Preparing for ESOL/FS Level 1/2 Speaking Exam

ESOL/FS Level 1/2 Speaking Exam: Practical Strategies for City & Guilds Success

Know the assessment, play to its aims

In City & Guilds ESOL Skills for Life (Level 1 — Speaking, Listening and Communicating), you are judged on how clearly you express ideas, how well you organise your talk, how naturally you interact and how effectively you listen. Typical tasks include a short individual talk, a paired or small-group discussion and listening with follow-up questions. Think of the exam as a real conversation with clear purposes: exchange information, justify opinions, respond to questions and manage turn-taking.

Train your ear the British way

Understanding the examiner’s questions is half the battle. Build this by listening to British sources at slightly slower speed, then at normal speed. Try BBC Radio 4 bulletins, Sky News clips or podcasts such as “The Guardian Today in Focus”. Notice rhythm, stress and intonation across accents you may meet in the UK — Manchester, London, Belfast, Cardiff, Glasgow. Shadow short clips: pause, repeat what you hear, match stress patterns and weak forms (to → /tə/, of → /əv/). This sharpens comprehension and primes your mouth for natural British prosody.

Paraphrase to buy thinking time

At L1/B2, you are rewarded for checking meaning and clarifying. Paraphrasing gives you a few seconds to plan while showing control in the interaction. Use:

• “So, if I’ve understood you correctly, you’re asking whether…?”

• “Just to clarify, would you like me to focus on the advantages or the drawbacks?”

• “In other words, you’re interested in…”

These stems demonstrate active listening and prevent you from answering the wrong question.

Fluency drills that actually work

Sustained speech matters. Practise one-minute and two-minute monologues with your phone timer. Choose familiar British topics: public transport where you live, recycling in your local council area, and the pros and cons of part-time work while studying. Aim for continuous speech with light self-correction, not perfection. When you dry up, use a rescue phrase: “Let me give a quick example from my college,” or “To move on, I’d add that…”. Record, review, repeat.

Sample 60-second frame (fill with your ideas):

Opening: “I’d like to talk about [topic] because it affects daily life in the UK.”

Point 1: “Firstly, in my experience…”

Point 2: “On the other hand, some people argue…”

Example: “For instance, in Manchester…”

Wrap-up: “On balance, I think…, mainly because…”.

Signposting that shows structure

Discourse markers make your speech sound organised and confident. They also give you thinking time. Good options include:

• Starting: “Right, to begin with…”, “From my point of view…”

• Balancing: “On the one hand… on the other hand…”, “That said…”

• Adding: “Furthermore…”, “What’s more…”

• Clarifying: “To be precise…”, “In simple terms…”

• Summing up: “To sum up…”, “Overall, my view is…”

Use a light touch. Signposting should help the examiner, not clutter your answer.

Communication techniques examiners notice

City & Guilds markers value interaction, not monologues alone. Build these habits:

• Back-channelling: “I see”, “That makes sense”, “Absolutely” to show engagement.

• Turn-taking: Offer space — “What do you think about that?” — then respond directly to your partner’s point.

• Repair: If you miss something, repair politely — “Sorry, could you repeat the last part?” or “Do you mean X or Y?”

• Intonation: Use a falling tone to finish points, a slight rise to invite response. This sounds natural in British English.

Manage nerves with simple physiology

Glossophobia is common. Use box breathing before you speak: inhale 4, hold 4, exhale 4, hold 4, repeat four times. Plant both feet, relax your jaw, and lower your shoulders. Swap the chase for perfection with a focus on connection: natural eye contact, responsive nods, clear examples. You will sound more fluent because you are communicating, not performing.

Myths, busted

Myth 1: “You must speak perfect English.”

Reality: City & Guilds assesses effective communication. Minor slips that don’t block meaning are fine. Prioritise clarity, not flawless grammar.

Myth 2: “Pausing shows weakness.”

Reality: A well-timed pause signals control and helps accuracy.

Myth 3: “Memorised answers guarantee a high score.”

Reality: Examiners detect scripts. Prepare ideas and language, not fixed speeches.

Myth 4: “Fancy words always impress.”

Reality: Over-complex lexis can harm fluency. Choose precise, comfortable vocabulary used accurately.

British rhetorical polish (Don’t use too often)

Sprinkle well-known techniques to lift impact:

• Rhetorical question: “Who wouldn’t want quicker GP appointments if we could fund them?”

• Tricolon: “It’s practical, affordable and fair.”

• Contrast: “Not just cheaper, but greener.”

• Understatement: “The queues were… not ideal.”

• Alliteration: “safer streets, stronger services”.

These devices shape emphasis without sounding over-rehearsed.

A SMART weekly plan that fits real life

• Specific: Record a 90-second talk on a local UK topic every weekday.

• Measurable: Aim for 170–200 words with two signposts and one example.

• Achievable: One listen-and-shadow drill daily using a British clip.

• Relevant: Pair-practice once a week to rehearse turn-taking and repair.

• Time-bound: Full mock every Friday with feedback notes.

Template log: Date, clip used, new phrases, feedback on stress, one target for tomorrow.

Ready-to-use British examples

• Paraphrase starter: “Just checking — would you like me to compare costs or focus on convenience?”

• Agree-but-shift: “I take your point about price. That said, reliability matters during winter in the UK.”

• Example frame: “For instance, in my area the council trialled… which meant…”

• Conclusion: “To sum up, I’d prioritise X because it offers value and reduces hassle.”

On the day

Arrive early, warm up your voice with tongue-twisters (“She sells seashells…”), do two rounds of box breathing, review three signposts, and two paraphrase stems. In the room, sit tall, smile, listen first, answer second. Use pauses, give an example, and round off. Then let the last answer go and focus on the next question.

City & Guilds L1/B2 success is not about sounding native. It’s about clear structure, responsive interaction, confident delivery and relevant examples. Train your ear with British input, rehearse short talks with signposts, borrow calm pacing from great speakers and manage nerves with simple routines. Communicate naturally, show you’re thinking, and make your English work for the task in front of you.