A useful way to think about English in speaking tests is to divide your language into two types. One type is the actual information you want to give, the other type is the phrases that you use to introduce, support or link your information.
Students at The English Farm write some amazing GBC answers, so we are going to share the best of the best.
This piece has had minor corrections by a teacher, but the logic, structure and word choice are the student's.
In speaking tests like the G.B.C., you may get questions that you have never thought of before. You should say something intelligent, but you need time to think of what to say.
When we have a tight deadline, most of us can finish a lot of work quickly. But if the deadline is far away, that same work takes much longer. Why is that?
It's called Parkinson's law: "work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion."
Intonation is sometimes described as the music of language. Without it, our voices are flat and lifeless, but with it, even simple language can be funny, memorable or moving.
In the G.B.C. test, the examiner will almost certainly ask about your job. It’s a relatively easy subject because you don’t have to think of a long story or an abstract answer. You can just talk about what you know.
Sometimes the reason we say words wrong is because we don't know the right rules. Take, for example, these words:
It's often difficult for English language learners to know when to use any versus every. What's the difference? At first glance, sentences like "Anyone can try it" and "Everyone can try it" seem to mean the same thing.
Native English speakers tend to use strong language, so one step towards communicating naturally is to adopt a stronger style.
In casual water-cooler chats, native speakers often use this pattern: "[Subject] is so [adj] that [full sentence]."
This is a relatively simple G.B.C. question. It is often asked in the beginning of the test as a warm up, so take the opportunity to show off the best of your English.
I've got to tell it like it is: as much as you’d like to think you’re giving your clients values… you’re not.
Have you ever met a manager who wasn't good at their job? There's a good chance that that person was a very good team member before they got promoted. But, the skills required in lower-level jobs don't always translate to upper-level jobs.
