FCE Speaking Part 2: compare the photos (with examples)
In FCE Speaking Part 2 you talk on your own for one minute about two photographs: you compare them and answer a question printed above them. Then you answer a short question about your partner's photographs in about 30 seconds.
- Whole part
- 4 minutes
- Your long turn
- 1 minute
- About partner's photos
- ≈ 30 seconds
- Photos
- 2 per candidate
How FCE Speaking Part 2 works
Part 2 is the "long turn". The interlocutor gives you a pair of colour photographs and asks you to compare them and answer a question about them. The question is printed above the photos, so you do not have to remember it. You then speak on your own for about one minute.
When you finish, your partner is asked a short question about your photos, such as which of the two situations they would prefer, and answers in about 30 seconds. Then the roles change: your partner gets a different pair of photos and speaks for a minute, and you answer a short question about them. The whole part takes about four minutes, or six for a group of three. While the other candidate is doing their long turn, you must not speak.
This task tests whether you can organise a longer turn on your own: comparing, describing, speculating and giving an opinion in connected speech. Like the other parts, it feeds into marks given for the whole test, and a well-linked minute is the clearest evidence you can give for Discourse Management.
FCE Speaking Part 2 example with a model answer
Imagine these two photographs. Give yourself one minute to compare them and answer the question, then open the model answer.
Photo A: a family cooking dinner together in a small, busy kitchen; two children are helping to chop vegetables.
Photo B: a young man eating a takeaway meal alone at his desk while working on a laptop.
Examiner: Here are your photographs. They show people eating in different situations. Compare the photographs, and say why the people might have chosen to eat in these ways.
Printed above the photos: Why might the people have chosen to eat in these ways?
Then, to your partner (about 30 seconds): Which way of eating would you prefer? Why?
Show the answer and explanation
Model answer (about one minute):
"Both photos show people having a meal, but in very different situations. In the first one, a family seems to be cooking together in quite a small kitchen. The children are helping, and it looks a bit chaotic but fun. In the second, a young man is eating on his own at his desk, probably a takeaway, while he carries on working on his laptop.
I'd say the family have chosen to cook together because it's a chance to spend time with each other after a busy day. Maybe the parents also want to teach their children to cook. The man, on the other hand, might be under pressure to finish something, so he can't really afford to stop. Or perhaps he lives alone and doesn't see the point of cooking just for one. Whereas the family meal looks relaxed, his situation seems quite stressful, to be honest."
Why it scores well: it compares from the first sentence instead of describing each photo separately; it spends most of the minute on the question (why they chose to eat this way) for both photos; it speculates with a range of forms (seems to be, probably, I'd say, might be, perhaps); and it is held together with linkers (on the other hand, whereas).
Partner's answer (about 30 seconds): "I'd prefer the family meal, definitely. Eating at a desk is something I do far too often during exams, and I never really enjoy the food. Cooking with other people takes longer, but it's much more relaxing."
How to do FCE Speaking Part 2 in one minute
- 01
Listen to the instruction, then glance at the question printed above the photos. It has two halves: compare, and answer the question.
- 02
Open with one sentence that compares both photos: "Both photos show… but…". This tells the examiner you are comparing, not describing.
- 03
Spend most of your minute on the question, and answer it for both photos. Speculate: you cannot know why the people are there, so say what might be true.
- 04
Keep comparing throughout with whereas, while, on the other hand and comparatives, not only in the first sentence.
- 05
Keep going until the examiner says "Thank you". If you finish early, add a personal comparison or a second possible reason.
- 06
Listen carefully to your partner's long turn. You will be asked a question about their photos and need about 30 seconds to answer it.
Mistakes in B2 Speaking Part 2
Describing every detail. Colours, clothes and objects in the background do not answer the question. A short description is enough before you move on.
Forgetting the second half of the task. A common mistake is to compare well but never answer the question printed above the photos, which costs marks.
Stopping after 40 seconds. A minute is longer than it feels. Practise with a timer until a full minute feels natural.
Not listening to your partner. If you switch off during their turn, you will struggle with your 30-second question about their photos.
FCE Speaking Part 2 useful phrases
- Comparing: "Both photos show…", "In the first picture…, whereas in the second…", "One big difference is that…", "Unlike the family, the man…", "The second situation looks far more…"
- Speculating: "They might / could be…", "It looks as if…", "I'd imagine that…", "Judging by their expressions, they're probably…", "Perhaps they…"
- Answering the question: "As for why they've chosen…, I think…", "The main reason might be…", "Another possibility is that…"
- Giving yourself time: "Let me think…", "That's an interesting question…", "It's hard to say, but…"
- Answering about your partner's photos: "I'd definitely prefer…, mainly because…", "If I had to choose, I'd go for…"
Practise Part 2 in full FCE Speaking tests
Each FCE Speaking test on this site has its own Part 2. You answer recorded examiner prompts on your own, so there is no partner, and your recording gets an expert evaluation.
- Test 1: photos of people working on practical tasks in different ways
- Test 2: photos of people working together to produce food
- Test 3: photos of people making things in different ways
- Test 4: photos of people giving practical help in everyday situations
- Test 5: photos of people making choices
- Test 6: photos of people preparing an activity for a group
FCE Speaking Part 2 questions
How long do I speak in FCE Speaking Part 2?
About one minute on your own about your photos, plus about 30 seconds answering a short question about your partner's photos.
Do I have to describe the pictures in FCE Speaking Part 2?
Only briefly. The task is to compare the two photos and answer the question printed above them. Long descriptions use up your minute without answering the task.
What if I run out of things to say in B2 Speaking Part 2?
Go back to the question and give another possible reason, speculate about the other photo, or say which situation you would prefer and why.
Can I speak while my partner is doing their long turn?
No. Your partner speaks alone for a minute. You then answer a short question about their photos.
Sources
- B2 First Handbook for Teachers (Cambridge University Press & Assessment), pages 70–71, 73, 79
- B2 First exam format (cambridgeenglish.org)
CambridgeMock is independent and not affiliated with Cambridge University Press & Assessment. Facts on this page are checked against the official documents above; the practice items and advice are our own.
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