Afraid of B2 First Speaking Part 2? This is For You!

These are high-scoring sample answers for the following Cambridge B2 First Speaking Part 2. Read them to understand what you need to talk about and the kind of answers you need to give for a good B2 First speaking score. For advice, strategies and tips on the best ways to answer (because 1 minute is very short), this article will help.

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B2 First Speaking Question

Why might the people have decided to learn this skill?

Sample Answer

1 minute to compare and contrast the two pictures as well as answer the question.

I would say the girl in the left-hand picture looks like she’s learning to drive or taking her driving test. And she would have decided to learn this skill so that she had more mobility. She could maybe drive to her work, drive to school. She could maybe help her elderly parents or grandparents and so on. Whereas in the second picture, it looks like there’s a boy, maybe a young teenager, teaching his grandfather or teaching an older man, a much older man, how to use a computer, maybe play a game on the computer or watch a video or something. And I think the older person has decided to learn this skill so that he can get some entertainment of the computer. And so basically, although the people in the second picture are inside the girl and what looks like her driving instructor are actually in a car.

Video

B2 First Speaking Analysis

This is my opinion of the above answer. The answer was given as in a test, with minimal preparation time.

This way of answering is the most common. talk about one picture, then talk about the other. If you have time, then talk about them both. There are pitfalls doing it this way, the biggest one being that it is really easy to run out of time.

In this answer, I think too much time is spent describing the pictures rather than comparing or contrasting them. Describing pictures is for lower-level Cambridge English exams.

The questions were answered immediately and clearly, with the answer finishing with a comparison.

Good use of phrases, such as ‘looks like’ and ‘could’ etc to show doubt.

Good use of ‘although’ and ‘whereas’, but there could have been more comparison

Not enough good vocabulary

Lesser-Known Vocabulary

driving test – a test to ensure someone is a good enough driver to drive alone in a car.
mobility – the ability to move easily or freely
elderly – old (only about people)
entertainment – something to pass time enjoyably
driving instructor – a person who teaches people to drive

Let me know if you think the sample answer is useful or not in the comments below. Good luck with your C1 Advanced Speaking test!