LanguageCert Academic Speaking Part 1: how the interview questions work

Part 1 is the first three minutes of the LanguageCert Academic Speaking test. LanguageCert's exam page labels it "Questions", and most learners call it the interview. There is no preparation time, so the part rewards answers you can build while you speak. This guide covers how the part runs, how to shape answers that fit the time, and what to do when you mishear a question.

For the marking criteria and CEFR anchors across all four parts, see LanguageCert Academic Speaking, part by part. For the score scale, see the scoring guide.

What happens in Speaking Part 1?

The official practice-paper interlocutor scripts show the order. The interlocutor greets you, confirms your name, asks you to spell your surname and asks where you are from. Then the exam proper begins: the interlocutor says "Now, Part One", names a topic and asks one question. You answer, the interlocutor may respond or comment briefly, and the next topic follows.

The script says to ask up to five questions, one from each topic area, "as time allows". You may therefore get fewer than five.

What kinds of questions come up?

The Test Taker Guide says you share personal information and your own opinions on a variety of topics. LanguageCert's tips for candidates add that the emphasis is on a personal response.

The topic areas in the three official practice papers include study skills, daily life, phones, the news, towns and cities, TV and learning styles. The question forms fall into three groups:

• Describe: "Tell me about..." prompts that ask for a real experience or habit.
• Judge: questions about advantages and disadvantages, or which of two options is better.
• Justify: opinion questions that end "Why?" or "Why not?"

ScoreFluent's bank groups two to four related questions under one topic so you can practise a theme. The real Part 1 moves to a new topic with each question, so do not rely on the next question building on your last answer.

How long should each answer be?

LanguageCert does not publish a per-answer length. The arithmetic is simple: about 3 minutes in total, some of it spent on your name, spelling and country, and up to five questions. That leaves roughly 25 to 35 seconds a question. This is our calculation, not an official figure.

In practice that is two to four sentences. LanguageCert's tips say to expand your responses and avoid one-word answers, and to support your point of view with reasons and examples.

What does a good Part 1 answer look like?

Use four moves: answer, reason, example, stop. Here is a model answer from the ScoreFluent bank.

Question: Do you like to plan your weekends in advance, or do you prefer to decide on the day? Why?

Model answer: I prefer to decide on the day, because my plans often change at the last minute. If I plan too much, I end up feeling that I have to do things rather than wanting to.

The first clause answers the question that was asked. The "because" clause is the reason. The last sentence adds a consequence that only this speaker would say. It stops cleanly after about 35 words.

Match the tense to the question form. A "Have you ever...?" question needs a specific past instance. A "Do you think students should...?" question needs an opinion and a condition. A "How might this help later?" question needs modal verbs such as "might" and "can". The tips tell you to think carefully about the tense and word choice you will need.

What if I don't catch the question?

Ask for it again. LanguageCert says you will not be penalised for asking the interlocutor to repeat a question. You cannot ask them to explain the question or any word in it.

The same tips say that fillers such as "well..." are fine if you need a moment to think, and that correcting your own mistake is viewed favourably. Prepare one sentence for the request, for example "Sorry, could you repeat the question, please?", so that you do not freeze while you build it.

Should I memorise my answers?

LanguageCert's tips say to avoid memorising your speech by heart. Prepare things that stay flexible instead:

• Your name spelled aloud, until it is automatic, and one clear sentence about where you are from.
• Vocabulary for the topic areas above.
• Two or three real experiences, such as a job, a course or a trip, that you can bend towards many questions.

How is Part 1 marked?

Part 1 uses the same five criteria, each scored 0 to 8, as the other three parts, and each part carries equal importance (Handbook, section 3). The interlocutor awards Task Fulfilment and Communicative Effect in real time. A second examiner marks the other four criteria from the recording. Checked 15 and 16 October 2026.

For Part 1, completing the task means answering the question that was asked, with enough development to show what you can do. The criteria themselves are set out on the Speaking page.

What mistakes should I avoid in Part 1?

• One-word or one-clause answers. LanguageCert's tips warn against them directly.
• Skipping the "why". If the question ends "Why?", the reason is the point of the answer.
• The wrong tense. A past-experience question answered in the present reads as a different answer.
• A long story. With up to five questions in about 3 minutes, a 60-second story leaves the rest rushed.
• Silence while you think. A short filler is better than a pause you cannot control.

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

These are ScoreFluent practice items, not real LanguageCert questions. Answer each question aloud before opening the model answers. The items run from easier to harder.

Item 1: Weekends

1. What do you normally do at the weekend?
2. Do you like to plan your weekends in advance, or do you prefer to decide on the day? Why?
3. Is there anything you would like to do more of at the weekend?

Model answers

1. I normally catch up on sleep on Saturday morning, and then I meet friends in the afternoon. On Sundays I tidy my room and get ready for the week ahead.
2. I prefer to decide on the day, because my plans often change at the last minute. If I plan too much, I end up feeling that I have to do things rather than wanting to.
3. I'd love to spend more time outdoors. I live in a busy city, so a proper walk in the countryside would be a nice change.

Item 2: Phones

1. How often do you use your phone during the day?
2. What is the most useful thing your phone can do? Why?
3. Do you think people spend too much time on their phones? Why or why not?

Model answers

1. I use it constantly, probably for a few hours every day. I check messages, read the news and listen to music, so it's rarely out of my hand.
2. For me it's the maps application, because I'm not good with directions. It has saved me from getting lost many times, especially in new cities.
3. Yes, I think many people do, myself included. We often look at our screens instead of talking to the people sitting next to us, which seems a real shame.

Item 3: Part-time work

1. Have you ever had a part-time job? What did you do?
2. What did you learn from that experience?
3. Do you think students should have a job while they study? Why or why not?
4. How might having a job as a student help someone later in their career?

Model answers

1. Yes, I worked in a bookshop on Saturdays for about a year. I served customers, stacked shelves and helped to organise a few small events.
2. I learned how to deal with different kinds of people patiently, even when they were in a bad mood. It also taught me to manage my time, since I had to balance work and studying.
3. I think a small amount of work is helpful, because it brings in money and gives you practical experience. But if students work too many hours, their studies suffer, so there has to be a sensible limit.
4. It shows employers that you're responsible and can manage your time. You also pick up skills, such as teamwork and communication, that are useful in almost any profession.

Item 4: Learning languages

1. Which languages have you studied, and why did you choose them?
2. What do you find hardest about learning a language? Why?
3. Some people say the best way to learn a language is to live in the country where it is spoken. Do you agree?
4. Do you think everyone should learn a second language at school? Why or why not?

Model answers

1. Besides English, I studied French at school because it was compulsory. Later I took up Spanish by choice, as I wanted to be able to travel and speak to local people.
2. For me the hardest part is speaking naturally, because I worry about making mistakes. Grammar can be learned from a book, but fluency only comes with a lot of practice.
3. To a large extent, yes. Living abroad forces you to use the language every day, but I think it only works if you make an effort to meet local people rather than staying with others from your own country.
4. I do, because it widens your opportunities and helps you understand other cultures. Even if students forget most of the vocabulary, they gain confidence in communicating, and that is a valuable skill.

More topic sets are in our Part 1 practice questions.

How can I practise Part 1 with scoring?

ScoreFluent plays each question as audio, records your answer and returns a practice estimate against the five criteria, with an examiner report (8 credits). The estimate is not an official LanguageCert score, and a recording cannot reproduce a live interlocutor. New accounts start with 40 free credits. Credits never expire and there is no subscription.

Start with 40 free credits →

Next in this series: Part 2, the role play, Part 3, read aloud and questions and Part 4, the presentation. The full format is on the LanguageCert Academic hub.

Sources

ScoreFluent is an independent practice platform and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to LanguageCert or PeopleCert. Format and marking facts above come from LanguageCert's published documents. Checked 15 and 16 October 2026.

• LanguageCert Academic Qualification Handbook, version 9.0: the Speaking 1 task, the five criteria and who awards them.
• LanguageCert Academic Test Taker Guide: the one-to-one format and preparation time by part.
• LanguageCert Academic tips for candidates: advice on Part 1, repetition, fillers and self-correction.
• Official practice papers: the interlocutor scripts, part timings and topic areas.
• LanguageCert Academic exam page: the part labels and the 14-minute Speaking total.