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Speaking Notes PDF

This document provides guidance on speaking skills for English proficiency exams, including responding to questions and describing pictures. It discusses the importance of speaking skills for academic and professional success. When responding to questions, students should provide factual information directly for factual questions and share personal perspectives and experiences for personal questions. When describing pictures, students should observe details, use descriptive language, note the foreground and background, potentially tell a story, and identify the overall message conveyed by the photo. The document offers tips for both tasks.

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Iman Zulkifli
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59 views15 pages

Speaking Notes PDF

This document provides guidance on speaking skills for English proficiency exams, including responding to questions and describing pictures. It discusses the importance of speaking skills for academic and professional success. When responding to questions, students should provide factual information directly for factual questions and share personal perspectives and experiences for personal questions. When describing pictures, students should observe details, use descriptive language, note the foreground and background, potentially tell a story, and identify the overall message conveyed by the photo. The document offers tips for both tasks.

Uploaded by

Iman Zulkifli
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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PBC11902: ENGLISH PROFICIENCY II

SPEAKING
RESPONDING TO
QUESTIONS
BASIC SPEECH Giving factual or
OUTLINE personal
information.

DESCRIBING
PICTURE / PHOTO
Why speaking is important?

Speaking skills are crucial for learners as they provide


a foundation for effective communication and
language proficiency.
Academic: Proficient speaking contributes to
academic success, allowing learners to express
their thoughts during discussions, presentations,
and group activities.
Workplace: Learners need speaking skills to
express ideas clearly in professional settings,
enhancing collaboration and productivity.
Social: Everyday conversations require effective
speaking skills, enabling learners to engage in
social interactions confidently.
In certain speaking tasks, a basic speech outline is needed to help you
organize your message by making sure that all of your points are well
developed.

1 Introduction = Tell them what you’re going to say.

2 Body = Tell them.

3 Conclusion = Tell them what you’ve told them.


In other speaking tasks, a
conversation can happen where you
are asked questions and need to
answer questions.
To ask a question is an attempt to
receive information, and to answer
the question is to give information.
It can be in the form of factual and
personal.
RESPONDING TO
FACTUAL QUESTIONS

Giving factual information.


Factual questions seek objective information, therefore
you need to be clear and concise. Provide relevant
details and use data or examples if necessary.

Examples of factual questions and


information/answers:

What is a fact about Ramadhan? During the


month of Ramadhan, Muslims will fast which means
they won't eat or drink between sunrise and sunset.
When did Malaysia get its independence? Malaysia
declared independence from the British Empire in
1957.
TIPS FOR ANSWERING FACTUAL QUESTIONS

1. Be Concise and Clear:


Keep your response straightforward and to the point.
Avoid unnecessary details and provide the information
directly.

2. Support with Examples or Data:


Enhance credibility by supporting factual answers with
relevant examples or data.
This adds depth to your response and shows a deeper
understanding.

3. Maintain Confidence:
Project confidence in your response, reinforcing a sense
of competence.
Stay calm even if you're unsure – express a willingness
to find the answer if needed.
RESPONDING TO
PERSONAL QUESTIONS

Giving personal information.


Personal questions involve subjective or
individual perspectives such as opinions,
experiences, and emotions.

Examples of personal questions and personal


information/answers:

What is your favorite movie and why? I love


Titanic because of its tragic love story.
How do you handle stress in your daily life? I
talk to others and usually, that makes me feel
better.
TIPS FOR ANSWERING PERSONAL QUESTIONS

1. Clarity:
Respond clearly and in a straightforward manner.
Share relevant details without oversharing personal info
(TMI - too much information).
Avoid unnecessary elaboration to maintain focus.

2. Boundaries:
Set clear boundaries on what personal information you're
comfortable sharing.
Politely divert the question if a question feels too personal.
Prioritize in maintaining a professional attitude.

3. Positivity:
Respond positively.
Use language that is both helpful and encouraging.
Highlight information that are relevant to the conversation.
Therefore, it's important for
you to adjust your responses
accordingly.
DESCRIBING PICTURE/PHOTO 1

In some speaking tasks, you have to talk about


photos or pictures.

When you are asked to describe a picture,


1. you need to ask yourself some questions when
looking at the picture:
Is it a picture of a person, place, or thing?
How many of them are in the picture?
What are they doing in the picture?
What kind of feelings do they have?
DESCRIBING PICTURE/PHOTO 2

When you are asked to describe a picture,


2. memorise some adjectives to describe a person, place, or
thing:
use descriptive language - talk about colors, sizes, facial
expressions, etc.
Example: If you see a young girl in the picture. You may
say ----
“I see a young girl in the picture. She is around seven or
eight years old. She has light brown hair pulled back in
a ponytail and is wearing a white dress with blue
flowers. She is standing in front of a window with a book
in her hand.”
DESCRIBING PICTURE/PHOTO 3
When you are asked to describe a picture,
3. look at the background (farthest to you) and foreground (closest
to you) in the picture:
If you see a place like “Kitchen” in the picture. You may say ---
“There is a kitchen in the background. You can see the sink, the
stove, and the counter. There is a plant in the corner. The object
in the foreground is a teapot.”

4. make a story about the picture:


Making a story about the picture can also help you talk a lot
about the picture. For example, you may say ---
“I see a young girl standing in front of a beautiful waterfall. She
looks happy and content. It’s as if she’s been waiting for this
moment her whole life.”
DESCRIBING PICTURE/PHOTO 4
When you are asked to describe a picture,
5. get the message from the picture:
Every picture gives you a message. Try to figure out the
message you are receiving from a photo. For instance, you see a
picture where people are on vacation. You may say ---
“Vacations are very important. When people go on a vacation,
they are happy and feel relaxed.”

6. use these common phrases:


There is / There are
On the left side of the picture/ on the right side of the picture
/in the middle of the picture
In the background /In the foreground
I think/ I suppose
Here are some tips for describing a photo or a
picture in a speaking task/test:

Do:
Look at your picture carefully and take a few moments to think
before you start talking.
Talk for all the time you are given. If you have one minute to do the
task, use every second.
Practise the useful language below so you can explain which part of
the picture you are talking about.
Don’t:
Panic if you don’t know the words for all the things in the picture.
You don’t need to know all the words for everything in the picture if
you know what to say when you don't know an exact word.
Get distracted and start talking about something else. Focus on the
photo or picture.
Panic if your mind goes blank. Take a deep breath, look at the
picture and start again.
ANY QUESTION?
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING!

YES?

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