What this task asks
You see an image and a scenario describing a friend's problem or dilemma. You have 30 seconds to prepare and 90 seconds to speak. Your response should feel like genuine advice from a knowledgeable, caring friend — not a scripted lecture.
The 3-Part Advice Structure
Part 1 — Acknowledge the situation (10–15 seconds)
Before diving into advice, briefly show you understand the difficulty of the situation. This signals empathy and context awareness to the examiner.
"That does sound like a challenging situation, especially given the time pressure involved."
Do NOT spend more than 10 seconds here. Acknowledge and move on.
Part 2 — Give your main advice (50–60 seconds)
This is the core of your response. Structure it with 2–3 distinct pieces of advice, not a single point repeated in different words.
Formula for each advice point:
Recommend [action] + because [specific reason] + [practical detail or example]
"First, I'd strongly recommend reaching out to your employer's HR department directly rather than waiting for an email response, because HR issues are almost always resolved faster in person. You could schedule a 15-minute meeting this week and bring any documentation you have about the original agreement."
Part 3 — Wrap up with encouragement or next step (10–15 seconds)
End with a clear final recommendation or a forward-looking statement. Don't just stop mid-thought.
"Ultimately, the most important thing is that you take action sooner rather than later — the longer you wait, the harder it becomes to resolve. I'm confident that if you follow these steps, you'll have a clear answer within the week."
CLB 8+ Vocabulary Phrases for Giving Advice
Opening the advice:
- "In your position, I would definitely..."
- "My strongest recommendation would be to..."
- "The most effective course of action here is..."
- "Before anything else, I'd suggest..."
Giving reasons:
- "This works because..." / "The reason this matters is..."
- "From a practical standpoint,..."
- "What makes this approach effective is..."
Adding a second point:
- "Beyond that,..." / "Additionally,..." / "On top of that,..."
- "Another thing worth considering is..."
- "A secondary but important step would be..."
Closing:
- "Ultimately,..." / "At the end of the day,..."
- "Whatever you decide, the key is to act quickly."
- "I'm confident that this approach will lead to a positive outcome."
Timing Guide
| Part | Duration | Content |
|---|---|---|
| Acknowledge | 10–15 sec | Empathise briefly |
| Advice Point 1 | 25–30 sec | Main recommendation + reason + detail |
| Advice Point 2 | 20–25 sec | Secondary recommendation + reason |
| Wrap-up | 10–15 sec | Final statement or encouragement |
| Total | ~90 sec |
Plug-and-Play Sentence Starters
Memorise these. On exam day, your opening, transitions, and closing should be automatic — so your mental energy goes entirely into the content.
Opening sentences (choose one):
- "In your situation, I would strongly recommend [ACTION] because [REASON]."
- "Before anything else, I think it's important to acknowledge that [CONTEXT]."
- "My honest advice here would be to [ACTION] — and here's why."
Transition phrases (between points):
- "My second piece of advice would be to..."
- "Beyond that, there's another important consideration..."
- "On top of that, I'd also suggest..."
Closing sentences (choose one):
- "Ultimately, acting on this sooner gives you far more options than waiting."
- "Whatever you decide, I'm confident that [POSITIVE OUTCOME] if you follow these steps."
- "At the end of the day, [RESTATE CORE ADVICE] — that's what I'd hold onto."
CLB 6 vs CLB 8 — Same Idea, Different Level
See exactly what the examiner is comparing your response against.
| Criterion | CLB 6 response | CLB 8 response |
|---|---|---|
| Opening | "I think you should talk to your manager." | "My strongest recommendation would be to speak with your manager directly — the sooner you raise this, the more options you have." |
| Supporting detail | "It will help you solve the problem." | "In my experience, issues like this resolved faster when addressed directly rather than through intermediaries, because it removes ambiguity about what was actually communicated." |
| Vocabulary | "This is important and you should do it quickly." | "Acting promptly is crucial here — delays tend to reduce rather than expand your available options." |
| Closing | "So that's my advice." | "Ultimately, the key is to move forward with the approach that gives you the most control over the outcome." |
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Repeating the same advice in different words — examiners can tell
- Giving vague advice like "you should think about it carefully" — always be specific
- Running out of content at 50 seconds — have a third point ready as backup
- Starting with "Um" or "So" — begin with a strong opening phrase