23 Useful Phrase Types for the CPE Speaking Exam

In the CPE Speaking Exam it is impossible to know what topics or what questions you will have to talk about, but you can learn some phrases that will be useful all through the exam!

There are 5 main categories and 23 sub-categories! If you can think of any others let me know!

23 Useful Phrase Types for the CPE Speaking.

Phrases To Start Speaking With

• Introducing Your Contribution
• Thinking Time Phrases
• Brief Long Turn Intro

• Make Things Interesting
• Speculating About A Photo
• Widening The Argument
• Stressing Details
• Predicting Or Imagining

• Structure Any Longer Answer
• Move Between Topics
• Switching Direction Phrases
• Rephrasing
• Going Backwards
• Giving An Example

• Agreeing
• Disagreeing Nicely
• Verbal Nods
• Involving The Examiner
• Asking Your Partner Questions (4 Types)
• Interrupting

• Being A Nice Person Phrases
• Giving Mild Or Balanced Opinions
• Refer To Your Partner

When I was researching this topic after a student had asked me to find some useful phrases, I found that a lot of the options that were given were poor.

I saw that were just simply listed for students without any context and that they were a little stilted, sometimes too formal, and perhaps even too specific...in the sense that they would be difficult to reuse unless there was a very precise situation/context.

So the problem here would be that students would learn the phrase and attribute a function to the phrase – but when they said it the examiner might smell a rat, they might think that has just been learnt by heart.

Which is true after all!

So what I have tried to do here is compile some phrases that are fixed or semi-fixed in nature (so they are considered common and natural) and are neutral in the sense that you could use them in business, in academia as well as with your friends.

I have also tried to explain them in terms of a more precise function and common usage.

So let’s begin with the first category, Phrases to Start Speaking With!

Section 1. Phrases to Start Speaking With

In general it is obviously good advice to start to speak confidently – the exam stresses the need for minimal hesitation.

One way to imagine a conversation is that someone is passing you a ball when they ask you a question – and if you have the ball, you should be speaking! And so to signal that you accept it is your turn, ideally you will start to speak almost immediately.

This is of course a cultural habit. Some cultures in the world like the person to respond after reflection… but not us! No, no, we value instant responses, silences are taboo. Maybe I am exaggerating… but maybe not when we look at the way the exam is marked, hmmm.

Phrase Type 1: Introducing Your Contribution

I have listed a few here, but actually many of the other sections could be used to start your speaking, for example Widening the Argument, or Refer to Your Partner, etc.

First utterances

• Well…
• Ah…
• Yes….
• I guess…
• I suppose...

• ...speaking from experience, …
• ...as far as I am concerned…
• ...in my opinion…
• ...as I see it …
• ...to be honest …

I recommend using an ‘utterance’ because it is such a common and natural way of ‘accepting the ball’. And you can inhale immediately afterwards – this signals that you have understood the question and the very slight pause [it is not a hesitation now!] allows the listener to get ready for your answer.

Phrase Type 2: Thinking Time Phrases

Be careful here because in order to buy time these phrases have to be a bit longer than the standard Introducing Your Contribution. So they can appear stilted and that you have learnt them by heart… well because you have!!!!

So what I would recommend is that you don’t say them unless you are desperate!

And that you get the natural ‘surprised’ intonation within the phrase.

• Oh that’s an interesting question because there are a number of factors involved, such as...
• Oh, ok, I’ve never thought much about that but if I were to make a guess, I think...
• Well that’s difficult to say because on the one hand, I guess….

These are real sentences and said in the right context with the right intonation are more than acceptable – just remember it is a little bit of a high risk solution that could backfire (a little).

Phrase Type 3: Brief Long Turn Intro

Here are two examples of Long Turn cards that can be given to students: