Speaking — Long Turn (Part 2) for the CAE Exam

Common failure modes

These are the patterns that cause most candidates to lose marks on this topic. Recognising them in advance is half the work.

• !Describing each photo separately rather than comparing throughout the response
• !Using the same vocabulary and structures as at B2 — not demonstrating C1 range
• !Not answering the evaluative question at the end ("which person is more likely to...?")

Study tips

• 1Practice C1 comparison language: "Whereas in the first image..., the second appears to suggest...", "It strikes me that...", "There is a palpable sense of...".
• 2Use hedging: "It would appear that...", "One might infer that...", "This could be interpreted as...".
• 3Add evaluation: don't just say what you see, explain what it means or implies.

Sample CAE Speaking — Long Turn (Part 2) questions

These sample items mirror the format and difficulty of real CAE questions. Practice with thousands more on the free Koydo question bank.

1. 1

   A C1-level response to two photos of people eating — one in a fast-food restaurant, one in a formal restaurant — might include:

   • A"Both photos show people eating. One is a fast-food restaurant. One is formal."
   • B"The first photo depicts individuals eating in what appears to be a casual fast-food environment, whereas the second suggests a more formal dining setting. The contrasting contexts may reflect different values around food: convenience versus experience."Correct
   • C"I can see people. They are eating in different places."
   • D"Photo A shows fast food. Photo B shows a posh restaurant. Both people look happy."
   Why this answer?

   Option B demonstrates C1 lexical range (depicts, casual environment, contrasting contexts, convenience versus experience), appropriate hedging (appears to be, may reflect), and goes beyond description to interpretation — which is the hallmark of C1-level speaking.