ORAL TESTS: HOW TO DESCRIBE A PICTURE STEP BY STEP

HOW TO DESCRIBE A PICTURE IN AN ORAL TEST STEP BY STEP

1st) Look at this picture. What can you see? 

• This picture shows ...
• In this picture I can see
• There is / There are ...
• There isn't a / There aren't any ...

2nd) Describe as much as you can. Say what is happening using the Present Continuous.

• In the foreground / in the background 
• On the right / on the left
• The man / woman  is ....
• The people are ...
• It's raining ...
• It's sunny ...

3rd) Where in the picture ... ?

• At the top / botton of the picture ...
• In the middle of the picture ...
• On the left / right of the picture ...
• nex to ...
• in front of ...
• behind ...
• near ...
• on top of ...
• under ...

4th) Use your imagination to make assumptions / to guess.

• I think ...
• Maybe / Perhaps ...
• Modal verbs of deduction (must, can't, might be)
• They look ... (parece ... feliz, triste, etc.)
• They look like ... (my little sister, my own family, etc.)

5th) Use personal stories and examples from your life to speak more. Talk about yourself. 

6th) Think about the WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, WHY and HOW of each picture.  

7th) Think about the subject, environment, time of day, weather, location, culture ... 

Here you have some examples: 

http://writefix.com/?page_id=443

http://www.elllo.org/SwiffStep/PDG01b.swf

http://www.elllo.org/english/Games/G041-T

And finally a sample of a PET (Preliminary English Test) speaking test:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNjfWh3uPRs

PRACTICE EVERYDAY DESCRIBING WHATEVER YOU SEE AROUND YOU!