Speaking Success: Trinity GESE Grade 2

Initial stage · CEFR A1 — the tasks, themes and language of Grade 2, practised by Philo and Sophia.

•Grade 2, at a glance

Initial stageCEFR A16 minutesOne-to-one with the examiner

Conversation

up to 6 min

At the Initial stage the examiner leads the whole exam. It is a friendly conversation, often using objects and pictures. You show you understand by speaking and by doing things, such as pointing.

1What you need to do (communicative skills)

Understand short, simple questions and requests
Answer with actions and short yes/no answers
Use memorised phrases and short statements
Ask the examiner at least one very simple question about personal details, eg about possessions

2Themes and topics (subject areas)

The vocabulary you need

Topics

Rooms in the home
Things in the house
Family and friends
Pets
Your possessions
Days of the week and months of the year
Numbers 1–50

3Language functions and grammar (what the examiner listens for)

Functions

Saying where people and things are
Describing people, animals, objects and places very simply
Stating simple facts
Talking about possessions
Asking very simple personal questions

Grammar and language

Present simple: I live in…, my sister likes…
There is / there are; have got / has got; Do you have…?
where? how?; understand who? when?
Prepositions of place: in, on, under, between, next to
mine, yours, his, hers; their, its; understand some, any
Yes/no answers to present continuous questions: Is he sitting? Yes, he is.

Worked example — talking about home and family

ExaminerTell me about your family, Sophia.

SophiaI’ve got a brother and a sister. My brother is tall. My sister has got long hair.

ExaminerHave you got a pet?

SophiaYes, I have. I’ve got a cat. Her name is Bast. She is black and white.

ExaminerWhere is the cat in this picture?

SophiaShe’s under the table.

SophiaHave you got a pet?

ExaminerYes, I have a dog.

Tips for Grade 2

Prepare to describe your home room by room: There’s a big table in the kitchen.
Remember to ask the examiner a question: Have you got a pet? Do you have a brother?
Use contractions naturally: I’ve got, she’s, it’s.

•How Grade 2 is assessed

The examiner gives a letter grade for each phase, for task fulfilment: how well you use the communicative skills, functions, grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation of this grade and all the grades before it, with good fluency.

A · Distinction

An excellent performance.

B · Merit

A good performance.

C · Pass

A satisfactory performance.

D · Fail

Not yet satisfactory: the report shows what to work on.

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Based on Trinity College London’s GESE specifications (from January 2026). Always check trinitycollege.com/GESE for the current version.