CAE Speaking Part 4: discussion questions
CAE Speaking Part 4 is a five-minute discussion with the interlocutor and your partner on the themes of Part 3. The questions are broader and more abstract, and this is your best chance to show extended, well-argued speech.
- Time
- 5 min
- Group of 3
- 8 min
- Format
- Three-way discussion
- Topic
- Follows Part 3
How CAE Speaking Part 4 works
Part 4 is the last part of the Speaking test and lasts about 5 minutes for a pair (8 minutes for a group of three). The interlocutor asks questions that develop the topic of the Part 3 collaborative task. They are wider and more abstract: if Part 3 was about local communities, Part 4 might ask whether cities are lonelier than villages, or who should pay for public spaces.
Some questions are addressed to one of you, some to both, and the interlocutor may ask you to respond to what your partner has said (What do you think?, Do you agree?). Unlike Part 3, the conversation is three-way, but you can and should react to your partner's ideas. The focus is expressing and justifying opinions, agreeing and disagreeing, and speculating.
Because the questions are open, Part 4 gives the assessor the clearest evidence of how well you handle abstract ideas: complex grammar for hypothesising and generalising, precise vocabulary, and answers that are organised and supported. It is easy to relax at the end of the test and give short answers. That is a missed opportunity, because these minutes count as much as any other part of the test.
CAE Speaking Part 4 questions and a sample answer
Three questions following the Part 3 task on local communities, with a strong answer to the second and a partner's follow-up.
Examiner: Some people say that cities are lonelier places to live than villages. What do you think?
Examiner: Who should be responsible for creating places where people in a community can meet: local governments or the residents themselves?
Examiner: How might the way neighbours interact change in the future?
Candidate A (answering the second question): I'd say it has to be a bit of both, but the starting point probably needs to be the local council, simply because they control the land and the budget. Residents can't build a park on their own. That said, I've seen plenty of expensive community centres standing empty because nobody asked local people what they actually wanted. So ideally the council would provide the space and the money, and residents would decide how it's used. In my town, for instance, an old library was turned into a café and workshop after a public vote, and it's busy from morning till night.
Examiner (to Candidate B): Do you agree?
Candidate B: Up to a point. I like the idea, but I think it's a bit optimistic about public votes. In my experience, the same handful of people turn up to every meeting, so you could end up with a space that suits them rather than everyone.
Show the answer and explanation
Why these answers work
- A clear position, then a reason. A bit of both, but the starting point probably needs to be the council, simply because…
- Balance. That said introduces the other side, which shows the candidate can handle a complex issue rather than giving a one-sided view.
- A concrete example. The library story turns an abstract opinion into something convincing.
- Hypothetical language. Ideally the council would provide… fits a question about what should happen.
- Real interaction. Candidate B responds to A's actual point (public votes), partly agrees (up to a point) and adds a new argument, instead of starting a separate speech.
How to answer CAE Speaking Part 4 questions
- 01
Give your view straight away, then justify it. A reliable pattern is: opinion, reason, example, qualification (That said… or Of course, it depends on…).
- 02
Show that you can see more than one side. Abstract questions rarely have a simple answer, and acknowledging the other view is a sign of C1 thinking.
- 03
Listen to your partner and react. If the interlocutor asks Do you agree?, refer to what your partner said, then add your own angle.
- 04
Use the language of hypothesis and generalisation: If people were to…, it would probably mean…, by and large, in most cases.
- 05
If you know little about a topic, talk about what the answer depends on, or how it applies to your country or experience. The examiners assess your language, not your knowledge.
Mistakes that cost marks
Short answers. Yes, I think so wastes Part 4. Each answer should be several sentences long.
Ignoring your partner. Part 4 is a discussion. If you were not listening when your partner answered, you cannot respond when the interlocutor asks you to.
Sweeping statements without support. Everyone in cities is lonely is easy to say and hard to defend. Qualify and give an example.
Switching to memorised material. A prepared paragraph on "technology" that does not answer the question will not impress the assessor.
CAE Speaking Part 4 questions to practise
These original questions follow the kinds of Part 3 theme that C1 uses. Answer each in about 45 seconds using the opinion, reason, example, qualification pattern.
- Work: Is it reasonable for employers to expect staff to answer messages outside working hours?
- Education: Should schools spend more time teaching practical life skills?
- Technology: Has social media made people more or less tolerant of different opinions?
- Environment: Whose responsibility is it to reduce waste: individuals, companies or governments?
- Culture: Why do you think some traditions survive while others disappear?
- Health: How far should governments go in encouraging people to live healthily?
Language for abstract discussion: generalising (on the whole, by and large, generally speaking); hedging (it could be argued that, to some extent); hypothesising (if… were to…, suppose…); referring to your partner (as you were saying, going back to your point about…).
Practise Part 4 in full CAE Speaking tests
Each CAE Speaking test on this site has its own Part 4. You answer recorded examiner prompts on your own, so there is no partner, and your recording gets an expert evaluation.
- Test 1: ‘Why do some community projects remain successful for many years?’
- Test 2: ‘Why do some people find familiar routines reassuring while others find them limiting?’
- Test 3: ‘Why are some groups more effective than a collection of highly skilled individuals?’
- Test 4: ‘Why might people hesitate to use a facility that is open to everyone?’
- Test 5: ‘What is the difference between owning a place and feeling that you belong there?’
- Test 6: ‘Why do people sometimes remember an unsuccessful experience more clearly than a successful one?’
CAE Speaking Part 4: questions
How long is CAE Speaking Part 4?
About 5 minutes for a pair and 8 minutes for a group of three. It is the longest part of the C1 Speaking test.
What kind of questions are asked in CAE Speaking Part 4?
Broader, more abstract questions on the topic of the Part 3 task, for example about society, work, technology or the environment. They ask you to give and justify opinions and to speculate.
Can I talk to my partner in CAE Speaking Part 4?
Yes. Some questions are for both of you, and the interlocutor may ask you to respond to your partner's answer. Reacting to what your partner says is part of a good Part 4.
Does CAE Speaking Part 4 count as much as the other parts?
Yes. The examiners mark your performance across the whole test, so the five minutes of Part 4 count fully. It is often where candidates show their most complex language.
Sources
- C1 Advanced Handbook for Teachers (Cambridge University Press & Assessment), pages 74–75, 79, 83
- C1 Advanced 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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