Cambridge First first lesson/ Speaking Parts One and Two/ comparing and contrasting
Objective First Unit 1
Choose one of the topics below. Try to find out how similar or different that thing is in general for you and your partner, then try to find at least one similarity between you and at least one difference between you on that topic. Tick off the similarity and difference phrases below as you use them, so that you use different language each time. Your teacher will tell you if, when and how to use the suggested sentence stems to help.
Typical FCE Speaking Part One topics
- Family
- Hobbies
- Free time
- Work
- Studies
- Accommodation
- Hometown
- Foreign languages
- Language studies
- Likes and dislikes
- Future plans
- Arts and media (movies, TV, etc)
- Technology (internet, etc)
- Health and fitness
- Travel
- Holidays
- Sports and exercise
- Festivals and celebrations
- Personality
- Appearance
When your teacher stops you, share one similarity with the class and see if that is the same for anyone else.
Ask about anything from the lists you used that you aren’t sure about, using it to compare with your teacher each time.
Useful phrases for talking about how similar or different you are
- Overall,…
- In general,…
- absolutely identical
- almost completely different
- almost the same/ nearly the same
- fairly similar
- have a lot in common
- have almost nothing in common
- have nothing in common
- have quite a lot in common
- more or less the same
- share a few features
- share many features
- share one or two features
- share some features
- very different
- very similar
- virtually identical
Useful phrases for talking about similarities
- The main similarity…
- The biggest similarity…
- The most obvious similarity…
- A striking similarity…
- both
- as well
- too
- and so…
- neither/ not… either
- have… in common
- almost as… as….
- (just) as… as…
- share…
- Like…,…
- fairly similar
- very similar
- more or less the same
- exactly the same
- (absolutely) identical
Useful phrases for talking about differences
- The main difference…
- The biggest difference…
- The most obvious difference…
- A big difference…
- A major difference…
- A striking difference…
- whereas
- In (complete) contrast,…
- not nearly as… as…
- not quite as… as…
- slightly/ a little/ a bit/ a little bit + …er/ more…
- somewhat + …er/ more…
- quite a lot + …er/ more…
- much/ a lot/ a great deal/ far + …er/ more…
- Compared to…,….
- Comparing… (and…),….
- fairly different
- very different
- almost completely different
- completely different
- but
- Unlike…,…
Typical FCE Speaking Part One questions
- Are any of your friends particularly interested in…?
- Are you interested in…?
- Do any of your friends…?
- Do you do anything to…?
- Do you have the same…as your parents?
- Do you like…?
- Do you plan to…?
- Do you prefer to…or…?
- Do you spend a lot of time…?
- Do you usually…?
- Has… changed since you were younger?
- How do you usually…?
- How… are you?
- Is there anything that you would really like to…in the future?
- Tell us about the last time you…
- Were you…when you were younger?
- What is your favourite…?
- What sort of…do you…?
- What things… you when you were younger?
- Would you describe yourself as…?
- Would you prefer to…or…?
- Would you say that you…?
Comparing language presentation
Without looking above for now, work together to write as many different things as you can in each gap below. Almost all of the gaps can take two or more different options. The same words can often go in more than once place.
Useful phrases for talking about how similar or different you are
_________________________________________________________________ different
__________________________________________________________________ similar
________________________________________________________________ the same
_________________________________________________________________identical
have ____________________________________________________________ common
share ____________________________________________________________features
Useful phrases for talking about similarities
The ___________________________________________________________similarity…
_______________________________________________________________as…as….
Useful phrases for talking about differences
The __________________________________________________________difference…
A ______________________________________________________________difference
In ___________________________________________________________ contrast,…
not ___________________________________________________________ as… as…
__________________________________________________________ + …er/ more…
Use the mixed up extra words on the next page to help with the task above. Some words can be used in more than one place above.
Useful words for making comparing/ contrasting phrases longer
Use the mixed up extra words below to help with the task on the previous page. Some words can be used in more than one place.
- a bit
- a few
- a great deal
- a little
- a little bit
- a lot
- absolutely
- almost
- almost completely
- almost nothing
- big
- biggest
- exactly
- fairly
- far
- just
- main
- major
- many
- most obvious
- much
- nearly
- nothing
- one or two
- quite
- quite a lot
- slightly
- some
- somewhat
- striking
- very
- virtually
Check your answers with the first worksheets. Note that other words in the gaps above might be possible, including the same words in other places.
Use similar language to compare and contrast Speaking Part Two photos and/ or the pictures of people in Unit 1 of Objective First.
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Related pages
Comparing and contrasting page
FCE Speaking games, worksheets, videos and teaching tips page
