More tips on the oral exam

Tips on How to Succeed

Before the Interview

• Review the oral rating scale so that you know what the examiner will be checking for.

• Practice beforehand by having a friend or colleague interview you with questions found on our recommended websites or other resources. You may want to record this and have a native English speaker listen to it with you to identify ways that you could have answered more naturally.

During the Interview

• Relax. You are not expected to be perfect - just to be fluent enough to function easily in an English speaking office.  

• Keep talking.  Try to give more than a 3 word answer to each question. The examiner wants to hear you talk more than the interviewer.  The examiner cannot easily give you a score if you only say 'yes' and 'no'.
• Speak slowly, audibly and clearly.  If you tend to speak fast when you're nervous, try to speak slower.  You'll be understood bettter.  If you usually have a soft voice, make an effort to speak louder.  It's impossible for an examiner to give you a score if s/he can't hear you.

• Don't say your name.  To be fair to all test candidates, you are not allowed to say your name during the interview.  

• Feel free to take control of the conversation.  Interviewers have been advised to avoid talking about politics or other sensitive topics - but have not been given exact questions to ask.  Thus, the content is not as important as your appearing 'fluent' - and a fluent conversationalist sometimes changes the subject.  For example, especially if it's related to the question asked, you can follow with "You know, that reminds me of...", or "Have your heard about....?".  You might also want to bring a prop to the interview.  For example, if you put a book or other interesting item on the table in front of you, it's very possible that theinterviewer will ask you about it - or perhaps you can find a way to bring it into the conversation.

• Don't memorize - or give a lecture.  Remember that this is meant to be a conversation, not a recording of you reading, saying something you memorized or giving a lecture to your interviewer.  Experienced examiners can hear it if you do this - and it tends to lower your score.

Description of the oral exam

The oral exam is a 15-minute interview (talk) with either a full-time English teacher (UNHQ, UNOG) or with a designated interviewer (OAH).  Candidates registered for the LPE are assigned a 15-minute time slot for the oral interview. The oral interviews usually take place just after the written exam - but at some duty stations, they may happen before.

The interview is very informal. The candidate and the interviewer (English teacher) chat about whatever topics arise such as the candidate’s job, home country; travels, hobbies, interests, or family.  The important thing is for the candidate to speak as much as possible and to demonstrate the ability to discuss a variety of topics.

The interviewer/teacher does not evaluate the candidate; the interview is recorded and the recording is sent to outside evaluators who listen and assign a score for the candidate based on the oral rating scale.

Oral rating scale for oral exam

United Nations English Language Proficiency Exam (LPE)

Oral Rating Scale

90-100              Bilingual. Speech is fluent and idiomatic. Pronunciation is native or very clear. It is evident that the candidate had had long and intensive exposure to the spoken language and probably uses it as a primary language.

80-89                Working knowledge. Speech is fluent but definitely non-native. The candidate can sustain conversation, i.e. the candidate can bring up new topics, move freely over a wide variety of topics and provide detailed information easily. Overall, the candidate interacts comfortably with the interviewer, and has probably had intensive experience with the language in a native language environment. Any mistakes in vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation do not impede the flow of communication.

75-79                Superior candidate with limited experience in a native-speaking environment. Candidate has enough control over the language to discuss a variety of topics and is capable of sustaining the conversation in some of them. However, fluency, range of expression, and vocabulary usage are not fully developed.

70-74                Candidate is willing to discuss many topics; however, speech is not smooth and may become laboured if a topic is too complex or needs expansion. The candidate can definitely discuss a variety of topics and engage in a general conversation; however, fluency is uneven or rate of speech is very deliberate.

65-69                Minimal pass. The candidate is able to express him/herself coherently in complete sentences over a variety of topics; however, there is great hesitancy and effort evident in the performance. Vocabulary and range of expression are basic.

55-64                Communication breaks down. Candidate is either very hesitant to speak or cannot find adequate vocabulary to express his or her ideas. Responses are often very short and do not consist of complete sentences. The candidate depends heavily on the interviewer for prompts and show persistent comprehension problems. The interviewer is restricted in the types of topics introduced.

Good luck for tomorrow!

Tomorrow is the written exam so I wish you all good luck!