These are the criteria to assess a
candidate’s oral performance:
Vocabulary and range of vocabulary
Grammar and range of structures
Fluency
Time and task completion
Connectors and organization
Sounds of English
Pronunciation of specific words
Stress, rhythm and intonation
In order to pass the oral exam at the
advanced level, students have to do two things:
1)
They mustn’t make mistakes when
they use basic sentence structures or vocabulary REPEATEDLY. Nobody fails an
exam for some occasional problems or for a single mistake, no matter how
serious the mistake is
2)
Students must use structures
that are ADVANCED. It’s not enough speaking correctly, the examiner will
appreciate any vocabulary and structures that aren’t too basic
The following examples have been taken from
the oral tests we did last month:
1)
It is wrong to translate
Spanish structures. Speaking English involves learning new rules of word
formation, word order, pronouns, prepositions, singulars and plurals, etc:
-
* in my town wasn’t built a new
sports centre: a new sports centre wasn’t built in my town
-
* the main problem that has
people: the main problem people have (subject before verb); the word "people" is always plural, by the way
-
* I have to say my name? Do I
have to say my name? / * I read?: Shall I read? (auxiliary verbs)
-
* enjoy with the book: enjoy
the book
-
* give me advices: give me some
advice (uncountable noun)
-
* pay the books: pay for the
books (you pay someone but pay for something -except pay a bill, pay the rent,)
-
* in the work: at work
-
* if I would move to abroad: if
I moved abroad
-
* help to you: help you / ask
to my friend: ask my friend
2)
The worst mistake is not
finishing sentences
3)
Other grammar problems that are
considered very serious at this level:
-
* stoling things: stealing / *
to came back: to come back
-
* everybody talk: talks / *
politicians says: say / * the island have: has / * it depend: depends
-
* this people: these / * this
facilities: these
-
* childrens!!!!: children
-
* cycling is best than…: better
-
* another things: other (it’s a
plural noun)
-
* think on the future: of or
about
-
* they are enough old: old
enough
4)
As regards pronunciation, an
extra effort must be made to pronounce correctly the words / sounds that cause
problems:
-
/v/ / ʃ /
-
/w/. A lot of Spanish speakers
pronounce it as /g/: work
-
Final consonants must me
pronounced clearly: work, think
-
Be careful with past regular
forms: looked
-
/j/ as in “you” is like a
Spanish /i/, please don’t pronounce /j/ as / dʒ /
-
In words beginning with –s-
please don’t pronounce an extra –e-: in Spain, high school, bus stop
-
The distinction between /ɪ/ and /i:/ can be vital sometimes: live | lɪv |– leave | liːv|, this | ðɪs|- these| ðiːz |
-
Stressing the wrong syllable can
be a problem too: effort, mobile, independent, advantage, reasonable, politics
-
The sound / ɜː / can be a problem sometimes: compare church / tʃɜːtʃ / with charge / tʃɑːdʒ / or hurt / hɜːt / with heart / hɑːt /
-
Words that are frequently
mispronounced:
Favourite | ˈfeɪvərɪt |
Money |ˈmʌni |
Focus |ˈfəʊkəs |
Measure |ˈmeʒə |
Law | lɔː |
Weapon |ˈwepən |
Costumes / customs |ˈkɒstjuːmz| |ˈkʌstəmz |
Chain / change |tʃeɪn| |tʃeɪndʒ |
Climate |ˈklaɪmət |
Cause / causes |kɔːz| |ˈkɔːzɪz |
Literature |ˈlɪtrətʃə |
Behaviour |bɪˈheɪvjə |
Taught |tɔːt |
Tastes |teɪsts |
Flood| flʌd |
Jewellery |ˈdʒuːəlri |
