What you'll see
Get familiar with the task.
This is a long-answer question type that integrates listening and speaking. You hear three people having a discussion (2:30–3:00 long, played once), then you have 10 seconds to prepare and 2 minutes to summarise the whole discussion in your own words.
You will hear three people having a discussion. When you hear the beep, summarize the whole discussion. You will have 10 seconds to prepare and 2 minutes to give your response.
You will hear three people having a discussion. When you hear the beep, summarize the whole discussion. You will have 10 seconds to prepare and 2 minutes to give your response.
Discussion audio
Playing — listen once and take notes
Audio Recorder
Listen to the discussion
3 strategies that work
The mindset before the click.
- 1Strategy 1
Listen for main ideas and supporting details
Catch the gist, the specific info (names, places, dates) AND the detail — so you can speak the full 2 minutes.
- 2Strategy 2
Develop effective note-taking
Use a template — by main idea or by speaker. Keywords only, leave space, capture who said what.
- 3Strategy 3
Deliver a confident spoken summary
Start with the topic, cover main ideas + details, attribute speakers, link ideas, paraphrase — use the full 2 minutes.
Try each strategy
Guided practice you can do alone or with a partner.
1Listen for main ideas and supporting details
To give an effective summary you need strong listening sub-skills: gist, specific info (names, places, dates) and detail. The audio plays once only.
- Warm-up before practice — predict what 3 students might say about 'time management at university'.
- Listen for gist: decide if each speaker finds the topic easy or difficult. (Answer for Question 1: all three find it difficult.)
- Listen for detail with MCQs — e.g. 'What is Speaker 1's biggest challenge?' → balancing academic work, personal life and extracurriculars.
- Train differentiating between voices and accents — relationships between viewpoints matter as much as the content itself.
2Develop effective note-taking
The discussion is 2:30–3:00 long. At the test centre you get an erasable whiteboard — note-taking is a skill, so develop your own style. Keywords only, abbreviations, leave white space so you can add new points as speakers revisit ideas.
- Try two templates (below): Approach 1 = by main idea, Approach 2 = by speaker.
- Don't write full sentences. Use acronyms (POV, ASAP), abbreviations (appt., uni), skip vowels (dvlp, lstn), icons (@ # $ %).
- Speakers may revisit or expand points — leave space around each note so you can add to it later.
- Compare notes with a partner and reflect on which approach works best for you.
3Deliver a confident spoken summary
You have 2 minutes. Use your notes as a guide — don't read them out word-by-word in speaker order. Focus on the main ideas and key supporting details. Fluency and pronunciation are scored too.
- States the main topic of the discussion in the first sentence.
- Covers the main topics with supporting details — and mentions which speaker said what.
- Does NOT list speaker-by-speaker in order — group by idea. Remember, this is a summary.
- Uses linking words to connect ideas, paraphrases, and uses a variety of expressions.
- Speaks clearly and naturally — fluency and pronunciation are both assessed.
Note-taking templates
Two templates from Pearson's lesson plan. Half the class tries Approach 1, the other half tries Approach 2 — then swap and reflect.
Approach 1 — by Main Idea (3 speakers across the row)
Main idea 1
Main idea 2
Main idea 3
Approach 2 — by Speaker (one block per speaker)
Speaker 1
- • —
- • —
- • —
Speaker 2
- • —
- • —
- • —
Speaker 3
- • —
- • —
- • —
Completed templates — Question 1 (time management at university)
T: 3 students — time management problems at uni M1: Balance academic work, personal & extra-curricular S1 — wants to experience more than just studying/writing S2 — S3 — M2: Juggling college schedules & time S1 — each course has own schedule, requirements → difficult to create a consistent routine S2 — juggling reading, assignments, projects S3 — managing time, can't get organised, feels stressed M3: Long-term planning S1 — S2 — procrastinates till last minute, due date creeps up S3 — similar struggle, can't long-term plan, must multi-task
Topic: challenges managing time at uni Speaker 1: concerns about load no consistency — complain length computer crash Speaker 2: lectures, projects, exams no time! procrastinate → deadline rush also tired discipline — different to high sch., comparison / autonomy interest driven Speaker 3: mang. time stress / exhaustion restarting school agrees long-term planning, multi-tasking — challenge seminar? tomo?
If you're totally new to note-taking, try:
- • Acronyms — ASAP, POV.
- • Abbreviations — appt. (appointment), uni (university).
- • Skip vowels — dvlp (develop), lstn (listen).
- • Icons / graphics — @ # $ % ( ).
- • Leave space around each note — speakers often revisit or expand on points later.
Phrases to structure your spoken summary
Tick each phrase as you use it. Aim to use at least 4 in your 2-minute response.
- "The conversation was / is about 3 students who…"
- "They agreed that…"
- "Speaker 1 discussed various aspects of…"
- "Speaker 2 also mentioned that…"
- "Speaker 3 noted that…"
- "In the end,…"
Listen ONCE. Use either Approach 1 (by main idea) or Approach 2 (by speaker) above. Then deliver a 2-minute spoken summary using the phrase checklist. Reveal the transcript + sample response to check.
Listen ONCE. Use either Approach 1 (by main idea) or Approach 2 (by speaker) above. Then deliver a 2-minute spoken summary using the phrase checklist. Reveal the transcript + sample response to check.
Discussion audio
Do it under time
Simulate the real test.
Press Start. The discussion audio plays automatically (once). You then have 10 seconds to prepare and 2 minutes to give your spoken summary. Reveal the transcript + sample response afterwards.
Reveal transcript & sample response
TRANSCRIPT — Three students discussing their professors Speaker 1: Hey, have you guys noticed how different professors have such varied teaching styles? Each one has their own approach to delivering the information. Speaker 2: Yeah — the way they teach can really affect how we understand and engage with the content. Professor Smith's lectures are so structured — every class follows the same pattern with clear outlines, step by step. Great for keeping track, but sometimes a bit too rigid. Speaker 3: On the other hand, Professor Lopez is all about interactive learning — discussions and group activities. Refreshing, but I sometimes find it hard to cover the material thoroughly in class. Speaker 1: And then there's Professor Wu. I can barely predict what's going to happen — one day a passionate lecture, the next a documentary, then suddenly a debate. Exciting, but I sometimes feel lost. I really appreciate Professor Marino — he uses real-world examples to explain complex theories with infectious enthusiasm. Speaker 2: And remember Professor Patel's class last semester? Flipped classroom — we learned the concepts on our own before class, then she focused on solving problems. Effective, but required a lot of pre-class preparation. Speaker 3: I remember that — challenging at first, but I learned a lot. Let's talk about Professor Taha. She's all about technology — online quizzes, virtual labs, constantly integrating digital tools. Innovative, but sometimes I miss the human connection. Speaker 1: It's a balancing act. A mix of teaching styles can actually be beneficial. Some concepts need interactive discussions, others a more straightforward approach. As students, we also play a role — some thrive in structure, others in freedom. Speaker 2: These diverse methods also prepare us for the real world — different communication styles and learning approaches. Being adaptable is a valuable skill. Speaker 3: Exactly! Each professor's style is a piece of a puzzle that contributes to our overall understanding. Stay open-minded, engage actively, and make the most of what each professor offers. SAMPLE RESPONSE (Question 2) Three university students are talking about their professors and the different teaching styles they use to deliver information — discussing the advantages and disadvantages of each. The first topic is whether lessons are structured or engaging: Speaker 2 says Professor Smith's lectures are structured and step-by-step — great for keeping track but too rigid — whereas Speaker 3 says Professor Lopez focuses on interactive learning which encourages group tasks, though sometimes the material is not covered. Speaker 1 adds that Professor Wu has a very unpredictable structure. Then the students talk about different techniques: Speaker 3 mentions debates which are exciting, and Speaker 1 mentions Professor Marino who uses real-world examples to explain complex theories. They go on to talk about technology — Speaker 2 says Professor Patel uses flipped learning so students can learn concepts before class (effective but takes a lot of preparation), while Speaker 3 cites Professor Taha as using online quizzes and virtual labs. Finally, all three speakers agree that a diverse and eclectic teaching approach is beneficial. Speaker 1 says the approach depends on the concepts being introduced and needs to be adapted. Speaker 2 agrees and says diverse methods help prepare them for the real world. Speaker 3 concludes that each professor, through their own style, contributes to their understanding as students, so they need to keep an open mind. EXPLANATION: The response is exceptionally detailed, demonstrating thorough comprehension by paraphrasing main ideas and expanding on each speaker's contribution with specificity. It effectively explores relationships between different points of view, using a wide range of expressions and complex cohesive devices so the response flows smoothly.
You will hear three people having a discussion. When you hear the beep, summarize the whole discussion. You will have 10 seconds to prepare and 2 minutes to give your response.
Discussion audio
Playing — listen once and take notes
Audio Recorder
Listen to the discussion
Compare & learn
Listen to sample answers and rank them.
Listen to all three responses. Try ranking them from weakest → strongest before reading the notes below each one.
Question 1 — Clear, accurate, demonstrates full comprehension by paraphrasing main ideas. Each speaker's contribution is expanded with specificity. Ideas are well connected with simple cohesive devices.
Question 2 — Exceptionally detailed; paraphrases main ideas and expands on every speaker. Explores relationships between viewpoints using a wide range of expressions and complex cohesive devices.
Tick each box only when you can do it without looking back. This unlocks your next chapter.