Comparing and contrasting Getting to Know You games

Cambridge First Certificate (FCE) Speaking Parts One and Two

Practise the questions below in threes or fours with one person being the examiner. Ask the same questions to both/ all the candidates. The candidates should try to comment on what their partner said before answering the question.

Useful languageLike/ Unlike (name), I… I… too. In fact,… I… as well, and… My answer/ feelings are (quite/ fairly/ very) different from/ similar to…’s, in that/ because… I’m (quite/ rather/ very/ remarkably) similar to (name) (in terms of…), but… I don’t… (nearly) as much as… I (slightly/ a bit/ somewhat/ quite a lot/ a great deal/ substantially/ a lot/ much/ far/ much much/ far far) … er/ more… than… In contrast to (name), I… I differ from… in that… Rather than…, I…

Other languages

Do any of your friends speak other languages?

Is there a language which you would really like to learn in the future?

Using English

Do you use English on holiday?

Tell us about the last time you used English outside the classroom.

Would you prefer to have a job where you could use English more often?

Studying English (including self-study)

Do you study English every day?

Do you use the internet to study English?

Do you spend a lot of time studying English?

Tell us about the last English language book you bought.

Do you have any plans to study abroad in the future?

English language exams, including FCE

Do you prefer to study English for exams, or just for pleasure?

Do you plan to take any other English language exams?

Other studies

Do you like studying any particular subjects?

How do you prefer to study?

What was your favourite subject when you were younger?

Is there anything you would really like to study in the future?

Free time/ Hobbies

What’s the most interesting thing about your main hobby?

Do you have the same hobbies as your parents?

Do you think you will have more time for your hobbies in the future?

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Without looking above, using a Speaking Part Two task to give you ideas, brainstorm ways of talking about differences and things in common, then compare with the answers on the next page.

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Suggested answers, in approximate order of usefulness for Speaking Part Two

1.     Both… and…/ … and… both

2.     …, whereas…

3.     …, but…

4.     …. In contrast,…

5.     Unlike…,….

6.     …, and so is/ does…

7.     …, and… is/ does too.

8.     …, and… is/ does as well. 

9.     A/ One difference/ similarity (which stands out) is…

10.  One thing that… and… have in common is…

11.  One of the (few) similarities/ differences between… and… is…

12.  Another/ An additional difference/ similarity (which is instantly apparent) is…

13.  The most obvious/ important/ apparent similarity/ difference (for me) between… and… is…

14.  A striking similarity/ difference is…

15.  … and… are (quite/ very/ really/ really quite) similar/ different, for example…

16.  … and…. are (quite/ very/ really/ really quite) similar/ different in terms of…

17.  … is different/ similar, in that…

18.  …, as is/ does….

19.  … and… have a lot in common, for example…

20.  … and… don’t have much in common, but…

21.  There are more similarities than differences between… and… For instance,…

22.  …. In a similar way,…

23.  A/ One contrast between… and… is that…

24.  Contrasting… and…,…

25.  The most apparent difference/ similarity between… and… is…

26.  The only difference/ similarity between… that I can see is…

27.  The main similarity/ difference between… and… is…

28.  …and that is (more or less) the same for…

29.  … and… share some features, e.g….

30.  Compared to…,…

31.  … is (slightly/ a bit/ somewhat/ quite a lot/ a great deal/ substantially/ a lot/ much/ far/ much much/ far far) … er/ more… than…

32.  … is not (nearly/ quite) as… as…

33.  A more subtle difference is…

34.  … differs from… in that…

35.  …. Likewise,…

36.  In comparison to…,…

37.  Neither… nor…

38.  One resemblance between… and… is that…

Work together to find as many similarities and differences between you on these topics as you can, writing them into one of the gaps below.

–       Other languages

–       Using English

–       Studying English (including self-study)

–       English language exams, including FCE

–       Other studies

–       Arts and media

–       Daily routine

–       Food and drink

–       Free time/ Hobbies

–       Friends and family

–       Health and fitness

–       Home

–       Technology

–       Transport and travel

–       Work

You will get one point for each sentence that another group or the whole class accepts as correct, or two points if that also isn’t true for the people listening.

 

1.      Like ______________, ________________________________________________.
2.      Unlike ____________, ________________________________________________.
3.      __________________________________________, and __________________ too.
4.      ________________________________________, and _________________ as well.
5.      __________________________ (quite/ fairly/ very) different from ___________________in that/ because __________________________________.
6.      __________________________  (quite/ fairly/ very) similar to___________________in that/ because __________________________________.
7.      ___________________________ not (nearly) as much as _____________________.
8.       _____________________________(slightly/ a bit/ somewhat/ quite a lot/ a great deal/ substantially/ a lot/ much/ far/ much much/ far far)  _____________er than ___________________________
9.      _____________________________(slightly/ a bit/ somewhat/ quite a lot/ a great deal/ substantially/ a lot/ much/ far/ much much/ far far)  more ____________________ than ___________________________.
10.   In contrast to __________________, ______________________________________.
11. __________________________ differ(s) from _______________________________ in that/ because_______________________________________________________.
12.   Rather than _______________________, ___________________________________.

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13.Both _____________________________ and _______________________________.

14.  __________________________, whereas __________________________________.

15.  _______________________________, but _________________________________.

16.  _______________, and so is/ does/ did/ has _________________________________.

17.  A difference which stands out is __________________________________________.

18.  An obvious similarity between us is ________________________________________.

19.  One thing that we have in common is ______________________________________.

20.  Another/ An additional difference/ similarity (which is instantly apparent) is ____________________________________________________________________

21.  The most obvious/ important/ apparent similarity/ difference (for me) between ___________________________is_______________________________________.

22.  A striking similarity/ difference ___________________________________________ is ________________________________________.

23.  Our ________________________________________________are (quite/ very/ really/ really quite) similar/ different, for example _____________________________.

24.  ___________________________________________________________________, as is/ does __________________________________

25.  Our _____________________________ have a lot in common, for example ____________________________________________________________________

26.  Our _______________________________________ don’t have much in common, but ____________________________________________________________________

27.  There are more similarities than differences between our _____________________ For instance, __________________________________________________________

28.  _____________________________________________________________________.  In a similar way, _______________________________________________________.

29.  A/ One contrast between our ____________________________is that ____________________________________________________________________.

30.  The only difference/ similarity between our ______________________________ is ______________________________________.

31.  ____________________________________________________________, and that is (more or less) the same for ____________________________________________.

32.  ____________________________share some features, e.g. ____________________________________________________________________.

33.  Compared to/ In comparison to __________________________________________, ___________________________________________________________________.

34.  A more subtle difference is _______________________________

35.  _____________________________________________________________ Likewise, ____________________________________________________________________.

36.  Neither __________ nor _________________________________________________.

37.  One resemblance between ___________________________________________ is that _______________________________________________________________.

Use language from this lesson to compare two FCE Speaking Part Two photos.

Do the same, but making sure you don’t sound too sure about any of the things you see.

Brainstorm phrases for speculating about photos.

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