LET'S PUT A START TO THIS SPECULATION
In most of the CAE speaking exam part 2 scenarios, the word 'might' will be in the instructions. 'Say why the people might be checking the time'. 'Say how safety might be important in this job.' That's because the examiners want to know if you can use speculative language.
Useful speculative phrases include:
- Perhaps.../ Maybe...
- It seems like.../It looks like
- They must/ might/may/could/can´t have...
- It must/may/might/could/can't be that...
- Possibly.../Probably.../Definitely...
- Most likely...
- In all likelihood...
- I guess/bet/reckon that.../I'd say that.../ I'm sure/positive/certain that...
Let's try!
Look at these photos - imagine the task is 'Say why the people might be wearing hats.'
"Perhaps these men are retired and are spending their day feeding ducks by the lake. In contrast, the policeman has to wear a hat for his job. It could be that he hates wearing the hat, whereas the old men have probably chosen to wear theirs. Maybe it's a sunny day and they want to protect their heads from the sun, while the policeman's helmet might protect him from attackers."
