Here are some ideas to help you prepare for the speaking part of the Oxford Test of English. We’ll first give you some ideas of what the examiner is looking for, then we’ll give you some sample questions and answers.
How is the speaking part of the exam marked?
The candidates are marked using these four different criteria – and these are the things you should keep in mind when answering the questions.
Task fulfilment
This basically means, did you understand and answer the question. Other things that are included are addressing the prompts and the appropriacy of the responses to the listener. eg If the question asks you to leave a voicemail message for a friend, then the style should be informal and sound friendly.
Pronunciation
Not just the pronunciation of individual sounds, but also the ability to use such things as intonation and stress.
Grammar
Here, the examiner is listening to the range of structures and how well you use them. The examiner will be looking for a range of correctly used grammar structures.
Lexis
These are the words that you use, the examiner will be looking for correct spelling and usage, phrasal verbs, correct use of collocations, idioms. Tip; Try to use low frequency words (words that are more uncommon)