes when they begin to speak. My question is if they are also able to keep the written prompt during the time they are speaking, or if the examiner takes it away from then as soon as they start to speak.

william wallace · Joined: 14 May 2003 Posts: 2869 Location: in between

They can keep it,but they MUST return it after the speaking test is over. They can use it as a reminder,and to keep on task.In reality, if you notice, few write more than a couple of words, a partial sentence and that's about it.

eddy-cool · Joined: 06 Jul 2008 Posts: 1008

Reminds me of a recent speech contest I attended held in some academy. We judges were told the contestants would speak about the topic listed in the list of participants.
Many spoke freely though you had the distinct impression they had memorised their pieces from translated versions. Then we began noticing guys that held a crumpled sheet of paper in their hands, furtively glancing at it from time to time, especially after long, ominously quiet intervals. Finally a guy read aloud from his paper, and it was a terrible Chinglish version to boot.
No one stopped him. The worst was that the marks from the two of us who failed this student were ignored; my colleague and I refused to hand in our mark, which resulted in the student getting an even higher mark than others judged by the full quorum of judges. How so? There were fewer marks, and all were from Chinese or otherwise unnecessarily sympathetic judges. These judges gave everybody unreasonably high marks - but without our input the marks of the worst student got such a boost he outperformed his betters.

loboman · Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2008 11:10 am Post subject:

Part 2, the examiner gives them a topic, a pen/pencil, and a clean note paper.

The test taker gets one minute to prepare. When I was given IELTS prep I told the students to use that time to make an outline to highlight keys points to use as a reminder when/if they get stuck.

Then they have to speak 1-2 minutes on the topic.

The student can use the notes during the exam and of course I urged them not to read from the paper - only glance at it.

At the end they are supposed to give the notes and topic paper back.

Sometimes they can keep the pen / pencil Very Happy