Speaking - Photograph Description Tips
Essential strategies and common pitfalls to help you ace your Cambridge English exam.
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What to do
Each candidate is given one colour photograph to describe. The photographs show everyday situations.
The photos will always show a person, or some people. So, train to start with describing the people in the photo.
Use Wh- questions as quick and easy prompts to remember and use: Who?, Where?, What?, When?
Who? I can see two people. A woman and a girl. I think they might be a mother and daughter or perhaps an aunt and niece. They look very relaxed together.
Where? They are in a kitchen. I think it could be their kitchen at home because they’re wearing casual clothes. It’s a nice, clean kitchen.
What? The girl seems to be learning to cook something. She has an i-pad and is probably following a recipe. The woman is not cooking. She’s smiling and encouraging the girl.
When? I imagine that this is probably in the morning or afternoon as I think the light is natural, not electric. And I guess it might be during the school holidays, or at the weekend since they look very relaxed.
If you don’t know anything about a topic in the Speaking paper, do not talk about anything else. You need to show your language skills, not your knowledge about a specific subject.