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Speaking

Speaking Task 7 — Expressing Opinions

One of two 90-second tasks: state an opinion and defend it. Learn the opinion-reasons-conclusion structure with CLB 7, 9 and 11 answers.

6 min read
Key strategies
  • 1.You get a longer 90 seconds to speak (with only ~30s prep), so plan 2-3 reasons, not one.
  • 2.Structure: state your opinion clearly → give 2-3 reasons with examples → acknowledge the other side → restate your view.
  • 3.Commit to a clear position in your first sentence. Sitting on the fence wastes the long speaking time.
  • 4.Back every reason with a concrete example or consequence — this is what fills 90 seconds well.
  • 5.Use opinion signposts: In my view, The way I see it, What's more, On the other hand, All things considered.

The task

In Task 7 you are given a statement or question and asked to express and defend your opinion. It is one of the two 90-second speaking tasks (the other is Task 1), with only about 30 seconds of prep — so the challenge is filling a longer window with organized, developed argument.

A structure for 90 seconds

  1. State your opinion in the first sentence — no fence-sitting.
  2. Reason 1 + example (~25s).
  3. Reason 2 + example (~25s).
  4. Acknowledge the other side briefly (~15s): "Some people argue… but…"
  5. Restate your view to close (~10s).

Develop, don't list

The jump from a low band to a high one is development. Compare:

Weak: "Exercise is good. It makes you healthy." Strong: "Regular exercise is essential — for example, even a daily 20-minute walk lowers stress and helps you sleep, which makes everything else in your day easier."

The example and the consequence are what carry the time.

Signpost your argument

Guide the listener: In my view, Firstly, What's more, On the other hand, All things considered. Clear signposting makes 90 seconds feel structured rather than rambling.

Common mistakes

  • No clear position — you drift and never commit.
  • Listing reasons without examples — leaves long silences or repetition.
  • Running out at 50 seconds — plan a third reason or a counter-argument as backup.

Sample answers by CLB level

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

CLB 7 — Clear, structured
Prompt

Do you think students should be allowed to use mobile phones in school? Give your opinion.

Model answer
In my opinion, students should not be allowed to use mobile phones during school classes.

The first reason is that phones are a big distraction. When students get messages or notifications, they stop listening to the teacher. Instead of studying, they check social media or play games. This is bad for their learning.

The second reason is that phones can cause problems between students. Some students use phones to take photos of others or to cheat on tests. This is not fair and not safe.

Of course, some people say phones are useful for searching information. That is true, but the school can give computers for that. All things considered, I believe phones should stay in the bag during class time.
Why this is CLB 7: Clear position from sentence one, two developed reasons, a brief counter-argument, and a closing restatement. Well organized for CLB 7.
CLB 9 — Developed, fluent
Prompt

Do you think students should be allowed to use mobile phones in school? Give your opinion.

Model answer
The way I see it, mobile phones really shouldn't be allowed during school lessons.

My main reason is distraction. The moment a phone buzzes, a student's attention is gone — they're checking a message or sneaking a look at social media instead of following the lesson. Even one distracted student can pull others off track, and over a whole year that adds up to a lot of lost learning.

On top of that, phones can create real problems: secretly filming classmates, or using the internet to cheat during a test. That undermines both fairness and trust in the classroom.

Now, I'll admit phones can be handy for quick research, and that's a fair point. But schools can easily provide tablets or computers for that purpose, under supervision. So all things considered, I'm firmly in favour of keeping phones switched off and away during class.
Why this is CLB 9: Each reason is developed with consequences, the counter-argument is genuinely addressed, and the language flows. Comfortably fills the 90 seconds.
CLB 11 — Nuanced, polished
Prompt

Do you think students should be allowed to use mobile phones in school? Give your opinion.

Model answer
My honest view is that phones have no real place in the classroom during lessons — and I say that as someone who's far from anti-technology.

The core issue is attention. A phone is engineered to be interrupting; the instant it lights up, a student's focus fractures, and that fracture is contagious — one buzzing screen quietly derails the whole row. Multiply that across every lesson, every day, and you're looking at a serious erosion of learning that nobody actually notices happening.

There's also a social dimension that worries me more: phones make it trivially easy to film a classmate without consent or to slip answers in during an exam. That corrodes the basic trust a classroom runs on.

Now, the obvious rebuttal is that phones are powerful research tools — and they are. But that need is easily met with school-supplied, supervised devices, without importing all the downsides. So weighing it all up, I'd keep personal phones firmly out of reach during instruction, while leaving the door open for purpose-built tech.
Why this is CLB 11: Sophisticated, nuanced argument ('engineered to be interrupting', 'contagious', 'corrodes the basic trust'), a fairly weighed rebuttal, and a balanced conclusion. Near-native control.

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