Speaking
"Practice makes permanent," is a variation of the old saying, "Practice makes perfect." I used to love the old saying until I heard someone use the new one. I thought it was brilliant! At higher levels in language learning we embrace permanent, and try to keep it forever! What better way of making speaking permanent than speaking as much and as often as possible?
How can you do this if your time is limited and you do not know any native speakers? This is where the Internet saves the day. You can find an online partner to practice your speaking and/or exchange languages.
Here are a few suggestions where you can find this type of internet language exchange:
http://www.mylanguageexchange.com/
https://www.conversationexchange.com/
http://www.italki.com/partners
A word of caution before you engage in this type of practice:
1. Do not give your personal details.
2. Make sure you are practising your English skills with a native English speaker.
3. Make sure the person corrects your mistakes.
4. There are many people in your same situation in many languages so, do not settle for anything but the best!
Objectives:
Carry out the following tasks using C1 grammatical, syntactic and lexical structures.
Speak clearly, fluently and spontaneously in public on most topics without producing tension on the listener nor breaking the communication.
Carry out previously prepared presentations on a vast range of general subjects including those in which the candidate is versed; explain points of view on a topic, develop arguments supporting or rejecting points of view, offer advantages and disadvantages of diverse options. Develop arguments clearly, adding or defending ideas on complimentary aspects and relevant examples. Answer questions from the audience fluently and spontaneously in such a way that there is no tension on behalf of the speaker or the audience, thus continuing the communicative flow.
Take the initiative in an interview. Expand and develop ideas with little help or with the help of the interviewer, if necessary. Explain a problem and clarify that a supplier or client must adjust to the circumstances.
Participate actively in conversations and formal debates, meetings and so on, whether they are customary or not in order to lay out a subject or problem, speculate about causes and consequences, compare advantages and disadvantages of different perspectives; offer and defend opinions and points of view, evaluate alternative proposals, hypothesize, respond to hypotheses, contribute to the progression of a task and invite others to participate.
Participate in informal conversations on habitual situations, make comments; express and defend points of view with clarity and detail; evaluate alternative proposals, explanations, arguments, adequate comments, formulate hypotheses and respond to them.
Check this site out to find a partner for extra practice: