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Speaking

Speaking Task 1 — Giving Advice

Task 1 gives you 30s to prep and 90s to speak. Learn a reliable structure and hear how CLB 7, 9 and 11 answers actually sound.

6 min read
Key strategies
  • 1.Structure: acknowledge the situation → give 1–2 clear pieces of advice → say WHY → encourage. This fills 90 seconds naturally.
  • 2.Speak directly to the person ("If I were you, I would…", "What I would suggest is…"). It sounds warm and natural.
  • 3.Give a reason for each piece of advice — unsupported advice sounds thin.
  • 4.Use the full 90 seconds. One developed idea with an example beats three rushed ones.

The task

In Task 1, you are told about a friend or family member facing a situation, and you must give them advice. You get 30 seconds to prepare and 90 seconds to speak — one of the two longest speaking windows on the test.

A structure that fills 90 seconds

  1. Acknowledge the situation warmly (5–10s): "It sounds like you're in a tricky spot, but don't worry — I've got a couple of ideas."
  2. Advice 1 + reason (~30s): give a concrete suggestion and explain why it helps.
  3. Advice 2 + reason (~30s): a second suggestion, also justified — or expand the first with an example.
  4. Encourage to close (~10s): "Whatever you choose, I'm sure it'll work out. You've got this."

Why "advice + reason" matters

"You should talk to your boss" is advice. "You should talk to your boss, because being upfront now is far less stressful than having them find out later" is advice that scores. The reason shows reasoning ability and naturally fills time.

Sound like a real person

Task 1 is conversational. Lean into second-person phrasing:

  • "If I were you, I'd…"
  • "What I'd really suggest is…"
  • "Have you thought about…?"

This is warmer and more natural than a stiff, essay-like answer — and the test rewards natural, organized speech.

Sample answers by CLB level

See what each band looks like — and what lifts an answer to the next level.

CLB 7 — Clear, organized
Prompt

A friend has been offered a new job in another city, but they are nervous about moving away from family. Give them advice. (Imagine you are speaking for 90 seconds.)

Model answer
Okay, so you got a new job in another city, but you feel nervous about leaving your family. I understand, this is a big decision.

My first advice is to think about your career. This new job sounds like a good chance for you. If it pays more and helps your future, I think you should take it, because these chances do not come often.

My second advice is about your family. The new city is not so far. You can visit them on weekends, and you can also call them every day with video. So you will not lose them.

So, if I were you, I would take the job and try it. You can always come back if it does not work. Good luck, I think you will be fine.
Why this is CLB 7: Clear structure, simple correct sentences, advice supported by reasons. Some repetition and basic vocabulary, but fully on task — a solid CLB 7.
CLB 9 — Natural, developed
Prompt

A friend has been offered a new job in another city, but they are nervous about moving away from family. Give them advice. (Imagine you are speaking for 90 seconds.)

Model answer
It sounds like you're really torn — a great new job on one side, and the worry of leaving your family on the other. That's completely normal, so let's think it through.

Honestly, if the job is a real step forward for your career, I'd lean toward taking it. Opportunities like this don't come around every year, and turning it down now is something you might end up regretting. So my first piece of advice is to look at where this role could take you in five years.

That said, your family clearly matters to you, and you shouldn't ignore that. The good news is that the city isn't on the other side of the world. You could visit once or twice a month, and with video calls you can still be part of everyday moments.

So if I were in your shoes, I'd give it a try. You can always come home if it doesn't feel right. Trust yourself — I think you'll do great.
Why this is CLB 9: Warm and conversational, with developed reasons and natural idioms ("really torn", "in your shoes"). Good flow and a clear, encouraging close.
CLB 11 — Fluent, nuanced
Prompt

A friend has been offered a new job in another city, but they are nervous about moving away from family. Give them advice. (Imagine you are speaking for 90 seconds.)

Model answer
Oh, I can tell this one's been keeping you up at night — a fantastic job pulling you one way, and your family pulling you the other. Let me share how I'd think about it.

My instinct is that you should seriously consider taking it. A move like this rarely comes along at the perfect moment; there's always some reason to hesitate. But if the role genuinely advances your career, the version of you a few years from now will probably be grateful you were brave enough to say yes.

None of that means dismissing your family — and you shouldn't. What helps is reframing the distance. You're not disappearing; you're a short trip and a video call away, and honestly, the people who love you will be cheering you on, not holding you back.

So here's my honest take: give it a real shot, set a date to reassess in six months, and keep the door home wide open. Back yourself on this one — I have a feeling it's going to pay off.
Why this is CLB 11: Highly fluent and idiomatic ("keeping you up at night", "back yourself"), with nuanced reasoning (reframing distance, a six-month reassessment) and a confident, personal tone. (Contains one tiny slip — "None" — which a real speaker self-corrects; even CLB 11 speech is not flawless.)

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