Included in the Learning subscription

The three parts of Speaking, fluency, vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation. Included in the «Learning» subscription.

Lessons are taught in Russian; examples and tasks are in English.

Course outline

1. Module 1

   Format and Criteria

   1. 01
      The Speaking Format and the Four Criteria: What Separates an 8 from a 7Free10 min

      After this lesson, you will understand how the three parts of Speaking work, which four criteria are used to award your band score, and the specific features that separate an 8.0 answer from a 7.0 answer.

   2. Practice: The Speaking Format and the Four Criteria: What Separates an 8 from a 7Free20 min
   3. 02
      Fluency and Coherence: Fluency Without Rushing and Coherence Without Templates Subscription10 min

      After this lesson you will be able to pause naturally to think, link ideas with conversational discourse markers and structure your answer so the examiner hears logic, not a set of memorised phrases.

   4. Practice: Fluency and Coherence: Fluency Without Rushing and Coherence Without Templates Subscription20 min
   5. 03
      Lexical Resource and Grammar: Precise Vocabulary and Complex Structures in Natural Speech Subscription10 min

      After this lesson, you will know which vocabulary and grammar can lift your Speaking to band 8, be able to paraphrase instead of repeating, and use five structures that sound natural in conversation.

   6. Practice: Lexical Resource and Grammar: Precise Vocabulary and Complex Structures in Natural Speech Subscription25 min

2. Module 2

   Part 1

   1. 01
      Part 1: answer formula and ideal lengthFree10 min

      After this lesson, you will be able to answer any Part 1 question in 15–25 seconds using a flexible formula, without drifting into a monologue or getting stuck on one-word answers.

   2. Practice: Part 1: answer formula and ideal lengthFree20 min
   3. 02
      Part 1: tastes, habits and frequency — natural conversational vocabulary Subscription10 min

      After this lesson you will describe your preferences, habits and how often you do things in a dozen different ways and sound like someone who speaks English every day, not someone who prepared from a word list.

   4. Practice: Part 1: tastes, habits and frequency — natural conversational vocabulary Subscription20 min
   5. 03
      Part 1: Unexpected Questions, Unfamiliar Words and Tenses Subscription10 min

      After this lesson you will answer strange and unexpected Part 1 questions with confidence, paraphrase when you do not know a word, and choose the right verb tense for each question type.

   6. Practice: Part 1: Unexpected Questions, Unfamiliar Words and Tenses Subscription20 min

3. Module 3

   Part 2

   1. 01
      Part 2: one-minute preparation and the structure of a two-minute talkFree10 min

      After this lesson, you will make notes in one minute that guarantee two minutes of speaking and structure your talk so that the final point on the cue card demonstrates band 8.

   2. Practice: Part 2: one-minute preparation and the structure of a two-minute talkFree25 min
   3. 02
      Part 2: People and Places Cue Cards — Describing Character and Atmosphere Subscription10 min

      After this lesson, you will describe a person through actions rather than a list of adjectives, convey the atmosphere of a place, and prepare 4–5 stories that cover most people and places cue cards.

   4. Practice: Part 2: People and Places Cue Cards — Describing Character and Atmosphere Subscription25 min
   5. 03
      Part 2: objects, events and reflection in the final bullet point Subscription10 min

      After this lesson you will tell a story with the right mix of narrative tenses, describe objects without a 'catalogue' tone and turn the *explain...* bullet point into your main source of marks.

   6. Practice: Part 2: objects, events and reflection in the final bullet point Subscription25 min

4. Module 4

   Part 3 and Pronunciation

   1. 01
      Part 3: Question Types and How to Think Aloud for Band 8+Free10 min

      After this lesson you will recognise the six question types in Part 3, know an answer framework for each, and be able to generalise, compare and hedge your position the way confident native speakers do.

   2. Practice: Part 3: Question Types and How to Think Aloud for Band 8+Free25 min
   3. 02
      Part 3: hypotheses, predictions and unfamiliar abstract topics Subscription10 min

      After this lesson you will confidently form hypotheses and predictions, be able to reason about a topic you have never thought about before, and answer the examiner's follow-up questions without losing your thread.

   4. Practice: Part 3: hypotheses, predictions and unfamiliar abstract topics Subscription25 min
   5. 03
      Pronunciation for Non-Native Speakers and Full Speaking Mock Test Subscription15 min

      After this lesson, you will know eight typical pronunciation problems for non-native test takers, be able to work with word stress and sentence stress, weak forms and connected speech — and complete a full Speaking mock test with recording.

   6. Practice: Pronunciation for Non-Native Speakers and Full Speaking Mock Test Subscription25 min