Aptis Speaking Part Three- Longer Phrases

Aptis Speaking Part Three longer phrases

Use as many of the phrases below as you can to describe two pictures (from an Aptis test, from your company’s website, from Cambridge B2 First Speaking Part Two, etc). The parts which are not underlined below can be changed to talk about different parts of the pictures, and the words in brackets are optional. Your teacher will tell you if you have a time limit (e.g. 45 seconds) or not.

Comparing/ contrasting

Saying how similar or different things (often the first sentence)

• (Overall) the two… are (exactly/ virtually/ almost/ nearly) the same.
• (Overall) the two pictures are (incredibly/ very/ fairly) similar.
• (Overall) the settings are (very/ almost completely/ completely) different.

 

• The backgrounds have (quite) a lot in common.
• The people in the two photos have (only/ just) one thing in common.
• The activities in the two images have (absolutely/ almost) nothing in common.

 

Talking about the main similarities/ differences (often the next sentence or two after the overview)

• The (biggest/ main/ most important/ only) similarity/ difference between the two is…
• A (big/ major/ -n important) similarity/ difference between the two pictures is…

 

Talking about other similarities and differences

• Something (else) that … have in common is…
• (Yet) a(nother) similarity/ difference is…

 

• … is (much much/ much/ far/ a lot/ quite a lot/ considerably/ substantially/ somewhat/ a little/ a bit/ a little bit/ a tiny bit) more …/ less…/ …er than...

 

• The … in the picture over here is (not nearly/ not/ not quite/ nearly/ just) as… as the … in the other one.

 

• The photo on the left… In (complete) contrast, the one on the right…
• The left-hand picture…, whereas the right-hand one…
• This picture… while that picture…
• This picture… but the other picture…

 

• (Un/ Totally un)like the picture that I just mentioned, the other…

 

• Both (of the) pictures…
• (Only/ Just) one of the images…

 

Speculating/ Guessing/ Unsure language

• I’m (fairly/ almost/ absolutely) certain that…
• looks (as if/ like)
• may (well)/ might (well)
• could (possibly)

 

Ask about any phrases above which you weren’t sure how to use.

Without looking above, try to add words to each phrase below to make them longer (and so give more information about the level of similarity, amount of difference, etc). Put an arrow where the words would go and then write them next to the line. Don’t change any of the words below, just write what you can add.

Comparing/ contrasting

Saying how similar or different things (often the first sentence)

• (Overall) the two… are the same.
• (Overall) the two pictures are similar.
• (Overall) the settings are different.

 

• The backgrounds have a lot in common.
• The people in the two photos have one thing in common.
• The activities in the two images have nothing in common.

 

Talking about the main similarities/ differences (often the next sentence or two after the overview)

• The similarity/ difference between the two is…
• A similarity/ difference between the two pictures is…

 

Talking about other similarities and differences

• Something that … have in common is…
• A similarity/ difference is…

 

• … is more …/ less…/ …er than...

 

• The … in the picture over here is as… as the … in the other one.

 

• The photo on the left… In contrast, the one on the right…

 

• Like the picture that I just mentioned, the other…

 

• Both pictures…
• One of the images…

 

Speculating/ Guessing/ Unsure language

• I’m certain that…
• looks
• may/ might
• could

 

Use the mixed words below to help with the task above. Many words can be used more than once.

• a bit
• a little
• a little bit
• a lot
• a tiny bit
• absolutely
• almost
• almost completely
• as if
• big
• biggest
• complete
• completely
• considerably
• else
• exactly
• fairly
• far
• incredibly
• just
• like
• main
• major
• most important
• much
• much much
• -n important
• nearly
• not
• not nearly
• not quite
• of the
• only
• possibly
• quite
• quite a lot
• somewhat
• substantially
• totally un-
• un-
• very
• virtually
• well
• yet …nother

Use the less mixed words below to check and finish the task above.

• almost
• as if/ like
• big/ major/ -n important
• biggest/ main/ most important/ only
• complete
• else
• exactly/ almost/ nearly
• fairly/ almost/ absolutely
• incredibly/ very/ fairly
• much much/ much/ far/ a lot/ quite a lot/ considerably/ substantially/ somewhat/ a little/ a bit/ a little bit/ a tiny bit
• not nearly/ not/ not quite/ nearly/ just
• of the
• only/ just
• Only/ Just
• possibly
• quite
• Un/ Totally un
• very/ almost completely/ completely
• well
• Yet …nother

Check your answers above.

How can you refer to the two pictures that you are referring to (preferably/ mainly without the need to point at them)?