The Complete Phrase-Bank for FCE Speaking Part 3 (Collaborative Task)

Building on our guide to FCE Speaking Part 3, this comprehensive phrase bank gives you all the expressions you need to excel in the collaborative task. With these ready-made phrases, you'll impress Cambridge examiners and boost your score in the B2 First speaking test.

Why Memorise Set Phrases for FCE Speaking Part 3?

Part 3 of the Cambridge Assessment English B2 First Speaking paper lasts about three minutes:

1. 2 minutes discussing six visual prompts with your partner.
2. 1 minute deciding on the "best" option.

Using ready-made expressions lets you focus on ideas, keeps the discussion flowing, and secures marks for Interaction, Discourse Management and Grammar & Vocabulary—all of which you'll need again in the C1 Exam. Every phrase below comes straight from the official reference sheet.

Complete FCE Speaking Part 3 Phrase-Bank (Organised by Function)

Tip: Keep the placeholders [topic] / [current topic] / [new topic] so you can swap in the prompt word on exam day.

1. Getting Started

• "Which one shall we start with?"
• "What do you think, [partner name]?"
• "[Partner name], I think you know a lot about [topic]. What's your opinion on it?"

2. Moving to the Next Item

• "Shall we move onto [topic] now?"
• "So what about [topic]?"
• "I wonder if we can compare [current topic] to [new topic]?"
• "What about this one?" [pointing to topic]
• "What do you think about this idea?"
• "How do you feel about that one?"
• "We're running out of time, so let's move on."
• "We still need to discuss [topic]."
• "Ah, that connects with the next topic."
• "[Topic] is pretty similar to the last one – maybe we can skip it for now?"

3. Ending Your Turn / Inviting Your Partner

• "What do you think?"
• "Don't you agree?"
• "Do you have anything to say about that?"
• "Do you have anything to add to that?"
• "Did I forget anything?"

4. Interrupting Politely

• "Sorry to interrupt but…"
• "Just a second…"

5. Agreeing Enthusiastically

• "Right."
• "Good point."
• "I fully agree."
• "I was just thinking that!"
• "I was just going to say that!"
• "That's just what I was thinking."
• "I couldn't agree more."
• "You're totally right."

6. Disagreeing (Politely) & Giving Reasons

• "Maybe, but what about…?"
• "I think it would be better to…"
• "I'm not so keen on that."
• "I don't really agree with you there."
• "Weeeeeell maybe, but…"
• "Yeah, but, the thing is…"
• "The problem with what you said is…"
• "For one thing… [reason 1] and for another… [reason 2]"

7. Reaching a Decision

• "Well, I think it's definitely not [topic]."
• "We can eliminate [topic] right away. Don't you think?"
• "So then, what do you think is the best one?"
• "I guess you think we should choose [topic]?"
• "Are we both in favour of [topic]?"
• "Okay, so we agree."
• "I don't think we're going to agree on this!"
• "Let's agree to disagree!"

Sample FCE Speaking Part 3 Dialogue Using These Phrases

How to Thread These Phrases into a High-Scoring Discussion

Follow this time-tested structure to organize your thoughts and deliver a coherent response:

1. Kick-off (0–10 s)
   "Which one shall we start with?"
2. Develop & invite (10–40 s)
   "I wonder if we can compare home-stay holidays to bus tours?"
   "We're running out of time, so let's move on. What do you think about cycling?"
3. React & negotiate (40–110 s)
   "Good point… Yeah, but the thing is it might be too expensive. Maybe, but what about sharing costs?"
4. Decision phase (last 30 s)
   "We can eliminate taxis right away, don't you think? So then, what do you think is the best one? Are we both in favour of the bus? Okay, so we agree."

This structure shows cooperation, critical thinking and clear goal-orientation—the examiner's dream combination.

10-Minute Daily Practice Routine for FCE Speaking Part 3

Minute	Task	Why it helps
1–2	Pick a random Part 3 diagram from an FCE practice test.	Authentic visual prompts
3–5	Discuss alone, speaking both roles; record yourself.	Fluency + timing control
6–7	Re-listen, highlight missing phrases, try again.	Phrase retrieval
8–9	Convert key ideas into an informal e-mail or opinion essay paragraph.	Recycle vocabulary across skills
10	Quick "Test Your English" collocation quiz.	Lock in lexis

Common Topics in FCE Speaking Part 3

Prepare these vocabulary clusters for frequently tested topics:

• Travel & tourism: accommodation, transportation, sightseeing
• Entertainment: concerts, cinema, social media, hobbies
• Education: study methods, courses, technology in learning
• Work life: careers, job satisfaction, skills development
• Environment: conservation, sustainable living, recycling
• Technology: gadgets, digital communication, online services

Examiner's Perspective: What Gets Top Marks

Cambridge examiners are specifically looking for these skills in Part 3:

Skill	How phrase bank helps	Example phrase
Turn-taking	Gives you tools to pass conversation smoothly	"What do you think?"
Collaborating	Shows you're building on partner's ideas	"That's a good point. We could also consider..."
Negotiating	Demonstrates ability to work toward consensus	"Are we both in favour of [topic]?"
Polite disagreement	Shows maturity and respect while expressing opinion	"I'm not so keen on that because..."

Final Thoughts

Memorising this phrase-bank won't make you sound robotic; it frees up mental space to showcase real opinions and collaborative sparkle—exactly what Cambridge exams reward. Drill the expressions until they roll off your tongue, and you'll glide through FCE Speaking Part 3 and stride confidently into future Cambridge C1 challenges.

For complete FCE Speaking preparation, be sure to review our comprehensive guides on all parts of the speaking test: FCE Speaking Part 1, FCE Speaking Part 2, FCE Speaking Part 2 Phrase Bank, and FCE Speaking Part 4.