What happens
The last five minutes. The examiner says "Now let's talk about…" and names one of the six Grade 7 subject areas, talks with you about it for two to three minutes, then moves to a second subject. You do not choose and you are not told in advance. This phase is closest to Grade 5, which is why candidates underestimate it: the subjects are harder and the examiner expects B2 answers, with reasons, comparisons and questions back.
The six subject areas
| Subject | What it covers | Grade 7 language it invites |
|---|---|---|
| Education | your schooling, education here and at home, learning as an adult, your children's school | used to (school then), should (what schools should do), passive (exams are taken at 16) |
| National customs | festivals, weddings, food, greetings, manners, customs that differ | passive (gifts are given), would (if you went to a wedding in my country, you would…), agreeing and disagreeing |
| Village and city life | where you grew up, where you live now, which is better and for whom | advantages and disadvantages, second conditional (if I could choose), might |
| National and local produce and products | what your country grows or makes, what it is famous for, local food here | passive (is grown, is exported), used to, relative clauses |
| Early memories | childhood, family, first school day, a place you remember | used to, past tenses, might (my memory might be wrong), expressing uncertainty |
| Pollution and recycling | recycling at home, traffic, plastic, what should change | should/ought to, passive (is recycled), because of, suggestions |
What the examiner is listening for
Trinity's communicative skills for the Conversation phase at Grade 7:
- show understanding by responding appropriately;
- share responsibility for keeping the conversation going;
- if communication breaks down, notice and take basic steps to repair it.
"Share responsibility" is the B2 difference. At B1 the examiner asks, you answer, the examiner asks again. At B2 you are expected to add a comment, offer an example, ask the examiner "Is it the same here?", and pick up on what they say.
The shape of a B2 answer
The examiner asks: "Did you grow up in a village or a city?"
A B1 answer: "I grew up in a village. It was small. I liked it."
A B2 answer: "A village, about an hour from Lahore. When I was a child it used to be very quiet, everyone knew each other, but it's changed a lot because of the new road. If I'm honest I wouldn't want to live there now, although my parents still do. Did you grow up somewhere like that?"
Same facts. The second has used to, because of, a second conditional, a contrast, and a question back. That is a full minute of the examiner's checklist in one turn.
Repairing a breakdown
You will not understand every question first time. At B2 the fix is visible and polite:
- "Sorry, could you say that again?"
- "Do you mean… the schools here or in my country?"
- "I'm not sure I understand 'produce'. Do you mean food?"
Asking is rewarded. Guessing and answering a different question is not.
How to practise
Each subject page has typical examiner questions, model phrases and a free four-minute practice with the AI examiner on that subject, with a Trinity-style grade and a breakdown into the four areas the examiner weighs. Do all six. On the day you will get two, and you will not know which.