Making Predictions (image reference)

Note:

• Task 4 always uses the same picture from Task 3 Speaking
• Test-takers are to predict what happens next.
• Answers may be factual, imaginative, predictable, or completely unexpected – but

must be easy to understand.

• Future verb forms are to be used throughout with ‘possible’ reasons for the

Predictions.

• There are 30 seconds of preparation time and 60 seconds of speaking.

Instructions: In this picture, what do you think will happen next? You have 30 seconds to prepare and 60 seconds to speak.

Procedure: again, test-takers should prepare at least 3 observations in 30 seconds and be prepared to use future verb forms:

For example, i. This person is going to + base form verb (simple)

1. This person will + base form (simple)

This person starts a new job tomorrow (simple present)

This person is visiting friends in an hour or two (present progressive/future)

This person will have arrived by 4:00 p.m. (Future perfect – rarely used)

(test-takers should try and use a variety of future verb forms – at least 3)

** While speaking, use paragraph form:

1. Introduce what you see again – a topic sentence
2. Describe what will happen to one person(s) or thing(s) in the image and try to give a reason – do this 3 times with 3 different people or things
3. Use a concluding sentence to finish

Note: This is an organized way to approach this question, so if it is spoken in a correct manner, any test-taker will score 7 or higher.

Also, you can use your ‘spatial markers’ to introduce people or things (i.e., in the foreground, the man in the red shirt will fall down because he will trip on the curb).

Example 1: In the picture above, what do you think will happen next? You have 30 seconds to prepare and 60 seconds to speak.

Response: (verbs are underlined) (1, 2, 3 different events)

This is a picture that depicts a street scene in India. (1) The woman carrying a bag in the foreground of the picture will go home and take a long rest in front of the television after her busy day. Her favorite show starts at 6:00 p.m. (2) The man who is driving the motorcycle in the foreground is going to crash into the man on the bicycle coming the other way. Then many people will rush to the scene of the accident and yell ‘the man on the motorcycle is at fault’, ‘bring him to jail’.  (3) The rickshaw driver in the middle area of the picture will have had his rest, and now he is going to start peddling looking for new customers.

Statistics: 121 words spoken in approximately 51 seconds

Remember: You do not have to speak quickly – just speak in an organized way using the correct verb forms.

Marker’s score = 11

Content/Coherence: The speaker makes an adequate number of predictions (3) and uses an introductory sentence and a concluding sentence to neatly describe the scene and then his predictions. The predictions are organized from foreground to background and there is detail that makes the predictions plausible.

Vocabulary: The use of different future-form verbs and prepositions of place indicates that the speaker is comfortable using the English language. This makes it easier for the listener to understand and follow the predictions. The use of different sentence structure forms also helps the listener’s understanding as they help give a coherent ‘picture’ of what the speaker sees.

*Listenability: Intonation and word stress are good enough that the listener has little difficulty understanding what the speaker is saying. There is very little hesitation throughout the response, so this response is well-spoken.

Task Fulfillment: The response is complete in as much as it gives a suitable number of predictions about future events and uses the appropriate form (paragraph form) to depict the scene.