FCE Speaking – Famous People

Author: Melissa Cullen r: Katie Jones. © Pearson PHOTOCOPIABLE

Preparation Time: 5 minutesLearning Objectives: Talking about famous

people, FCE speaking part 4 practice Completion Time: 45 minutes

Skill/Grammar: Discussion Age/Level: First Certificate Exams

Resources: Famous People Worksheet

Teacher’s Notes

Warm-Up (10 minutes) • Give out the worksheet and ask students to think of famous people they know. You

could also show them pictures of famous people and see if they recognise them.

Presentation (10 minutes) • Ask students to read the dialogue and choose where the underlined sentences should

go. Model pronunciation and intonation.

Presentation Answer Key:

Agreeing Yes, I think you’re right. Of course – we’re in agreement there.

Disagreeing I can’t agree with you. No, I really don’t think so.

Asking for agreement Don’t you think ...? Wouldn’t you say …?

Asking for an opinion What do you think ...? What’s your take on this?

Introducing an opinion Well, I figure … Well, my take on it is …

Making a suggestion Perhaps … Maybe …

Practice (10 minutes) • Ask students to look at the pictures and speculate on whether these people are

famous and what they are famous for.

Test Practice (15 minutes) • Ask students to discuss the questions in pairs. Check that they are using the target

language correctly.

FCE Speaking – Famous People

Author: Melissa Cullen r: Katie Jones. © Pearson PHOTOCOPIABLE

1 Discuss the questions below.

• What famous people can you think of?

• Why do you think people want to be famous?

• What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of being famous?

2 Read the discussion below and complete the tasks that follow.

Alice: Well, being famous can’t be all that much fun, can it?

Ru: Well, I can’t agree with you there. You’re rich, everyone loves

you … That doesn’t sound too bad! What do you think, Chris?

Daniel: Well, I figure famous people chose to be famous, so they must

be happy with it.

Alice: Don’t you think there are some famous people who didn’t

choose to be famous?

Ru: Yes, I think you’re right. But still, what makes their lives so

hard?

Alice: Perhaps the lack of privacy they get … That must be hard.

Ru: I guess so …

a Look at the underlined expressions. Where do they fit in the table below?

Agreeing

Disagreeing

Asking for agreement

Asking for an opinion

Introducing an opinion

Making a suggestion

b Write the following expressions in the correct part of the table.

What’s your take on this?

Of course – we’re in agreement there.

Wouldn’t you say …?

No, I really don’t think so.

Maybe …

Well, my take on it is …

FCE Speaking – Famous People

Author: Melissa Cullen r: Katie Jones.

3 Look at the pictures and discuss the following questions with a partner.

• Which of these people do you think is famous? Why?

• What do you think they are famous for?

4 Discuss the questions below with a partner.

• Do you think it’s possible for a famous person to maintain a private life?

• Should famous people accept that privacy is something they lose when they become

famous?

• Do you think famous people have a responsibility to act as good role models?

• Do you think famous people should use their fame for political or charitable

purposes?

© Pearson PHOTOCOPIABLE