C1 Advanced Speaking Part 2 pictures

When you get to C1 level, describing a picture for Cambridge C1 Advanced Speaking Part 2 seems like it should be an easy task. However, the reality is that you have to do more than just describe pictures. In C1 Advanced Speaking Part 2 you have to compare two pictures (out of a choice of three), answer two questions about the pictures, and do all of that in one minute! Also, remember to organise your ideas, use a range of appropriate vocabulary and grammar, and speak clearly.

C1 Advanced Speaking Part 2 topics

The pictures to compare for C1 Advanced Speaking Part 2, also known as the Long Turn, will always include people engaged in some type of activity. The questions about the pictures attempt to design a complex situation for candidates to discuss. In addition, abstract concepts such as relationships between people and the subjects’ feelings are quite likely to come up at this level.

For the C1 Advanced Speaking exam, you will come across a wide variety of topics. Almost anything is possible, but expect Cambridge to favour topics like education, work or leisure, which are reasonably accessible for all candidates. Keep in mind that these exams are created for a global audience, so whatever the topic is, it will be generic enough to be usable in any exam environment whether it’s in South America, Europe or Asia.

Here’s a list of topics that come up at Cambridge C1 Advanced level and are possible as C1 Advanced Speaking Part 2 pictures.

• environmental issues
• time
• daily life
• places and buildings
• free time activities
• hobbies
• competition
• family and friends
• education
• sports and leisure
• shopping
• health and fitness
• transport
• work and jobs
• entertainment and media
• fashion
• society
• culture and local customs
• food and drink
• technology and the Internet
• relations with other people
• challenge
• obligations
• the natural world
• science and technology
• communication
• social interaction
• weather
• money
• travel and holidays
• feelings and emotions
• house and home

It’s important to practise a lot for this part of the exam. Sometimes the pictures you get are slightly odd, so the more practice you have beforehand, the better prepared you’ll be to tackle even the most bizarre topics. We’ve got a series of eight C1 Advanced Speaking Part 2 tasks below for you to get started.

C1 Advanced Speaking Part 2 example

In Part 2 of the C1 Advanced Speaking Exam you will be asked to choose two photographs from a selection of three and to answer two questions about those photographs. You have one minute to complete the task. Your partner will then be asked a question about the topic of your pictures. This should be a short answer (approximately 30 seconds). The process is then repeated with the other candidate.

Here is a classroom practice script using the first two picture sets. The personal follow-up questions in this script and the PDF extend the discussion in class. They differ from the picture-based follow-up questions in the exam.

In this part of the test, I’m going to give each of you three pictures. I’d like you to talk about two of them on your own for about a minute, and also to answer a question briefly about your partner’s pictures. (Candidate A), it’s your turn first. Here are your pictures. They show people spending time alone in different situations. I’d like you to compare two of the pictures, and say why the people might want to be alone in these situations, and how they might be feeling. All right?

……………………………………………………

Thank you. (Candidate B), do you enjoy spending time alone? …… (Why? / Why not?)

……………………………………………………

Thank you. (Can I have the booklet, please?) Now, (Candidate B), here are your pictures. They show people in risky situations. I’d like you to compare two of the pictures, and say why the people might be in risky situations, and how they might deal with the risk involved. All right?

……………………………………………………

Thank you. (Candidate A), do you think you are a risk-taker? …… (Why? / Why not?)

……………………………………………………

Thank you. (Can I have the booklet, please?)

During the test, the examiner won’t speak, but they could encourage you to speak more using gesture if you finish too early. Don’t stop speaking until the examiner stops you by saying “Thank you”. You don’t want to find yourself waiting awkwardly while the examiner counts down the seconds.

The materials

Practise with these eight Advanced Speaking Part 2 picture sets. Enlarge the preview pages below or download the PDF to print or display. Each page includes two comparison prompts and a personal follow-up question for classroom discussion.

In class, you can split the students into groups of three with two candidates and an examiner. The examiner should introduce the task, keep time and make notes about good vocabulary or grammar the candidates use. Rotate the pictures, rinse and repeat. Meanwhile, the teacher can be noting down errors for a post-task correction stage.

EXAM PART: Speaking Part 2 classroom practice

EXAM SKILLS: Comparing and contrasting, discourse management, using a range of appropriate vocabulary

TIME: 5-10 minutes per set of pictures + feedback