Speaking · Unit 1: Know the test
S07: What the examiner can and can't do
Target band 5.5 to 6
Many students walk into the Speaking test with wrong ideas about the examiner. They think the examiner wants to trick them. They panic when the examiner interrupts. They think a serious face means a low score. None of this is true. Knowing how examiners actually work will make you much calmer.
Why this matters
A small study at Brac University found that some Bangladeshi test takers felt uncomfortable with what they saw as an unfriendly examiner. Often, this "unfriendliness" is just the examiner following professional rules. Understanding those rules helps you stay relaxed.
What the examiner does
- Follows a script. Examiners use set questions and set wording, so every candidate gets a fair test. That's why they may sound formal.
- Keeps time strictly. Each part has a fixed length. If your answer is long, they may interrupt to move on. This is normal.
- Stays neutral. Examiners usually don't smile a lot, nod strongly or say "Great answer!" This is to avoid influencing you. It's not a sign of a bad score.
- Records the test. This is standard, for quality checks.
- Doesn't give feedback. You won't hear your score or any comments at the end.
What the examiner can do to help
- Repeat a question. If you didn't hear or understand, you can ask.
- In Part 3, rephrase or explain. The examiner has more freedom to discuss and clarify here.
- Ask follow-up questions. These help you say more, especially in Part 3.
What you can do
| You can say... | When |
|---|---|
| "Sorry, could you repeat the question, please?" | You didn't hear it clearly |
| "Sorry, what do you mean by...?" | You don't understand a word (especially in Part 3) |
| "That's an interesting question. Let me think for a second." | You need a moment |
| "Sorry, I mean..." | You want to correct yourself |
Using these phrases is completely fine. They're natural in real conversation.
What you shouldn't do
- Don't ask for your score or how you did.
- Don't try to memorise the examiner's questions from "prediction lists" and recite answers.
- Don't worry about the examiner writing. They might note things down, but it's not a list of your mistakes.
- Don't ask to start again because of one mistake. Just correct it and continue.
A note on Part 2 notes
You'll get a pencil and paper in Part 2 for notes. You can't take these out of the room, and you can't bring your own notes in.
Try it yourself
Which phrase would you use?
- The examiner spoke quickly and you missed the question.
- In Part 3, you don't know what "urbanisation" means.
- You said "I goes" and want to fix it.
Show the answers
1) "Sorry, could you repeat the question, please?" 2) "Sorry, what do you mean by urbanisation?" 3) "Sorry, I go..." and continue.
Honest note
Examiners are human. Some are naturally warmer than others. But all are trained to mark you on your English, not on whether they like you.
Your task today
Practise saying the four phrases in the table out loud until they feel natural.