Receive 5 shields in Starters Speaking: Mastering all the sections!  

The Starters Speaking test comprises 4 sections, in which candidates work one-on-one with an examiner for 3 – 5 minutes. To achieve the maximum score of 5 shields in Starters Speaking, young learners must thoroughly understand the test’s format and practice consistently. Parents can support children by reviewing study materials and assisting them in preparing for this part of the Cambridge Starters exam.

1. 4 sections in the Starters Speaking exam

Notice: In 2025, the digital Starters exam has been approved alongside the computer-based and paper-based tests. There is nothing changed in the Speaking exam format.

Here are 4 sections in the Starters Speaking exam:

1.1. Speaking Part 1

This section assesses the candidate’s ability to understand and follow instructions.

Examples:

• Where’s the chair?
• Where are the bananas?

Examples:

• Put the robot next to the chair.
• Put the carrot on the table.

To help their children achieve 5 shields in Starters Speaking Part 1, parents should encourage them to:

• Smile and be friendly: First impressions matter.
• Say “hello” clearly: Greet the examiner politely.
• Listen carefully: Understand the examiner’s questions.
• Answer directly: Give simple, clear answers.
• Relax: It’s a friendly chat.

1.2. Speaking Part 2

Part 2 checks if candidates can understand and react to simple spoken English in a practical, visual context.

Examples:

• Examiner: What’s this? 
• Candidate: Plate.

Examples:

• Examiner: What’s the man doing?
• Candidate: He’s reading.

• Examiner: Tell me about the boat.
• Candidate: It’s blue/red/ It’s on the floor.

To stay on track for 5 shields in Starters Speaking after a good start, children should follow these additional tips for Part 2:

• Listen and understand the placement instructions.
• Name the object.
• Use words like “on, in, at” to show placement.
• Keep the answer simple.
• Practice putting the pictures.

1.3. Speaking Part 3

In Part 3, the candidate is asked about 4 of the 8 small pictures shown in Part 1. In this way, examiners check if the child can understand and talk about what they see in a picture.

Examples:

• What’s this? (crocodile)
• What color is it? (green)
• What’s your favorite animal? (cat)

Generally, success in Part 2 and 3 largely depends on having a sufficient vocabulary. Parents can help their children learn new words by regularly practicing them through fun games, conversations, and songs.

Read more: List of common Cambridge Starters vocabulary

1.4. Speaking Part 4

This section assesses the candidate’s ability to understand and answer questions about themselves.

Examples:

• What’s your friend’s name?
• Is your house/apartment big or small?
• Can you play table tennis?
• What’s your favorite color/animal/sport/food?

Part 4 is designed as a regular conversation with familiar questions. Therefore, daily conversations with children are crucial for achieving 5 shields in Starters Speaking.

2. Speaking Starters exams sample analysis

Now, let’s bring the highest score in Starters Speaking closer by using the experience of others to guide your children.

2.1. Paolo’s Speaking Exam

Feedback:

Part 1: In Part 1, the candidate is required to point to the people/objects the examiner asks about.

When the examiner asked “Where’s the guitar?” Paolo not only pointed to the picture of the guitar but also said “The guitar is this.” This demonstrates that Paolo fully understood the question and was able to answer with both actions and words. This is a positive point for Part 1.

However, when asked “Where are the flowers?” Paolo hesitated in answering, saying “The flowers are in the… vase?” So, the examiner assisted him by pointing to the flowers and asking again

“Are these the flowers?”

When a candidate is not sure about an answer in the Speaking Starters exam, there is no need to worry as the examiner is always ready to help.

Part 2: In this section, the candidate answers five questions about the large picture, using as much vocabulary as they know.

When asked “What’s this?” Paolo not only gave the correct answer for the selected object but also used complete sentences rather than one-word answers. Paolo continued to excel by providing complete answers to the following questions.

Part 3: In this section, the candidate answers questions about 4 small pictures. Paolo consistently provided correct and detailed answers, demonstrating a clear understanding of the questions and confident communication.

Part 4: Paolo understood and confidently answered most of the examiner’s questions. He struggled a bit when describing where he plays soccer, but he was able to answer the next question excellently.

Evaluation:

2.2. Rebecca’s Speaking exam

Feedback:

Part 1: The candidate is required to point to the people/objects the examiner asks about.

Rebecca understood the question “Where’s the girl?” and answered correctly. However, she didn’t point to the picture. When asked to place two small pictures in the large picture, Rebecca did this very well.

Part 2: The examiner asked Rebecca “What’s this?” and pointed to the picture of a flying balloon. Rebecca responded “It’s a balloon.” Answers from candidates don’t have to be 100% grammatically correct, but they should be understandable. Rebecca demonstrated a clear understanding of the examiner’s questions and typically responded with complete sentences rather than short, one-word answers.

Part 3: In this section, the candidate answers questions about 4 small pictures. Rebecca continued to respond with complete sentences. This shows she understood the questions and had the necessary vocabulary to answer. She performed this part very well.

Part 4: In this section, the candidate answers three questions about themselves. Rebecca clearly understood the questions and promptly provided accurate answers.

Evaluation:

3. Practice tests for 5 shields in Starters Speaking

Read more: Download FREE Cambridge Starters test papers with answers and audio + test prep books [UPDATED 2025]

4. 200+ practice Starters exams on FLYER virtual English Testing Platform

The FLYER Virtual English Testing Platform offers over 200+ Cambridge Starters exam practice tests (covering all parts: Listening, Reading & Writing, and Speaking)  to provide your child with preparation for the Cambridge Starters exam.

Please watch more HERE.

• These exams have been carefully compiled to match the format (up to 90%) following Cambridge’s latest standards. 
• The automatic scoring system and answer key will help students review and study effectively at home.
• Practice Speaking with AI Speaking for Cambridge exams: Automatic Scoring, Detailed Feedback, and Pronunciation Correction for Kids.
• Interactive exercises and game simulations stimulate children’s brain activity and interest in learning.
• It offers various fun learning features such as challenges with friends, short practice exercises, and vocabulary reviews.

The system automatically stores all test results and uses them to provide feedback on the student’s current proficiency level, strengths, and areas that require improvement. 

Besides, a helpful feature for parents is the Learning Report, which makes it easy to track the progress of their children’s studies. Moreover, children can enhance their listening and speaking skills with FLYER’s mascot through the new AI-powered feature, AI FLYER Bingo.

Video: A.I Speaking vs A.I Virtual:

5. Tips for children in the Starters Speaking exam

Before exam day, parents should encourage children and give them some helpful advice below:

• Remember to say “Hello” and “Goodbye” when entering and leaving the test room.
• Do not worry if there is something they don’t understand. Just say “Sorry, I don’t understand,” and the examiner will repeat the question, offer suggestions, or provide children with the answer to that question.
• Confidence is an essential factor to excel in the exam.
• Children only need to answer questions with a single word to earn points. If they answer the whole question, they will receive a higher score.

6. Frequently asked questions about achieving 5 shields in Starters Speaking

Conclusion

With this information, students should have a clear understanding of the Speaking part of the Cambridge Starters exam and how the exam process works. Additionally, you have seen sample tests in which test takers received a score of five shields. It is hoped that students would study hard and feel as comfortable and confident as they can when taking the exam.

>>> Discover more:

• Cambridge Starters, Movers, Flyers speaking criteria & detailed band scores
• Shields in Starters, Movers and Flyers exams
• Cambridge’s Home Study Plan for Starters, Movers, and Flyers