ENGLISH TEACHER TAKES THE C1 ADVANCED SPEAKING EXAM! WITH FORMER CAMBRIDGE EXAMINER

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

Thanks again, Craig... You did a great job. I enjoyed that although it was quite stressful! Now I know how my students feel 😊 * If you need more help with your exam preparation, check out my online courses; ttp-exam-academy-ben.thinkific.com/

[@LaMansionDelIngles]

If I had to do this test in Spanish, I don't think I'd pass! 😅

[@annamorandi9750]

From the pedestal to the pillory.. I too ,realised the meaning of being under pressure..from teacher to candidate Thanks Ben !!!

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

Thanks!

[@zgus13]

41144😅⅘4q⁵⁴4444😅😅😅😅

[@LaMansionDelIngles]

@Sofia Kioroglou - Author - Journalist Thank you, Sofia.

[@anaelenam.670]

Ben, the fact that you admitted being a little bit nervous (even though you are a native and proficient speaker) gave me so much confidence in preparing my speaking tasks. You seem so understanding and involved in your work! You did not show off and you did not have a patronising attitude. Chapeau! ❤

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

🙂 Thank you, Ana Elena!

[@rosalva1812]

I loved listening to you both! I’ll be taking my C1 exam in a month and watching this kinds of videos helps out a lot. Thanks Ben, you’re always on point!

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

I'm glad you found it useful 🙂

[@wadecampbell7727]

If I may offer a small correction: it should be “this kind of video” or “these kinds of videos”. It’s a very common error.

[@erasmomelo9575]

Thank you both Ben and Craig, you both are giants in teaching English. Congratulation on your job.

[@LaMansionDelIngles]

Thanks for watching, Erasmo.

[@TheCamelBug]

I'm studying for Cambridge C2 exam which I'm planning to take by the end of this year and sometimes, I get the impression that the major difference in the speaking part of both C1 & C2 is the use of more advanced words in C2. Apart from it, they don't look that different after all. By the way, thanks for the video!

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

Vocabulary is definitely an important factor but the examiners are also looking at accuracy, fluency, interaction, pronunciation etc

[@marylkap6498]

@@tothepointenglishwithben. Fluency and accuracy, being accurate while being fluent at the same time - well that can be challenging, can't it 😉

[@javiernarvaez1849]

For me the most challenging part of the CAE exam is the grammar section. It seems the examiners demands students to know grammar like Shakespeare.😢

[@fernandomarquez365]

We cAn practice with a native speaker (my teacher) I want to take C2 also 🙃

[@josemfersev]

You need to use devices and know expressions such as spill te beans, tie the knot, egg on your face, take the plunge … etc. And the colocations. So many of these.

[@ekaterinak8260]

Hello, Ben! This video is marvellous! Thank you very much! Your videos have become an integral part of my preparation for the Cambridge exam. Looking forward to the similar video for C2 level 🙂

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

Thanks, Ekaterina. That's great 🙂

[@annamiller9153]

Amazing, Ben you're awesome... Thank you very much for that fantastic video. You put a lot of effort for us just to watch it- for free, your passion is clearly seen.

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

You're very welcome, Anna 🙂

[@elsaleon2766]

Hi Ben! It is a great idea to put ourselves in the students' place! You did a great job yourself! Congrats!

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

Thanks, Elsa!

[@monaminas]

This opportunity has been a blessing for me - thank you from the bottom of my heart! I could learn a lot from it, there were a lot of interesting informations to come to my help in passing this exam.

[@beatrizdumay1329]

Ben always helping us, and proving that is possible !! The video was quite amazing, and Craige is a vary good axaminer indeed ❤❤

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

I'm glad you liked it 🙂 Yes, Craig was great!

[@alinesilva.mentoria]

I just found this channel and I'm very excited to watch all the videos! I'm studying for the c1 test. Thank you for this great video!

[@Akinph]

Awesome tips on how to pass ANY exams!! Don't be nervous, just keep on talking until they say thank you!!! Amazing, it is just that easy!!

[@Crisguay]

Hi Ben! I saw you much more confident as a teacher than as a student. How difficult it is to take an exam like this, isn't it? It was great to see you in this role, just like any other student. 🤓 Brilliant performance from both of you.

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

It's an artificial, unnatural situation so it's a strange experience. Many of my students do the tasks better than me because they've practised more!

[@Crisguay]

@@tothepointenglishwithben. The most unnatural situation, indeed. You did it brilliantly, though. 🌈🌈

[@marylkap6498]

@@tothepointenglishwithben. Of course it is! It's like performing the role of a child while being a parent 😊 And in the limelight! Teachers' work is to focus on explaining and correcting. Also motivating, inspiring, etc. And that's what they've been doing for years That's what they are used to. And all of a sudden such twist. Change of roles 🙃 It can be very inspiring for teachers. But challenging too 😉 I always recommend other teachers to try to study something. Another language perhaps. Just to be in the student's shoes for a while and for a change. To better understand them 😉

[@ericban842]

​​@@tothepointenglishwithben. for some reason I always thought the spelling of the word "practice" was writtent practice and not practise.

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

@@ericban842 In British English, the verb is practise and the noun is practice

[@tobiaszgottfriedstudio4090]

Thank you Ben and Craig for the presentation of C1 speaking part. I've started to prepare for C1 exam 4 months ago. Ben's channel have been a huge help for me. There is no deadline chasing me nonetheless I hope to pass the test in august. It was really a pleasure watching you two having a nice time with each other and on the same time explaining things to us - reveling the arcane of english. Thank you :)

[@kristinaglazunova4550]

How did your exam go?:)

[@edilsonluizpereira2421]

Hello Ben! It was a good idea putting yourself in students' shoes. I consider your video a way of inspiring us and make us feel a little more confident when taking the test.

[@urskav]

I really enjoyed your conversation. I've listened to it twice. You were both exceptional. I would like to hear you take C2 speaking paper to see the difference in the format and vocabulary.

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

We've just recorded the C2 video. It'll be released this Sunday 👍

[@RiccaBorges]

Thanks for that, guys! God bless you!

[@mahr-899]

It's a nice and interesting video. I'm looking forward to seeing the C2 level video!😃

[@Maria-bz1fv]

A very clarifying and illustrative video indeed!! Thank you for sharing!!

[@efthymiavalleser8234]

Very helpful video! I would also love to see a C2 speaking interpretation :))

[@turicoppola9815]

Hello Ben, thank you for sharing this paramount video! As usual, you are a sensational teacher indeed! I look up to you a lot.

[@mac_n-cheese]

Thank you. That has helped me a lot these days since I have had my English speaking exam and I was less nervous when I was alone however it did help me in particularly difficult situations as well.

[@martinpesan8021]

This video is really helpful. Thank you Ben and Craig

[@isla8457]

8:39 'That's a very good question...um...let me think for a minute' (Great idea 😀 given you've only got 2 minutes to speak)

[@sibelsancar8185]

This is a great video. I can listen to it many times, I think I will do.

[@meh9677]

Lovely collaboration! It was truly constructive and i'd love more videos with other people such as craig in this case.

[@simssimsik1202]

Hi ! Your videos helped so so much and I wanted to thank you for all the useful advices I got here. I passed with C2 in July thanks to your help !

[@Ms.ErickaEnglishTeacher]

Thank you so much for this video ! I'm planning to take my CAE this year and I found it quite useful. By the way I'm going to register to Ben's course. I'm truly enthusistic about that 🎉

[@Ogomaro65]

Thank you, gentlemen! I found the part that did NOT contain standardized testing material to be the most interesting to listen to. 😊

[@jvbanqueri]

This work that you both have shown to everyone is a really worthy material to understand the tricky point of the exam where we should be prepared the most and keep our state of mind ready and flexible to overcome this challenge to sound confident and show the best English we've got to the examiners.I also was thinking that it should be good to write a lot of things comparing pictures and giving opinion about all the things we live every day before going to sleep.I really appreciate this material.Thank so much !!

[@Crisguig]

Congrats! You have passed with flying colours😂😂😢😂, can you imagine Craic had said" Sorry, Ben, next time! " 😂😂😂great video, thank you guys. Looking forward to the c2, guess not very different, though.

[@de-freitas-matt]

Second time watching this beautiful lesson! Thank you Ben. I can only dream of another video like this for CPE!

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

It's coming soon!

[@de-freitas-matt]

@@tothepointenglishwithben. this is how you make a Sunday a happy day! Thank you!

[@martaferrandezmir4724]

Thanks a lot. You both are an example of the positive effect of sharing.

[@AkbarAli-cg3tb]

A deluge of thanks for demoing this daunting part of C1,Ben. Apart from being my e-acquaintance,your special knack for Cambridge Exams and Proficiency Tests deserves to be appreciate. Keep soaring. All the best.

[@silviamongeroffarello126]

How wonderful to see craig here!! Big fan of his podcast ❤

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

Yes... Inglespodcast is a great podcast!

[@LaMansionDelIngles]

Thanks, Silvia!

[@hm.languagecorner3232]

what an elegant modesty ............bravo

[@gabrielleconti]

Thanks Craig an Ben! As a spanish native speaker, I found this video super helpful! I understood everything you said! 😃 I have an upper intermediate level in English. The discussion part of the test was my favourite 😃👍 Interaction is a fundamental part of life, I guess 🤔😃 Thanks for the video! 🙏🏼

[@emanoelpaulino1935]

I took advantage of this vídeo and I could learn some expressions , thank you for this useful content

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

You're welcome 🙂

[@kabe33]

Wow! Love it 💯👏👏👏Just listening to you, I learn a lot ☺

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

That's good to know, Brigitte 🙂

[@kabe33]

@@tothepointenglishwithben. From the very beginning, you use expressions I perfectly understand but would never have thought of...

[@kabe33]

I'll complete my comment here with what I wrote in the CB ☺ On top of the fact that this video is really useful, I love the camaraderie that can be felt in your exchange, Ben and Craig. Thanks to your editing, Ben, the video really "flows" smoothly and naturally, to react to what Craig said in the group...

[@palomagarciaruiz2860]

Thanks Ben and Craig! Your performance and advices are more than useful to me!

[@montesierra717]

I loved this collaboration. I hope that it can happen again soon.

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

It will! Very soon 🙂

[@montesierra717]

@@tothepointenglishwithben. Great!

[@mariagodoy5483]

How useful this was! thank you. 👏👏

[@vanessadimarco158]

Thank you both. Great class. Helpful and really enjoyable

[@LoveBoyars]

I've started watching Ben's videos recently and thankful to them I can imagine how a real speaking part of the exam looks like. Thank you so much! It would be alsogreat if some former experts could give their comments on writing pat, I mean to analise some real samples of essay, proposal, report, review and letter. 🙂

[@hm.languagecorner3232]

what an elegant modesty .......i think very few teachers would challenge their proficiency in public

[@mihaicaragheorghe5217]

Congrats for your great videos!!!!

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

Thanks, Mihai. I appreciate your comments 🙂

[@raheeldhuddy9145]

Sir Ben thanku so much for gave me a more confidence & I'm going to exam soon that's why I'm very happy

[@weixia9567]

The video is very helpful. Thanks!

[@carlamarianam.m5644]

Someday, I'd like to be in this exam. I'm a beginner English teacher but it's one of my dream jobs ❤ thanks for the video.

[@englishbits]

Thanks, Craig and Ben for your amazing job! Super mega useful!! :)

[@samys288]

Excellent professor, this video clear to me about many interview aspects✅

[@romysandrahuertaflores8611]

Thanks Ben!!! you have helped me a lot .

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

You're welcome 🙂

[@MPilarMartinez]

👋 excellent video and great tips Thank you !

[@mariaclemenciapaz7872]

Thank so much for this video

[@vivianearaujo506]

I’m writing the expressions and vocabulary I could use in this “mock test”. Thank you for the video!

[@ttv_notkorbi3398]

Thanks for your prep videos Ben, just got my results, finished C1, nearly C2 with 6 points missing ;)

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

So close! But congratulations on the C1!

[@ttv_notkorbi3398]

@@tothepointenglishwithben. thanks but i think I'll try it again next year or so because I want to study in the US

[@ronaldsolares5876]

​@@ttv_notkorbi3398 interesting where are you from?

[@ttv_notkorbi3398]

@@ronaldsolares5876 Germany

[@AsuncionMoya-s2e]

I highly recommend watching this video

[@joseacosta5264]

This is amazing

[@EuzinhaS2]

AMAZING❤

[@silviamongeroffarello126]

I downloaded this video to use it tomorrow with the CAE group

[@lilianikolova7685]

Браво!🎉 Please make some comments about phonetics and intonation. Greetings from Bulgaria, Sofia

[@Modelli_AI]

this is amazing

[@masza8212]

Was Ben using very basic vocabulary on purpose ? I would never have thought this level of vocabulary would be sufficient for a C1 exam ....

[@wadimwadimow5439]

For the first time we can see an English man from the outskirts of London trying to pass the English exam for advanced learners 😂😂😂

[@gabrielafroes]

Hi Ben, thank you for this video. I have been an exam prep teacher for maybe 20 years and I am also a speaking examiner, and I have a question I don’t feel I can properly answer. You both mention in Part 2 it is really important candidates answer the two questions properly - and that’s what I advise my students to do, too. However, in the Speaking criteria for assessment, there is no criterion for Content. If a candidate does not answer both questions, where would they lose marks? As an examiner I don’t really worry about that that much. So it makes me feel it is more of a convention than actually a serious matter… I would love to hear/read your thoughts about that! Thank you again for the amazing work you do ❤

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

Hi Gabriela. Yes, I agree. It's more of a convention. It's evaluated in the Discourse Management criterion but it's important to remember that the speaking paper is evaluated as a whole rather than individual parts. So, not answering both questions wouldn't usually affect the final score that much but it definitely should be the objective.

[@bautistasilvestre378]

Hellooo! I have a doubt about the order you can use to do the task in part 2. Could you answer the two questions first and then compare the pictures? Is it the same? Thanks a lot❤

[@bautistasilvestre378]

Also I want to add, next Saturday 6th of may... I'm going to attempt the C1 exam. So that you've been did this video helps me A LOT.

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

You can do the task in an order you like as long as you compare the pictures and answer the questions. However, I think it's more natural and logical to start with the comparing.

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

Great... Good luck!

[@bautistasilvestre378]

@@tothepointenglishwithben. Excellent! Thanks 👍🏻👍🏻

[@Kej.9]

I am just at the beginning of the video....Well, if Ben is nervous.... how are we supposed to feel :D Still don´t have the courage to take the exam... But I don´t rush. I want to feel more prepared ( I know one wil never feel prepared enough, but at least to feel "quite prepared " )

[@hm.languagecorner3232]

bravo........

[@josebenito15]

A great and well crafted Video, but the problem, if there was one, is that people actually don't speak so slowly.. In my opinion listening "a very clear pronunciation" can be more a drawback than a advantage. Anyway, thanks so much for uploading this Video and thanks so much for your dedication 🙏

[@TheLittlechicthings]

With these videos, no wonder you have this little shiny plaque behind you. ❤

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

😃

[@kaidrewry552]

I promie you guys that not all native English speaker would get a grade A in the C2... as a native English speaker who will take the test even I don't know all the words, and some of it is also about general comprehension, concentration etc...

[@duaiztorres]

I am curious about why the examiner said "a little more tricky" instead of "a little trickier" at 14:28. Is there a good soul able to help me with this question?

[@whocares10]

Perhaps the second option, could came across a bit informal for the test. But that's only my opinion.

[@monikalasota6992]

Hello, Can you use "I beg to differ" in part 3 or is it too formal?

[@allynghazarian9019]

Is it not necessary to say which two pictures in the beginning of part 2?

[@Fabio-tp7dp]

I'm able to understand the whole video, does it mean I have a great level of English? bc sometimes (really often) I put myself down... so even when I can understand what people are saying, I just think I'm not good enough. Perhaps I just need therapy. Another question, now with a question mark... did I write everything correctly?

[@alro7779]

It'd be very rare for a native English speaker not to pass those exams, in my opinion.

[@Cambridge_English_Teacher]

And now try to see how many C1-level vocabulary and grammar elements there are there according to CEFR - and to English Profile in particular, and try to substantiate your "expert" assessment according to the other 3 criteria (Discourse Management, Pronunciation, Interactive Communication.). 😅

[@NotMaximus]

Hi Ben, is there any point in taking the c2 profiency exam if I don’t plan on pursuing a career in education?

[@NotMaximus]

*proficiency

[@PieroMastrana]

No. Don't do it.

[@mymagicsigns]

is so funny how Craig is talking to Ben as Ben is a 10 year old? Teachers are funny! :))

[@adrianzone155]

Why didn't u do a C2 level? I think it's the right level for you, as C1 it's not that impossible to achieve

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

Maybe next time

[@adrianzone155]

@@tothepointenglishwithben. I would love to see a C2 level test, I'll wait for it! Btw good job.

[@chij101]

Do we really need to use inversions, conditionals, etc. in our speaking answers? What if not? How to get the best score in speaking?

[@nosycatUK]

Thank you,Ben.

[@maimichue]

Could you also cover some advice for the exams on Business English? I suppose any videos will come to late for me, as I will be taking the BEC in May already, but maybe somebody else could profit from it :-)

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

I don't have any experience with the BEC exam. I specialise in the B2 First, C1 Advanced and C2 Proficiency

[@thaingo7709]

love

[@erikas.6790]

Are these the kind of questions asked for a C1 level? I thought they asked much more specific or difficult questions, if I have to talk about myself and my preferences it's not scary at all

[@at5713]

Do you find it appropriate for people to describe their language level with a Letter, by talking or what about on their CV, if they have never even taken one of these exams?

[@alexartamonov2010]

If the goal of this video was to humiliate other C1 candidates with immaculate speaking skills, itś been achieved! ;-)

[@azizrajabov1412]

How can we contact with you?

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

My links are in the video description

[@ingridottorubio1895]

Hi! Why didn't you use another expressions such as : in my view, as I see it, from my point of view etc. instead I think? I'm a student in EOI here in Spain

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

Those expressions weren't necessary. We expressed our ideas in different ways

[@migueldecarvalho8012]

The questions are so bad I'm seriously considering not taking the C2. I know the purpose is to make candidate speak, but I would like the prompt to be less silly.

[@PS_Tube]

Quite insightful, to get an overview of how these tests that are meant to test the skills of non native speakers can become a hot rock to hold even for a native speaker. The stress is really daunting. I've taken CEFR tests for English skills on multiple occasions, having started in the late 2020s and as latest as this year, got a B2 and a C1 twice on core skills. This year I tried again, managed a C2; but on speaking skills can't improve beyond a B2. Bit of a bummer if you ask, but I feel it'd rather difficult for me to get any higher score considering I'm a Hindi native speaker living in India who rarely use lots of English conversation. Perhaps, Ben could give some pointers because in my opinion I'm out of my depth here.

[@OceanChild75]

You are spoiling us Ben, when do you sleep? 😅

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

As a Beatles fan, you'll understand... "My mind is on the blink." 🙂

[@OceanChild75]

@@tothepointenglishwithben. oh I love you remembered I’m a Beatlemaniac haha! Great reply 😉

[@draminhos4391]

Can I fail a specific paper of C2 Exam and still pass the exam as a whole?

[@LaMansionDelIngles]

Yes. You need 60% or more in total to pass. But remember, if you score too low on one part of the test, you need to score high on a different paper.

[@balitzky]

I don't get it - what's the point for native English to pass that exam? To be a English teacher for foreign people? It has to be easy if your native speaker.

[@olayaalvarez4187]

are you really living in Asturias?

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

Yes, near Llanes

[@olayaalvarez4187]

wow, me too. Now even more excited if one of my fav teachers is from here :) Thanks you two for your work

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

Do you live near Llanes, too?

[@olayaalvarez4187]

@@tothepointenglishwithben. Not so close, in Lugones.But I was excited :D

[@emanoelpaulino1935]

Ben sounds a little apprehensive

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

Ben is always a little apprehensive! 😄

[@gekko805]

I can't explain but there is something I don't like about the way they speak English. It seems that their British accent drives me crazy.

[@jalexsilva8162]

I understand everything but can't stand a 5 minutes basic talk

[@fabiocossa2420]

I got

[@nosycatUK]

Ben,I've read somewhere that if I started learning a new language after 15 years old, I will never be fluent in it. Is that true ? 🤔 I begun learning English when I was about 27 now I'm 35 , I live with English wife and my English level is somewhere between b2 and b2+

[@tothepointenglishwithben.]

No, that's not true. It depends on your definition of "fluent", but most dictionaries define it as the ability to speak a language easily and accurately. That is attainable to most adults no matter when they start learning. (Don't confuse fluent with bilingual)

[@nosycatUK]

@@tothepointenglishwithben. thank you, Ben. I'll have to read on that to know the difference 🤔