Cambridge First Certificate (FCE) Speaking- Different or the Same?

Cambridge First Speaking the same or different

Work in twos or threes. Together decide if the things on each line below are the same or different, how different they are, and what the (main) differences are between them. If there are more than two, they are all the same or all different. The differences could be meaning, formality, (positive and negative) connotation, function, grammar, etc.

Useful language for comparing and contrasting -        Overall/ In general… -        exactly the same (in terms of…/ if you look at…/ if you think about…) -        almost (exactly) the same/ virtually identical -        basically the same -        very similar -        quite similar -        very different -        almost completely different -        completely different -        (almost) opposite -        the main/ most important/ most obvious difference/ similarity is… -        … but…/ … whereas…./ …. In (complete) contrast,… -        Both… and … -        One thing that… and… have in common is…

 

Parts of B2 First Speaking the same or different

• Part One/ Part Four
• Part Two/ Part Three
• what the person who is given the photos has to do/ what the other candidate has to do
• Part Three/ Part Four
• the first, two-minute part of Part Three/ the second, one-minute part of Part Three

 

General B2 First Speaking phrases the same or different

• Can you repeat the question?/ Can you rephrase the question?
• Can you repeat the question?/ Can you say that again?
• Could you say that another way?/ Can you rephrase the question?
• Do you mean…?/ Are you asking…?
• Sorry, what does… mean?/ Excuse me, what do you mean by…?
• I’m afraid I still don’t understand the question./ I’m sorry but I’m still not quite sure what the question means.
• Let me think./ Let me see.
• That’s a difficult question./ That’s a tricky one.
• I’ve never really thought about that before…/ No one’s ever asked me that before.
• There is a word in my language…/ There is something in my country which we call…
• The usual translation is…/ The direct translation is…
• The direct translation is…/ The word-for-word translation is.../ The literal translation is…
• … which is a kind of…/ which is a bit like…

 

B2 First Speaking Part One the same or different

• What is… like?/ Please tell us about…/ Please describe…
• What kind of…?/ What sort of…?
• When did you last…?/ What was the last time that you…?
• Where are you from?/ Where do you come from?/ Where is your hometown?
• I’m working…/ I work…
• I’m going to…/ I will…/ I’d like to…/ I’m…ing…
• I will…/ I will probably…/ I may…
• I may…/ I might…
• I like/ I really like/ I love
• I like…/ I’d like…/ I’m looking forward to…
• I hope…/ I wish…
• I’m keen on…/ I fancy…
• I love…/ I adore…
• I loathe…/ I detest…/ I can’t bear…/ I can’t stand…
• I really don’t like…/ I don’t really like…
• I like…/ I prefer…
• hobby/ interest
• flat/ apartment
• apartment/ mansion
• take up a new hobby/ start a new hobby
• my ideal job/ my dream job
• study/ learn
• I grew up/ I was brought up
• two families/ two family members
• a member of my family/ a relative/ a relation
• get on with/ get on well with/ get along with/ have a good relationship with
• meet up with my friends/ go out with my friends/ play with my friends/ hang out with…
• party/ (going out for) drinks
• days off/ holidays
• tidy my flat/ clean my flat
• normally/ usually/ generally
• every time/ all the time
• the day before yesterday/ two days ago
• two days ago/ two days before
• two days earlier/ two days before that
• in two days/ the day after tomorrow
• when I was younger/ when I was a child
• when I was in primary school/ when I was an elementary school student

 

B2 First Speaking Part Two the same or different

• the same/ similar
• far bigger/ much bigger
• the most obvious difference/ the most striking difference
• The top picture/ The upper picture/ The picture above
• The bottom picture/ The lower picture/ The picture below
• It looks…/ It looks like…
• It looks…/ It seems…

 

B2 First Speaking Part Three the same or different

• Shall we start with this one?/ Shall we move onto this one?/ How about this one?
• We haven’t discussed… yet./ We still need to discuss…
• I can’t agree./ I couldn’t agree with you more.
• I can’t argue with that./ I can’t agree.
• / You are absolutely right.
• I really don’t think so./ I don’t really think so.
• That’s just what I think./ That’s exactly what I think.
• That’s just what I was going to say./ You took the words right out of my mouth.
• You could be right./ You cooooould be right.
• What do you think about…?/ How do you feel about…?
• Do you think that…?/ Don’t you think that…?
• You’ve convinced me./ You’ve changed my mind./ You’ve persuaded me.
• Anyway,…/ By the way,…
• So, I think we’ve decided on…/ Right, I think that means we agree on…

 

B2 First Speaking Part Three and Four the same or different

• As far as I know,…/ As far as I'm concerned,…
• In my opinion,…/ In my experience,…
• I don’t have much experience of this, but…/ In my limited experience,…
• As far as I know,…/ I don’t know (very) much about this topic, but…/ To the best of my knowledge,…
• Frankly,…/ In my honest opinion,…/ To be honest,…
• I reckon…/ I suppose…/ I guess…/ I imagine…
• I’m certain that…/ I’m sure that…/ I have no doubt that…/ I’m positive that…

 

B2 First Speaking Part Four the same or different

• How important is…?/ How is… important?
• important/ crucial
• crucial/ vital/ essential

Check your answers as a class.

Test each other in pairs:

• Read out phrases and see if your partner can remember if they have the same or different meanings
• Read out one of the phrases above and see if your partner can remember or think of a phrase which has the same meaning

 

Brainstorming stage

Write at least one phrase with the same meaning as each of the phrases below. Phrases with slightly different formality, connotation, grammar, etc are fine, as long as they have the same meaning.

General B2 First Speaking phrases with the same meanings

• Can you repeat the question?
• Can you rephrase the question?
• Are you asking…?
• Excuse me, what do you mean by…?
• I’m sorry but I’m still not quite sure what the question means.
• Let me see.
• That’s a tricky one.
• The direct translation is…

 

B2 First Speaking Part One phrases with the same meanings

• What is… like?
• What kind of…?
• What was the last time that you…?
• Where do you come from?
• I might…
• I adore…
• I loathe…
• I really don’t like…/ I don’t really like…
• I like…/ I prefer…
• flat
• start a new hobby
• my ideal job
• I was brought up…
• a member of my family
• have a good relationship with
• normally
• two days ago
• the day after tomorrow
• when I was younger/ when I was a child
• when I was an elementary school student

 

B2 First Speaking Part Two phrases with the same meanings

• far bigger
• The top picture
• The picture below
• I guess…
• It seems…

 

B2 First Speaking Part Three phrases with the same meanings

• We haven’t discussed… yet.
• That’s just what I think.
• You took the words right out of my mouth.
• How do you feel about…?
• You’ve convinced me.
• Right, I think that means we agree on…

 

B2 First Speaking Part Three and Four phrases with the same meanings

• I don’t have much experience of this, but…
• To the best of my knowledge,…
• Frankly,…
• I reckon…
• I’m certain that…

 

FCE Speaking Part Four phrases with the same meanings

• crucial

 

Check your answers with the previous worksheet. Note that other phrases are possible, so if you wrote something different, check with your teacher.