LISTENING AND SPEAKING NOTES SPM CEFR

SPEAKING TEST – TIMING (13 minutes)
The timing of the test begins when the interlocutor

greets the candidates.

TEST PARTS DURATION
(Approximately)

PART 1 Interview 3-4 minutes
(Individual Response)

PART 2 Individual 3-4 minutes
long-turn task

PART 3 Discussion task & Further 4-5 minutes
discussion task

1

TEST INTERACTION PATTERN INPUT
PARTS

PART Teacher interviews • Teacher interviews the candidates and
1 candidates candidates respond to the questions.

Part 1 has two phases. • Teacher elicits personal information from

First phase is a general both candidates by asking a variety of
introduction
questions.
(QUESTIONS ON YOUR
BACKGROUND) • Each candidate is given time to expand on

Second phase is focused their answers.
on a specific theme

(QUESTIONS SPECIFIC
THEME – eg : DAILY
ROUTINE)

2

TEST COMMUNICATION LANGUAGE FUNCTIONS
PARTS FEATURES

Responding to questions

Phase 1 is to lead to • Giving factual information about self
short responses. (biodata)

Phase 2 is where longer • Talking about present circumstances
responses are
PART 1 anticipated • Expressing opinions

Main purpose • Explaining and giving reasons
to ensure fairness to all • Talking about future plans
candidates, rather than • Talking about past experiences

to have a completely
natural conversation.

3

TEST INTERACTION INPUT
PARTS PATTERN

• Interlocutor asks candidate A to speak for

about 1 minute on a particular topic related

An individual to own experiences.

long-turn task • Based on written input in the form of general

PART (1-2 minutes) instructions and content-focused prompts.
2
with a listening- • Candidate is also given a short response

candidate question on their partner’s task topic.

response question • Repeat for Candidate B with a different

(20-30 seconds) task/theme.

• Candidate A will be given a short response

question on the partner’s task topic.

4

TEST COMMUNICATION LANGUAGE FUNCTIONS
PARTS FEATURES
• Giving information of a non-personal
PART 2 Sustain a long kind.
turn.
• Talking about past/present/future
• Coherence and experience.
clarity of
message. • Explaining and giving reasons.
• Expressing and justifying opinions.
• Organisation of • Describing people, places and
language and
ideas. situations.
• Naming personal characteristics,
• Accuracy and
appropriacy of objects and activities.
linguistic
resources.

5

TEST PARTS INTERACTION PATTERN INPUT

PART 3 Discussion task & First
Further discussion ❖ given 20 seconds to prepare
❖ Then, discuss on the information given for
task
2 minutes (based on mind-map)
▪ Two candidates –
talk to each other Second
(discussion) ❖ candidates will be given 1 minute to make

a decision together on which is the best

(idea from the mind-map).

Third
❖ Next, candidates are given one further

minute to answer the final joint question
❖ Give opinion on the related question

6

TEST COMMUNICATION LANGUAGE FUNCTIONS
PARTS FEATURES

PART 3 • Turn-taking and • Explaining and giving reasons.
responding • Exchanging information and
appropriately
opinions (likes/ dislikes,
• Negotiating and
Initiating preferences, experiences, habits,

• Developing etc.).
topics • Expressing and justifying

opinions.
• Negotiating agreement.
• Making and responding to

suggestions.
• Discussing alternatives.

7

PART 1 - INTERVIEW

➢ 3-4 minutes

➢ to offer personal information and to
respond appropriately.

➢ Part 1 has two phases, the first phase is
general introductions and the second is
focused on a specific theme (e.g. daily
routines)

8

First Phase “

9

Second “
Phase

10

“

11

“

12

“

my family and I ...............

13

“

14

“

15

“

16

PART 3 - DISCUSSION

➢ Two candidates – talk to each
other (discussion)

➢ Discuss for 3 minutes

17

PART 3 – DISCUSSION
First section (1st and 2nd sections)

❖ given 20 seconds to prepare
❖ Then, discuss on the information give for 2

minutes

Second section
❖ candidates will be given 1 minute to make a

decision together on which is the best (idea).

Third section
❖ Give opinion on the related question

18

19

First section

Second
section

Third
section

(Own school (External
teacher) teacher)

6 marks 6 marks

TOTAL 6 marks
24 marks
6 marks
22

OVERALL SPOKEN PERFORMANCE
(INTERLOCUTOR)
6 MARKS

➢ Can understand questions and instructions directed

➢ Can maintain the interaction by asking and responding
to questions and suggestions on familiar matters in a
simple and direct way.

23

GRAMMAR
(ASSESSOR)

6 MARKS

➢ candidate able to communicate accurately
➢ able to link utterances together using cohesive

devices to show logical sequencing of content
➢ consistently use grammar accurately and appropriately

convey intended meaning

24

VOCABULARY
(ASSESSOR)

6 MARKS

➢ ability to use vocabulary to convey meaning
➢ convey relevant meaning with good vocabulary choice

25

COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE
(ASSESSOR)
6 MARKS

➢ able to produce naturally-flowing speech
➢ sustain a conversation despite hesitation or pauses
➢ make the meaning clear
➢ speakers can initiate, maintain and close an interaction
➢ effectively ‘design’ the talk to achieve mutual

understanding.

26

LISTENING TEST

• 1119/4
• Format :

➢Part 1 and 2 - MCQ
➢Part 3 - Matchinng
➢Part 4 - Fill in the gaps

27

LISTENING TEST

• 30 marks - 25% of overall candidate grade
• B1-B2 CEFR
• 40 minutes (last 5 minutes to fill up answers in

the answer sheet)

28

Rough idea of
how the

listening test
answer sheet
may look like



• 1st listening -
answers seeking

• 2nd listening -
confirming
answers

• before each part
begins, time will
be given to read
to the questions

31

• 1st listening -
answers seeking

• 2nd listening -
confirming
answers

• before each part
begins, time will
be given to read
to the questions

32

• 1st listening - answers seeking
• 2nd listening - confirming answers

• before each part begins,
time will be given to read to
the questions

• 1st listening - answers seeking
• 2nd listening - confirming answers
• before each part begins, time will be

given to read to the questions

• avoid spelling errors (even 1 34
letter mistake)

• aware of upper and lower cases
• aware of grammatical aspects

(singular/plural forms, tenses))