APTIS SPEAKING PART 1: Personal information

Questions and sample answers

En la Tarea 1 (Aptis Speaking Task 1) del Aptis Speaking Test hay que
contestar 3 preguntas sobre información personal. Esta tarea corresponde al nivel
A2 del MCER, por lo que no son muy difíciles de contestar.
Recuerda que las preguntas hay que escucharlas, pero que también vienen
escritas, por lo que serán más fáciles de comprender.
Además, sólo tenemos 30 segundos para grabar nuestra respuesta, por lo que no
hay que desarrollarlas demasiado.
Descripciones personales (Personal Descriptions).
Please tell me about yourself.
“My name is María and I am a teacher of English. I consider myself kind and joyful. I
am also enthusiastic and reliable, but some people say that I am stubborn and bad-
tempered.”
Can you describe yourself?
“My name is Antonio and I am twenty-five years old. I am tall and thin and I have
got short blonde straight hair, brown eyes and short nose. I have got short beard
and blue glasses. My mouth is small and my legs and arms are quite long.”
Describe what makes you happy.
“Well, I feel happy when I spend some time with my family or friends. Then I forget
about my daily problems at work and I can disconnect from my daily routines. I try
to meet my friends or visit my parents or some of my relatives once a weak at
least.”
Do you think you are an ambitious person?
“I’ve never really thought about that before, but I would think myself as an
ambitious person since I always work hard to improve my qualifications, for example
to take the Aptis test, and consequently, apply for and get a better job. As regards
money and the relations with my friends, I consider myself a generous person.”
Descripciones acerca de la familia (Family).
Do you have a large family?
“Four people make up my immediate family – my dad, my sister and my two
bothers. They all live close to me except for my youngest brother who moved away
because of his work. However, my extended family is quite large, I’ve got four
uncles and 3 aunts, with their husbands and wives. I have also got 10 cousins and
my grandparents.”
Describe a member in your family.
 “I will talk about my grandad. He is 74 years old and he lives with my parents. He’s
tall and, despite being old, he is quite strong. He’s bald and he’s always wearing a
black beret. He has brown eyes and a hooked long nose. He’s very talkative and
caring with all our family.”
Please tell me about your family.
Describir algún amigo (Best Friend)
Please tell me about your best friend.
“My best friend is Pedro. He is thirty-two years old. He is tall and slim and he has
got dark short curly hair and brown eyes. My friend is a teacher of English and he
works in a school. Pedro is kind and very talkative”
“My best friend is Marta and she is twenty- six years old. She is tall and thin. She
has got long. curly, dark hair, green eyes and short nose. She has blue glasses. Her
mouth is small and her legs and arms are quite long. She is a pretty girl.”
Describir qué llevas puesto.(Clothes)
What are you wearing today?
“Today, I am wearing casual clothes: a blue and white striped blouse, jeans with a
brown belt, pink and grey trainers and a hairband because I need it to keep my hair
from falling into my face. Besides, I wear blue glasses and a pair of beautiful and
long earrings.”
Describir una casa (House)
Please describe your house.
“I live in a small house. It has got two floors. On the ground floor there is a small
hall with a long corridor. There is a small living room, with a chimney and a window,
and a kitchen. On the first floor there are two bedrooms and a bathroom.”
Describir la ciudad o el pueblo donde vives (City/Town/Village)
Tell me about the place you live in.
“I am from Cañaveral de León. It´s a small village in the Sierra of Huelva. There are
nine hundred inhabitants. It is a surrounded by fields and there are some ancient
monuments, such as an 18th century church, a medieval castles and several mills in
the area, which you can visit. Besides, it is a calm and very cosy village and the
people are very friendly.”
Tell me about your hometown or city.
“I live in Seville and I feel really comfortable living here. It’s a big city with a lot of
cars, polluted and noisy, but it has many beautiful places to go and spend your time.
If you move to the city centre it is crowded by people and the traffic in the suburbs
is awful. On the other hand, there are many parks and historical sites where you can
relax and take a break.”
Hablar de algún lugar famoso o popular (Famous place) o alguna
festividad (Festival)
Please tell me about a famous place in your country.
Please tell me about a festival in your country.
What type of restaurants are popular in your country?
“Well, in my country there are a lot variety of restaurants. If you go to a city or
town, you can find Chinese, Indian or even Mexican restaurants everywhere.
However, in smaller villages there are the traditional bars to drink some beer and
have a cheap tapa. They are very popular and many people, from all ages,go there
to spare their time.”
Descripción de la clase donde realizas el examen (Test Room)
Describe the room you are in.
” The class where I am taking the exam is looks like a computer room. It is wide and
spacious. Opposite me there is a large blackboard and under this there is a desk
with a chair and a computer. There are a lot of desks with computers on the right
and left. The exit door is on the right. ”
Describir tu colegio (First School)
Please tell me about your first school.
Hablar sobre la película favorita (Favourite film)
Please tell me about your favourite film.
“My favourite film is Pulp Fiction, directed by Quentin Tarantino and sterred by John
Travolta and Bruce Willis. It is an action film, but it is also a comedy. I love the plot
and the acting of the characters. Although it can be sometimes too violent, I love
the plot and the acting of the characters.”
Describir un programa de televisión que hayas visto.
Please tell me about the last thing you saw on television.
“Last time I watched an action film on TV. It is starred by Tom Cruise and he is a
secret agent who have to defeast a secret organization which tries to control the
world. As expected, the character played by Tom Cruise saves the world in the end.
Despite the plot, which is not very consistent, I liked its action scenes and the
characters’ performance.”
What type of programmes are popular in your country?
Describir el viaje hasta el lugar del examen (Journey to the test): Medios de
Transporte (Means of Transport)
Please describe your journey here today.
“I got up at 8 o’clock in the morning, I had a shower and I had breakfast. Then, I
took my car, picked up a friend of mine and we both went to Seville to take the aptis
test here in Seville. We have to drive because we live in a small town which is 100
km far from the capital. ”
Describir el trabajo o la ocupación (Job)
Please tell me about your job or studies.
What do you do?
“Nowadays, I am doing both, working and studying. I am a waitress in the pub in
my village. I work twice a week, usually at the weekends. I am studying during the
week because I am preparing for a public exam that will take place by the next year.
Also, I am studying English because I would like to travel to England in the near
future.”
Decir cómo está el tiempo (Weather)
What’s the weather like today?
“Today the weather is sunny but it is also cloudy. Besides, it’s windy and very cold,
so I will take a coat if I go out. I won’t take an umbrella because I think it won’t rain
this evening.”
“Today the weather is not really good. The morning was really cold, but now it is
dizzling and partly cloudy. The temperature is about 15 degrees. This evening may
be colder or even frezzing, so I’m going to take a coat and an umbrella. ”
“Today the weather is good. The morning was still cold and the temperature was
around 10 degrees, but now the sky is clear and the temperature is mild, about 25
degrees.People have started wearing short sleeve t-shirts. I love spring weather in
Seville.”
What is your favourite time of the year?
“My favourite time of the year is summer because the weather is great / excellent /
wonderful and it is sunny and hot. Besides, in this season, I go to the beach, I can
sunbathe and I can take many ice-creams. I usually go out with my friends in the
afternoon and I don’t need to take a cardigan. I really love this weather.”

Hablar sobre rutinas diarias o actividades de tiempo libre en pasado,

presente o futuro.
Hablar de lo que hacemos en el tiempo libre y con nuestros amigos (Free time and
friends).
What do you like doing in your free time?
“In my free time I like going for a walk to the park with my dog. When I stay at
home, I love listening to music, specially rock or reggae. It helps me to relax and to
forget all my problems.”
What do you like doing with your friends?
Which hobbies are common in your country?
Hablar sobre la frecuencia en la que se hace alguna actividad (When/How
often).
How often do you play sports?
“I play football with my friends twice a week, on Monday and Thursday. We play in a
pitch in the sport centre. I also go cycling at the weeekend if the weather is good.
Sometimes I play tennis in the afternoons.”
How often do you go out with your friends?
“I rarely go out with my friends. We are very busy and we only meet and go out
when there is a celebration or when we are on holidays. We only go out twice or
three times a year, but we have a lot of fun together.”
“I usually see my closest friends several times a week. Like this week, I’m meeting
my best friend for a drink this evening, then we’re going to the cinema with some
girls from work on Friday, and on Saturday we’re all meeting up at a party.”
“I used to socialise with my friends every day but I don’t see them so often now that
I have a baby and can’t go out in the evenings so much. We probably meet up just a
few times a month now.”
“I try to meet up with friends several times a week but rarely on a Sunday because
that’s when I visit my family. However, every few months I cook a barbeque Sunday
lunch and invite both my friends and family around.”
When do you study English?
“I usually study English at home in the afternoon. I have lunch and then I study for
about 1 hour everyday. Besides, in the evenings I listen some podcasts or watch
some series in English.”
How long have you been learning English?
“I began studying English at school when I was just six years old and I’ve been
working on my language skills ever since. I’m 27 now so I’ve been an English
student for 21 years.”
“I’ve wanted to learn English since I was very young. Luckily I had a good teacher at
school who made the lessons really interesting. I enjoyed English so much that I
decided to keep learning when I left.”
Hablar sobre la posibilidad (can) o no (can’t) de hacer algo.
Can you play a musical instrument?
“Yes, I can play the guitar. I learnt to play the guitar when I was a child. I love
playing rock music and I sometimes play flamenco with my friends when we meet.”
Hablar sobre cosas que hiciste en el pasado (Past Simple)
Tell me about the last time you visited an old friend.
“Last time I visited and old friend was last summer. I visited my friend Paco and his
family. I spent the weekend with him and we went to the beach. We had a great
time.”
What did you do last night?
 “Last night I had dinner at half past ten and then I watched a scifi film on TV. It
lasted more than two hours, but it was really amusing. I went to bed at about half
past one.”
Where did you go last weekend?
Hablar sobre sobre las rutinas en un día cualquiera o en el fin de
semana (Present Simple)
Please describe your typical day.
“I usually get up about 8 o´clock in the morning to go to work; I work from 9 o’clock
in the morning to 2 o’clock in the afternoon. I have lunch and rest for 30 minutes
before going to the gym. When I arrive home from the gym, I study until late
because I am studying to pass a public exam. Finally, I have dinner, watch some TV
programme or series and go to bed early, about half past eleven.”

Please tell me what you do at the weekend.

What do you like to do on weekends?
How do you relax in the evening?
Hablar sobre intenciones o planes futuros (Will, Be going to, Presente
Continuo)
What will you do next weeekend?
“Next weekend I am going to my sister’s wedding. She’s getting married in Seville,
so we are going to take a bus to the place of the celebration. We will all enjoy a lot,
dancing and singing all the evening.”
Will you go on holiday next summer?
“Yes, I will go on holiday to the beach next summer. I will go to Cádiz, where I will
visit Barbate and I will have delicious fresh fish and clams. I will also go to the
Roman riuns in the coast. In the evening I will go to some concert at the beach in
Los Caños.”
Have you visited any foreign countries?
“Yes, I’ve visited two foreign countries, the UK and Egypt. My favourite foreign
country was the UK because it’s so different to my own country. Another country I
want to visit is France.”
“Yes, I’ve been abroad a couple of times, first to the UK, then to Egypt. I particularly
enjoyed the UK because it’s so different to my own country. I’d also love to travel to
France.”

Hablar sobre preferencias o gustos.

En estas preguntas, además de hablar sobre preferencias, gustos, o cosas que no
nos gustan, hay que dar razones a la respuesta, explicando brevemente el por qué.
Hablar sobre nuestro libro favorito (Favourite book).
Please tell me about your favourite book.
“My favourite book is Animal Farm, written by George Orwell. It tells the story of a
group of animals who rebel against their human owners and they become the rulers
of the farm. However, the pigs declare themselves as the rulers and it turns into a
cruel dictatorship. Although the story is about animals, actually it is a criticism of
comunism and racism, I love it.”
El deporte que nos gusta o no nos gusta, o que es popular en nuestro
país (Sport you like/dislike).
Do you like sport?
What sport do you like?
Are you good at playing any sport?
What sports do people like in your country?
El mejor modo de viajar (Best way to travel/Transportation).
Please tell me the best way to travel around your country.
“Well, you can travel by car to any place in my country, there are a lot of highways
to different parts of Spain, but you have to pay a toll in some of them. Another good
option would be to use public transports, such as trains or buses. It can be cheaper,
but not all the towns and villages have a bus stop or train station.”
El tiempo que nos gusta o no.
What type of weather do you dislike?
Estación favorita (Favourite season).
What’s your favourite season? Why?
Música o cantante favorito/a (Favourite music/singer).
What’s your favourite music?
“My favourite music is rock. I have always liked rock since I was a boy, so I usually
listen to rock bands such as Metallica, Queen or U2, but sometimes I listen to reggae
music, specially Bob Marley. I love his songs.”
Tell me about your favourite singer.
“It’s hard to tell you about my favourite singer, I am a fan of many of them, But if I
had to choose, I would say that my favourite one is Manuel Carrasco. He is a very
well-known singer in Spain and I love his ballads.”
La comida que nos gusta (Food).
What food do you like?
“There are a lot variety of food in my country. We have a Mediterranean diet and we
eat many vegetables, fruits, fish and meat. One of my favourite meals is the
omelette with gazpacho. It is easy to make and very healthy. Any place in Andalucía
is wonderful to go and try one of its typical dishes.”
Actividades que nos gustan o no (shopping, walking, driving,…)
Do you like shopping?
“I hate going shopping, but I need to go shopping from time to time. Before going
shopping I make a list in order to buy just what I need, and I never go shopping
with my friends because they spend too much time.”
Do you like walking?
Expresar Preferencias con I would like to … (Would you like to…?)
Would you like to travel abroad?
“Absolutely, I would love to travel to an English-speaking country, where I can learn
about their culture and improve my English. In fact, I’m planning to travel to Britain
next holidays, but I’m not sure because of the Brexit. I would also like to visit
Ireland instead.”
What would you like to change about your city or town?
“I live in a big city and the pollution is a real problem. I would like to change that.
Road traffic should be limited into the city. Also, people should use public transport,
which is cheap, fast and eco-friendly.”
Would you like to live in the countryside?
“Yes, I would prefer to live in a small house or cottage in the countryside than in
block of flats in a city. I believe that living there would be more relaxing and quieter
than living in a big city. Also, people are more sociable and you can make good
friends. I would like to add that it is healthier to live in the countryside where there
is not any pollution.”