12 Tips for your topic

1. Choose a topic you really like and are interested in. It has to be REAL and related to your life. Don’t write a fake or unrealistic topic, you won’t be able to present it with enough enthusiasm if you can’t even believe what you’re saying.
2. Above all, make sure you cover all the language functions specified for the corresponding level. Otherwise you won’t pass the interview phase. For this reason, choose a topic that allows you to use these language functions.
3. Don’t talk about very simple things (“my family”, “my friends”, “my last holiday”). Being INVENTIVE is humans’ greatest virtue. No interviewer (neither me nor you) wants to hear talking about “football”. It is too typical and overused and it won’t catch the interviewer’s attention.
4. The language used has to be colourful and familiar, full of adjectives and personal impressions. At least a few phrasal verbs and/or idioms according to your level will make your topic sound much better.
5. Your topic mustn’t coincide with the 6 conversation topics proposed for the second part of the interview.
6. Use connectors correctly to switch from one point to another.
7. Make an outline or diagram to practice your topic at home.
8. Don’t memorize your topic literally, you have to sound NATURAL.
9. However, underline the key sentences that show the language functions and make sure you use them. As we said before, this is the most important element of your topic.
10. If you don’t understand a question, just relax and kindly ask the interviewer to repeat again. The interviewer will probably ask you the same question using different words or structure so you can get it this time.
11. Pay attention to how questions are arranged. The interviewer will ask you a question by using a particular language function for you to include this in your answer. For example, if the question is “What will you do when you graduate?” (future “will”), your answer is expected to start by saying “I will…”
12. Remember to ask your interviewer at least one question, ideally at the beginning of your speech, right after saying what you’re going to talk about.