CAE Speaking Part 2 sample questions with answers. If you want to print them or save in PDF, click the red icon at the bottom of this page.
Examiner: Here are your pictures. There you can see people with animals. Compare two of the pictures and say how important the animal is for them and what are the difficulties of owning the animal?
- How important is the animal for the people?
- What are the difficulties of owning the animal?
Candidate A: I’d like to discuss the top left and the bottom pictures. I’m pretty sure that in both situations the animals are very needed by the people, but for different reasons. The donkey from the bottom picture is used to haul heavy loads, such as furs as shown by the picture, so the man greatly depends on it, it is even likely to be a part of his work or occupation. The smiling couple in the other picture shows more emotional attachment rather than practical need in the dog they are hugging.
Having an animal as part of your work or family life is a great responsibility. You have to feed them, take them to the vet if they feel unwell, vaccinate them from various diseases. I’m pretty sure that both owners experience more or less the same kind of difficulties when it comes to owning their animals.
Short-turn question: Which person has the strongest bond with the animal?
Candidate B: The dog and his owners can probably be chosen as the ones with the strongest bonding. It is well-known that dogs are fiercely loyal, likeable creatures. They seem genuinely happy to be together, so I’d have to go with this option.
Examiner: Here are the pictures. They show people enjoying different hobbies. Please compare two of the pictures and say what might be enjoyable about each hobby and why people might have chosen to pursue the hobby?
- What might be enjoyable about the hobby?
- Why might people have chosen to pursue the hobby?
Candidate B: I’ll be comparing the two pictures at the top. The left picture shows two cyclists on sports bikes exploring some snow-covered trail, while the other one shows a woman knitting. Cycling might be fun and pleasant for a number of reasons – spending time with your friend, exercising, exploring the unknown, untrodden paths. However, knitting can be quite appealing too – it puts your mind at ease and offers a nice change for everyday routine. The variety that the hobby introduces is a thing that is true for both pictures.
The cyclist are probably after the excitement and physical exercising that this pastime proved. The social aspect must be very important to them as well, since they are not cycling alone. The lady knitting might have opted for this way of spending her free time for more practical reasons – she could be making her own clothes or she might even have a small business, producing made to measure woollen clothing.
Short-turn question: Which hobby might be beneficial to others?
Candidate A: The professional photographer is able to help society appreciate the beauty of our world by sharing his masterfully taken shots. He could also be making those picture to raise awareness of the environmental issues in the area.
Click to download this CAE Speaking Part 2 Worksheet in PDF. Don’t forget to switch to landscape mode when printing!