OxfordAQA IGCSE English Language: Speaking and Listening Endorsement — Practice Questions

These are original questions written for Marlbridge, for revision and practice on this content. They are not reproduced past-paper questions, and they do not replicate the exam’s exact structure, question count or mark tariffs — examination boards hold copyright in their own papers. Use these alongside the official past papers available free from your board.

Related: Speaking and listening revision notes, Speaking and listening study guide

The OxfordAQA International GCSE English Language (9270) speaking and listening endorsement is an optional, separately reported presentation or interview of up to 10 minutes including questions, graded Pass, Merit or Distinction against SL1 (communicating and structuring), SL2 (preparing ideas and responding to questions) and SL3 (interacting with others). These tasks practise each strand. Marks are for self-checking; the endorsement itself has no marks.

Section A: The requirements

1. State two forms the task may take. [2]

2. A student plans a 9-minute talk and expects 4 minutes of questions. Explain the problem and a solution. [2]

3. Explain what the specification means by “international varieties of English” and why it matters for this endorsement. [2]

Section B: Planning (SL1, SL2)

4. Using the specification’s Example 3, plan a talk persuading your class to read a novel. Give your purpose, three main points and three engagement strategies. [6]

5. For the Example 2 task (should your country bid to host a major sporting event?), write a 60-word opening that states your position and engages the audience. [3]

Section C: Responding and interacting (SL2, SL3)

6. In the interview option, the teacher asks: “Why do you think social media companies, not governments, should set the rules?” Write an extended answer of about 100 words. [5]

7. In a debate on social media controls, an opponent claims that “nobody reads the terms and conditions anyway”. Write a response that shapes the discussion by acknowledging, challenging and drawing ideas together (SL3). [4]

Section D: Grading

8. Grade each performance and justify your answer using the criteria. [3 each] (a) Sami prepares a clear, structured talk on his local market, interacts with the audience by asking them questions, answers questions in some detail and uses confident spoken English. (b) Ama gives a talk on the ethics of space tourism with sophisticated ideas and an effective range of strategies, but her answers to questions are brief and straightforward. (c) Leo has not prepared and speaks for a minute about football, mostly audibly.

---

Answers

1. Any two [1 each]: a presentation; an interview with extended turns; talks, debates, speeches or dialogues (all must be formal).

2. No presentation plus questions should take more than 10 minutes [1]; shorten the talk to about five or six minutes to leave time for questions [1].

3. The specification recognises that, in an international qualification, students will speak the variety of English used in their own region or country [1]; what the criteria assess is whether spoken English is used appropriately and effectively for the talk (from “generally uses appropriate spoken English” at Pass to “assured and flexible use” at Distinction), not which variety is used [1].

4. [2 for purpose and points, 2 for strategies, 2 for coherence] Example: purpose, to persuade classmates to read Things Fall Apart; points: its story of a community changed by colonial rule, its memorable protagonist, its relevance to discussions of tradition and change today; strategies: opening with a short read-aloud of a proverb from the novel, a rhetorical question, and a show-of-hands poll on whether tradition or change matters more.

5. [1 position, 1 engagement, 1 formal register] Example: “Imagine our capital on the opening night of the World Cup: every screen on the planet showing our streets. Tonight I will argue that we should bid, not for one month of glory, but for the railways, training and pride that remain when the visitors have gone.”

6. Guidance [5]: a clear position (SL1); developed reasons with an example (SL2); acknowledgement of the opposite view; formal, flexible spoken English; a concluding sentence that draws ideas together (SL3).

Model answer: “My view is that companies are closer to the problem. They can change their algorithms in days, while laws take years and differ from country to country. For example, a platform can remove a harmful trend overnight across every country at once. However, I accept that companies profit from attention, so they have a reason not to act. That is why I would argue for company rules with independent checks, rather than either side alone. So my answer is less ‘companies instead of governments’ than ‘companies first, but watched’.”

7. Guidance [4]: acknowledge (1), challenge with evidence or reasoning (1), shape meaning by redefining or extending the point (1), draw ideas together (1). Example: “You’re right that most of us skip the terms, but that is exactly the argument for controls: if no one reads the rules, the rules cannot protect anyone. So perhaps we agree on the problem and differ only on who should fix it.”

8. (a) Merit [1]: challenging enough content with clear structure and audience interaction [1]; responds in some detail with confident spoken English [1]. (b) Merit [1]: content and strategies meet Distinction [1], but Distinction requires perceptive responses that elaborate; under the competency rule she cannot be awarded it [1]. (c) Not Classified [1]: preparing for the talk is a Pass criterion [1], so it is not met, and the content is not developed [1].

Frequently asked questions

Can I do the endorsement as part of my NEA project? The specification suggests the topic could naturally be part of the written NEA project, with the talk helping you prepare for the written submission.

Can more than one student be assessed in one task? Yes. The specification notes that a panel followed by debate and questions would allow more than one student to be assessed.

Is it worth doing if it does not count? It appears as a separate statement on your certificate, which the specification says shows employers and institutions your proficiency in spoken English.

Official specification

OxfordAQA International GCSE English Language (9270), Version 5.1, 3.4 Speaking and listening and 4.4 assessment criteria — oxfordaqa.com.