Graded Examinations in Spoken English

Sample interactive prompts Advanced stage (Grades 10-12)

The Interactive phase GESE Advanced Stage (Grades 10-12)

The purpose of the Interactive phase is for candidates to demonstrate their ability to take control of and maintain the interaction while demonstrating their ability to use the language functions and grammatical items of the grade. In the Interactive phase at the Advanced stage, candidates are required to express the language functions of the grade and demonstrate their control of the grammatical items listed for the grade and the previous grades. In addition to general functions such as requesting information, some of the language functions listed for the particular grade should arise naturally from each task prompt. Therefore, candidates must be able to understand and use the language functions of the grade to take a full part in the exchange. It is important that, once the examiner has set up the situation, the candidate takes responsibility for the interaction by asking questions and commenting on the examiners responses. The interaction will take the form of multiple turns, with the examiners turns being much shorter than those of the candidate. In some cases the interaction may involve role play but the examiner and candidate are free to be themselves so as to create as authentic an exchange as possible. In the Interactive phase, the responsibility for maintaining the interaction is the candidates. If a candidate fails to maintain the interaction of this phase, the examiner will not intervene and take control. In such a case, the phase will not extend to the full four minutes (/five minutes at Grade 12) and the candidates performance will not be rated highly. Candidates may ask the examiner to repeat the initial oral prompt if necessary. Those responsible for preparing candidates for the Interactive phase are strongly advised to help them practise: question formations using the grammatical structures of the grade and preceding grades expressing the functions of the grade in a variety of ways holding conversations which naturally result in the use of the language functions of the grade strategies to maintain the flow of conversation taking the initiative and controlling the direction of the conversation.

On the following pages are some SAMPLE interactive prompts for the Advanced stage. Please note these are samples and will NOT be used in an actual examination. At each Grade, the examiner will introduce this phase by saying: In this task, Ill start by telling you something. Youll have to ask me questions to find out more information and make comments. Its your responsibility to maintain the conversation. Are you ready?

Grade 10 - Sample interactive prompts

1. A friend of mine has signed up to a computer dating agency to find a new boyfriend. Im not sure its a wise thing to do, particularly for her. (Possible functions: expressing beliefs, expressing opinions tentatively, deducing) 2. Sometimes Im not sure if some of the surprising things that keep happening to me are a result of chance or whether there is more to it. (Possible functions: expressing beliefs, deducing, summarising information, ideas and arguments, expressing opinions tentatively) 3. More and more sportsmen and women these days are forced into early retirement due to their injuries. Im not sure why this is on the increase and, more importantly, what could be done about it. (Possible functions: summarising information, ideas and arguments, developing an argument, expressing beliefs, deducing) 4. If global warming continues, many countries are going to have big problems in the next few years. Im convinced of the need for international cooperation on this. (Possible functions: defending a point of view, expressing beliefs, summarising information, ideas and arguments) 5. My daughter wants to go to school in this country but is not sure how much help she would get with choosing a career. (Possible functions: summarising information, ideas and arguments, expressing beliefs, expressing opinions tentatively) 6. Recently I made a decision that I may live to regret. I invested quite a lot of money in a scheme I don't know much about. (Possible functions: deducing, expressing opinions tentatively; developing an argument) 7. I've never believed that dreams were related in any way to reality but after the one I had the other night, I'm not so sure. (Possible functions: deducing, expressing beliefs, defending a point of view, expressing opinions tentatively, summarising information, ideas and arguments) 8. There's a plan to close down our small village shop. We've started a campaign to stop this from happening. (Possible functions: developing an argument, defending a point of view, expressing beliefs, expressing opinions tentatively, summarising information, ideas and arguments) 9. My nephew had a serious motorbike accident last spring and how he was treated made me change my opinions of the health service. (Possible functions: developing an argument, defending a point of view, expressing beliefs, expressing opinions tentatively) 10. I'd never been inside a prison before - last year was the very first time. (Possible functions: expressing beliefs, expressing opinions tentatively, deducing, summarising information, ideas and arguments) 11. I went to a party the other week. I'd been looking forward to it for ages but it didn't quite turn out as I'd expected. (Possible functions: deducing, expressing opinions tentatively, summarising information, ideas and arguments)

12. A boy I know can't decide what job to do so he's thinking of joining the army for a year or two. His parents were asking me what I thought about it. (Possible functions: expressing beliefs, expressing opinions tentatively, developing an argument, summarising information, ideas and arguments) 13. When I was a child, it was perfectly acceptable for teachers to hit their pupils when they misbehaved. Nowadays however, people seem to have quite different views on this. (Possible functions: defending a point of view, expressing beliefs, expressing opinions tentatively, summarising information, ideas and arguments, deducing) 14. Ive read that only a small percentage of money donated to charities actually reaches the people its supposed to help. Ive been thinking twice about donating in future. (Possible functions: developing an argument, summarising information, ideas and arguments, deducing) 15. My brother's changing his job and has to move to another part of the country which means the children changing schools. I told him I didn't think it was a good idea but he does have his job to consider. (Possible functions: summarising information, ideas and arguments, defending a point of view, developing an argument, expressing opinions tentatively)

Grade 11 Sample interactive prompts

1. There was programme on television a while ago asking people to choose a favourite period in history they would have liked to live in. I couldnt have disagreed more with some of their choices. (Possible functions: justifying an argument, evaluating different standpoints, expressing reservations) 2. Theres a huge problem in my area concerning the organisation of rubbish collection and disposal. We are supposed to be recycling more but at the moment it doesnt seem to be happening. (Possible functions: inferring, expressing reservations, challenging arguments and opinions) 3. I recently read about a theft from an international art gallery. It seemed that international art thieves are becoming ever more ingenious. (Possible functions: inferring, challenging arguments and opinions, expressing reservations) 4. A good friend of mine has asked me if he/she can be my lodger. There are certain benefits to the arrangement but I could be getting myself into hot water. (Possible functions: evaluating different standpoints, expressing reservations, expressing caution, expressing empathy and sympathy) 5. Ive read several reports about overcrowding in prisons. Some countries, I understand, have found very creative alternatives to prisons but not everyone agrees with them. (Possible functions: justifying an argument, evaluating different standpoints, expressing reservations, challenging arguments and opinions) 6. People say that laughing is good for your health and I'm sure that's true. I always feel better after a good laugh and there are lots of things that make me laugh but sometimes I wonder if I should be laughing at them at all. (Possible functions: inferring, justifying an argument, evaluating different standpoints, challenging arguments and opinions)

7. We all seem to get inundated all the time with appeals for money from different charities. You can't give to all of them and I find it very hard to decide which ones to support. (Possible functions: inferring, expressing caution, evaluating different standpoints, expressing reservations, expressing empathy and sympathy) 8. Last week, I had someone in to do some home improvements for me but you should see what my house looks like now. (Possible functions: inferring, expressing caution, challenging arguments and opinions, expressing reservations) 9. A friend of mine came to see me the other day and said he was desperate for my help. I really don't know what to do. (Possible functions: inferring, expressing caution, expressing reservations, evaluating different standpoints, expressing empathy and sympathy) 10. People always talk about what period in the past they would like to have lived in. I'm happy to be living in the present when you think what the future could hold. (Possible functions: inferring, evaluating different standpoints, justifying an argument, expressing reservations) 11. Last year I decided to study something new. I didn't learn much about the subject but attending the course changed my life. (Possible functions: inferring, expressing caution, challenging arguments and opinions) 12. I've heard about people getting married in some very strange places and in unusual ways. It does make me wonder how serious these people are about marriage. (Possible functions: inferring, justifying an argument, challenging arguments and opinions, evaluating different standpoints) 13. I really feel I ought to tell my boss how unhappy many of the staff are and how low morale is at the moment but it's a very difficult thing to do and I don't know whether to go ahead or leave it. (Possible functions: evaluating different standpoints, justifying an argument, expressing caution, expressing empathy and sympathy) 14. My sister complains that her husband never helps with the housework but at the same time she gets her daughter to help with the washing-up and lets her son sit and do nothing. I often talk to her about it but she can't see what I'm getting at. (Possible functions: evaluating different standpoints, justifying an argument, challenging arguments and opinions, expressing empathy and sympathy) 15. At my sons school theyve been discussing whether subjects like music and dance should be a compulsory part of the curriculum or if they should be optional extras. The problem is no one can seem to agree on the matter. (Possible functions: justifying an argument, challenging arguments and opinions, evaluating different standpoints)

Grade 12 Sample interactive prompts

1. Some people are worried that, as a result of globalisation, we are all in danger of losing our cultural identities. I must say, from some of the things Ive seen, I think they may have a point. (Possible functions: asserting, denying, contradicting, affirming, softening and downplaying propositions)

2. Sometimes I get very annoyed when people come out with tired old stereotypes about national characteristics. In my experience they hardly ever exist. (Possible functions: contradicting, asserting, denying, affirming, softening and downplaying propositions) 3. The teachers in a school I know have been told by the director to make school activities more competitive. The teachers are divided on this. (Possible functions: asserting, implying) 4. Sometimes I think I must be the unluckiest person in the world! I seem to be prone to more disasters than anyone else I know. Recently I can hardly make a move without something awful happening to me. (Possible functions: implying, softening and downplaying propositions) 5. Of all the places in the world that Ive visited, theres one which I found absolutely fascinating for its culture and scenery. Unfortunately, it also has terrible economic programmes and part of me felt guilty going there as a tourist. (Possible functions: affirming, asserting, contradicting) 6. There used to be a series on the radio a while ago called 'True Confessions' where people admitted to what were usually trivial misdemeanours they'd carried out some time in their past. I never took part myself but I must admit I was tempted. (Possible functions: denying, implying, affirming) 7. These days it's almost become a clich to say that you can't trust a politician but once in a while, as in fact happened to me the other week, you hear something to make you feel more optimistic. (Possible functions: asserting, contradicting, affirming, denying) 8. I've got quite a few friends who advocate an alternative lifestyle which at times seems to verge on anarchy. They're always pressurising me to join them and I can see some advantages but am not totally convinced. (Possible functions: asserting, affirming, contradicting, softening and downplaying propositions) 9. I changed my job a few months ago and all the benefits I'd hoped for have in fact materialised but I'm still finding it difficult to get used to working with my new colleagues and am wondering if I did make the right decision after all. (Possible functions: asserting, implying, softening and downplaying propositions) 10. I went to a new modern art gallery a few months ago with a friend. I thought the main exhibit was completely ridiculous - I really thought they were pulling our leg - but my friend didn't agree. (Possible functions: asserting, affirming, denying, contradicting) 11. Advertising is getting more and more sophisticated all the time. Im not sure that companies should be allowed to target young children, who then pester their parents for things they cant afford to buy. (Possible functions: affirming, contradicting) 12. Stars often complain about being hounded by photographers and seeing their intimate secrets published in the media. But surely, a loss of privacy is the price celebrities have to pay for fame and fortune. (Possible functions: affirming, contradicting, softening and downplaying propositions)

13. I've made a mistake with something and really feel I should own up to it but maybe it's better to leave well enough alone and hope that no-one finds out. (Possible functions: affirming, contradicting) 14. An elderly friend of mine is delighted at the news that they are planning to have a more visible police force in the area. She's convinced it will lead to less crime but I'm not so sure either about the motives or the outcome of this move. (Possible functions: asserting, contradicting, affirming, softening and downplaying propositions) 15. I know a couple who haven't got a great deal of money who have been offered vast sums of money to use their child in advertisements. We were talking about it the other day and they're in a real dilemma as to whether to accept the offer or not. (Possible functions: asserting, denying, contradicting)

Disclaimer: The above materials have been provided to assist teachers with the preparation of learners for the Trinity Graded Examinations in Spoken English. Please make sure you consult the syllabus fully for all requirements of the examinations. Trinity will not accept appeals which cite the use of examination materials in support of the appeal.