Picture Description (Part 2 of the speaking exam)

This is a methodology / phrasebook for the second part of the oral exam, where you get a picture (or two) and need to describe and compare them. It's not a topic — it's a skill.

1. Standard Structure (Use this every time)

1. Introduction — what kind of picture, what's the general topic.
2. General description — what you see overall (people, place, atmosphere).
3. Detailed description — foreground, background, left/right, objects.
4. Speculation — who the people are, what they're doing, what just happened or will happen.
5. Comparison (if you have two pictures) — similarities and differences.
6. Personal opinion / connection — does it relate to your life? Would you like to be there?

2. Introduction Phrases

• "The picture shows / depicts / illustrates a group of young people in a café."
• "It is a photograph / drawing / cartoon / poster / advertisement."
• "The picture was probably taken in a city centre / in summer / during a festival."
• "I think the general topic of this picture is family life / urban transport / education."

3. Locating Things (Spatial vocabulary)

• In the foreground (v popředí) — closest to the viewer.
• In the background (v pozadí) — far from the viewer.
• In the middle / centre of the picture.
• On the left / right side, in the top / bottom corner.
• Next to, behind, in front of, between, opposite, above, below, near.
• "At the top of the picture I can see a sky full of clouds."
• "In the bottom right corner there is a small dog."

4. Describing People

• Appearance: "He is a man in his thirties, tall and slim, with short dark hair and a beard. He is wearing a blue suit and a white shirt."
• Action: "She is sitting at a table, smiling and looking at her phone."
• Emotion: "He looks happy / tired / worried / confused / relaxed."
• Number: "There are about ten people in the picture, mostly young."

5. Hedging — Don't Commit (Very Important)

You can't be sure what's in a picture, so use uncertainty phrases all the time. It sounds more natural and buys you time.

• "It looks like a wedding."
• "It seems to be a school cafeteria."
• "It could be / might be somewhere in southern Europe."
• "Judging by their clothes, it's probably autumn."
• "I'd say they are about to leave."
• "They appear to be colleagues rather than friends."
• "I'm not entirely sure, but it gives the impression of a busy market."

6. Speculating (What is happening?)

• "I think they are celebrating someone's birthday."
• "It's possible that they have just finished a meeting."
• "Maybe they are waiting for a train."
• "They must be very tired after a long day."
• "She can't be the mother — she looks too young."

7. Comparing Two Pictures

If you get two pictures, you must compare them.

Similarities:

• "Both pictures show / depict people in their free time."
• "In both cases, we can see…"
• "Similarly to the first picture, the second one…"
• "Like the first picture, this one focuses on…"

Differences:

• "However, unlike the first picture, the second one shows…"
• "Whereas the first picture is set indoors, the second one takes place outside."
• "The main difference is that…"
• "In contrast, …"
• "On the other hand, …"

8. Atmosphere and Mood

• "The atmosphere is cheerful / peaceful / tense / chaotic / romantic."
• "The picture has a warm / cold / bright / dark colour palette."
• "The mood feels relaxed / formal / energetic."

9. Giving Your Opinion

The examiner will usually ask follow-up questions. Be ready to say what you think.

• "In my opinion, the picture nicely shows…"
• "Personally, I would prefer the situation in the second picture, because…"
• "I find the first picture more interesting / appealing / typical."
• "It reminds me of my own family / school / hometown."
• "If I had to choose, I would rather be in the situation shown in picture B."

10. If You Don't Know a Word

This is the #1 survival skill. Don't freeze — paraphrase.

• "I don't know the exact word, but it's a kind of tool used for cutting wood."
• "It looks like a device for measuring temperature."
• "It's that thing you use to open bottles."
• "I'm not sure what it's called in English, but it's similar to a backpack."

11. Buying Time (Fillers)

When you need a second to think, don't go silent — use natural fillers.

• "Well, let me see…"
• "That's an interesting picture…"
• "As I mentioned earlier…"
• "On second thoughts, …"
• "To be honest, …"

12. Quick 1-Minute Template

If you blank out, just plug it into this template:

"The picture shows ___. It was probably taken in ___. In the foreground I can see ___, and in the background there is ___. The people look ___ and they seem to be ___ing. The atmosphere is ___. It reminds me of ___. Personally, I think ___."

That's roughly 60 seconds of speech — enough to survive any picture.