A separate, spoken assessment

The Spoken Language Endorsement is an optional, separate assessment alongside the written exams — it is not one of the numbered written components. You prepare and deliver a presentation — a speech or talk on a topic of your choice — to a live audience, then answer questions about it.

• It is prepared and lasts no longer than about 10 minutes.
• You may use brief notes or slides — but you must not read from a full script.
• You must use Spoken Standard English.
• It is graded Not Classified / Pass / Merit / Distinction.
• The grade is reported separately on your certificate — it does not change your 9–1 grade.

Why it matters: being able to plan, deliver and defend ideas aloud is a real-world skill — universities and employers value it. Treat it as its own project, not an afterthought.

How is it graded?

Give it a clear shape

A strong presentation has a clear structure the audience can follow. Plan three parts and signpost as you move between them:

Signposting = little phrases that tell the audience where you are: "There are three reasons…", "Turning now to…", "Finally…". They make a talk easy to follow without any slides.

A strong vs a weak opening

The first 20 seconds set the tone. Compare these two openings for a talk titled "Why every teenager should learn to cook":

What makes it strong: a hook (the anecdote), a clear statement of the topic, and a roadmap of the three points to come — all in Standard English, no filler.

Choose the best structure

Speak in Standard English

Standard English is the widely-understood form used in formal settings — correct grammar and full, complete vocabulary, without slang or non-standard forms. It is what the endorsement expects, especially for Merit and Distinction.

Register is how formal you sound. A presentation needs a formal register: full sentences, precise words, no text-speak. You can still be warm and lively — formal doesn't mean robotic.

Standard English ≠ a "posh" accent

A very common myth: that you must sound "posh" to do well. Not true.

• Standard English is about grammar and word choice — not the region or accent you speak with.
• You can keep your own accent completely and still use Standard English.
• What examiners want is clear, grammatically correct, formal speech — "we were", not "we was"; "going to", not "gonna".

Bottom line: fix the grammar and drop the slang, but keep your voice. Standard English is a dialect, not an accent.

Pick the Standard-English version

How you say it matters

The endorsement rewards engaging delivery, not just good words. Use your voice and your body deliberately:

Pace & pause: nerves make people rush. Slow down slightly, and pause after important sentences — silence gives your idea room to land.

Spot the delivery technique

Techniques that pull people in

Distinction-level talks use a range of strategies to engage the audience. Weave a few of these in:

• Rhetorical question — "Have you ever wondered why…?"
• Direct address — speaking to "you", the audience.
• Rule of three — "faster, cheaper, greener".
• Anecdote or vivid example — a short real story.
• Statistic or striking fact — used sparingly for impact.

Match technique to purpose: a rhetorical question opens a topic; the rule of three makes a point memorable; an anecdote builds connection. Coming up: you'll match each technique to what it does.

Match technique to its purpose

Tap a technique on the left, then tap the purpose on the right that it serves.

Handling the Q&A

After your talk, the audience asks questions — and responding well is part of the grade. Higher grades want you to answer formally and in detail, still in Standard English.

• Listen to the whole question before answering.
• Acknowledge it — "That's a good point…" — then respond.
• Answer in full sentences, giving a reason or example.
• If you're unsure, it's fine to say so calmly and give your best reasoning.

Plan for questions. The Q&A isn't random luck — think in advance about what people might ask (objections, "what about…?", why you chose this topic) and prepare a sentence or two for each.

Two more myths to drop

Myth 1: "The questions are a surprise you can't prepare for." You absolutely can — anticipate likely questions and rehearse short answers. Being ready shows confidence.

Myth 2: "If my content is good I don't need signposting." Even brilliant ideas lose an audience without clear guiding phrases. A presentation needs signposting so listeners always know where they are.

Confidence > nerves: pausing to think before you answer is not a weakness — a considered, full-sentence answer beats a rushed one every time.

Best way to handle a question

Formal or informal?

Tap a phrase, then tap the box it belongs in. Formal = fit for the presentation; informal = save it for friends.

Pass · Merit · Distinction

There are no marks — examiners award a grade using set criteria. You must meet all the criteria for a level to be given it. The ladder rises across the same four skills: ideas & vocabulary, structure & audience, Standard English, and responding to questions.

Not Classified is given if the criteria for a Pass aren't met. A learner must satisfy all criteria at a level to be awarded that level.

Reaching Distinction

Write a signposting phrase

The endorsement in a nutshell

You've covered all of the Spoken Language Endorsement — planning, Standard English, delivery, engagement, questions and the criteria. Press Finish to see your score.