C1 Advanced Speaking Part 3 collaborative task: discuss and decide

Part 3 of the C1 Advanced Speaking test is a conversation with your partner. You are given a question and written prompts, you discuss them for two minutes, and then you try to decide something together for one minute. No amount of solo practice fully prepares you for it, because the examiners are assessing how you work with another person. This guide is honest about that.

It covers the format, what is assessed, how to interact, a worked example from the ScoreFluent bank and three practice tasks. The individual task before it has its own guide: the Part 2 long turn. Part 4, the discussion that follows, is covered in the C1 Advanced Speaking guide.

What is the collaborative task in C1 Advanced Speaking?

Part 3 is a discussion with the other candidate based on written prompts, followed by a joint decision. You have about 15 seconds to read the task first, then 2 minutes to discuss and 1 minute to make a decision together (information for candidates). Two examiners are present: an interlocutor who gives the instructions and an assessor who only listens (Cambridge exam format).

The handbook says the interlocutor opens with "Here are some … and a question for you to discuss". You then see a central question and written prompts. After the discussion you get a second question related to the same prompts, which asks you to decide (C1 Advanced Handbook for Teachers). Three candidates test together when the numbers are uneven, and Part 3 then gives 3 minutes of discussion and 2 to decide (same source).

Checked 15 and 16 October 2026 against the sources linked above. ScoreFluent is not affiliated with Cambridge University Press & Assessment.

How is the collaborative task assessed?

The assessor awards marks for Grammatical Resource, Lexical Resource, Discourse Management, Pronunciation and Interactive Communication, and the interlocutor gives a Global Achievement mark. Candidates are assessed on their own individual performance, not in relation to each other (handbook).

In the handbook's C1 scale, the top band for Interactive Communication describes interacting with ease, linking your contributions to those of other speakers, widening the scope of the interaction and negotiating towards an outcome. Cambridge also says you are assessed on your ability to use the language of negotiation and collaboration in the decision phase, but that you are not penalised if you fail to reach a negotiated decision. There is no right or wrong answer.

How do I interact well in Part 3?

The handbook and the candidate guide give a consistent picture. These steps apply it:

1. Use the 15 seconds to read, not to plan a speech. Read the central question, scan the prompts and pick two or three you can say something specific about.
2. Open by proposing a start. "Shall we begin with…?" gets you talking and invites your partner in.
3. Respond before you add. Link what you say to your partner's point: agree and extend it, or disagree politely with a reason. Interactive Communication is about linking contributions.
4. Go deep, not wide. Cambridge says you need not cover all five prompts and that several in depth beats all of them superficially.
5. Hand the turn back with a real question. "What do you think about the cost side?" works better than a bare "What do you think?" after every sentence. Cambridge also says do not let your partner always lead: you must initiate too.
6. In the final minute, summarise and propose. Name the options on the table, say which you favour and why, and ask your partner to confirm or counter.

What phrases help in Part 3?

Cambridge advises keeping a notebook of functional language and avoiding repeating the same phrase. Examples to build from:

• Opening: "Shall we start with…?", "Perhaps we could begin by…".
• Building: "Building on what you said…", "That's a fair point, and it also means…".
• Disagreeing politely: "I see what you mean, but…", "I'm not sure I'd go that far, because…".
• Inviting: "How do you see it?", "Would that work in your view?".
• Deciding: "So are we agreed that…?", "On balance, I'd choose…, though…".

What mistakes cost marks in Part 3?

These come from the "Don't" lists in Cambridge's candidate guide and handbook:

• Talking at the same time as your partner, or interrupting suddenly.
• Leaving long or frequent pauses.
• Letting your partner always lead. You must initiate at times.
• Simply agreeing or echoing. It does not show what you can do.
• Rushing through every prompt. Depth matters more than coverage.
• Speaking too quietly. The examiners need to hear you.

What does a worked example look like?

Look at Task 1 below, the care-home activities task. The bank gives scripted partner turns and a model reply for each. This is the last scripted turn and its bank model reply: the partner asks "Gardening and the school sessions both look promising. Which should we introduce first?" and the model reply is:

I'd introduce the memory-sharing sessions first. The older people enjoy being listened to and feel valued, while pupils learn about history from someone who lived through it. The gardening club needs raised beds and some funding, so it could follow later. Are you happy with that order, or do you think the garden would suit more residents?

Notice what it does: it makes a choice, gives two reasons, compares with the rival option, and ends by handing the turn back with a specific question. That is the shape of a good decision phase. It is a scripted solo exercise. In the real test your partner does not follow a script, so you must listen and respond to what they actually say.

Where can I try C1 Advanced collaborative task practice?

Practice items from the ScoreFluent bank (not real exam questions)

Each task has a situation, a question and five options. Read the card for 15 seconds, then talk it through aloud. Use the scripted turns to practise responding.

Scripted partner turns and bank model replies

1. Partner: “Gardening would suit many residents, but some have limited mobility. How could the home deal with that?” (Offer a practical solution.)
   Model reply: The home could build raised beds so that people can garden from a chair or while standing. Even those who can't dig could choose plants or water them. It's important that nobody feels excluded, since the main purpose is enjoyment and a sense of purpose rather than the vegetables.
2. Partner: “Gardening and the school sessions both look promising. Which should we introduce first?” (Reach a decision and justify it.)
   Model reply: I'd introduce the memory-sharing sessions first. The older people enjoy being listened to and feel valued, while pupils learn about history from someone who lived through it. The gardening club needs raised beds and some funding, so it could follow later. Are you happy with that order, or do you think the garden would suit more residents?

Final scripted partner turn and bank model reply

1. Partner: “Which one should the owner start with?” (Negotiate and decide.)
   Model reply: I'd recommend the book clubs first. They fill quiet afternoons immediately and give the café a community feel, which a chain can't copy. Later, the owner could add the set menu to bring in passers-by. Do you agree, or would the office delivery service have a bigger effect?

Final scripted partner turn and bank model reply

1. Partner: “Where do we end up?” (Come to an agreement.)
   Model reply: I'd lean towards phones only at break times, with clear and consistent rules, along with some lessons on healthy habits so students understand the reasons. That deals with the distraction while helping them learn self-control. Do you think that would be too soft, or enough to change behaviour?

How does ScoreFluent score Part 3 practice?

ScoreFluent's C1 Speaking practice is solo: you respond to scripted partner turns, then reach a decision. A scripted partner cannot show how you handle a real person interrupting, hesitating or disagreeing. The estimate covers Grammatical Resource, Lexical Resource, Discourse Management and Pronunciation. Interactive Communication and Global Achievement are not scored. Treat the result as a provisional practice estimate. It is not a predicted Cambridge score, and we do not claim it is calibrated.

To practise the interaction itself, run the same card with a study partner, record it, and check yourself against the "Don't" list above. New accounts get 40 free credits, credits never expire and there is no subscription. Speaking answers get an Examiner report bought with credits (pricing). Start with 40 free credits →

Where next: the C1 Advanced hub, the Speaking guide, the Part 2 guide, how C1 Advanced is scored and the full list of C1 task guides.

Where did these facts come from?

• Cambridge English: C1 Advanced exam format
• C1 Advanced Handbook for Teachers
• C1 Advanced: information for candidates

Checked 15 and 16 October 2026. ScoreFluent is not affiliated with or endorsed by Cambridge University Press & Assessment. The practice tasks above come from ScoreFluent's own bank and are not real exam questions.