CEFR Spoken Interaction Strategies 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When you don't understand a word in a conversation, which CEFR-recommended strategy is most effective for keeping the interaction going?
- Ask the speaker to repeat the entire sentence
- Request clarification by paraphrasing what you think you heard (Correct answer)
- Stay silent and hope context makes it clear later
- Change the subject to avoid embarrassment
Correct answer: Request clarification by paraphrasing what you think you heard
Paraphrasing what you think you heard signals a communication breakdown precisely and invites targeted clarification without derailing the conversation.
Question 2: At which CEFR level does a learner typically begin to initiate, maintain, and end simple face-to-face conversations on familiar topics?
- A1
- A2
- B1 (Correct answer)
- B2
Correct answer: B1
B1 descriptors include the ability to enter unprepared into conversation on familiar topics and keep it going with reasonable ease.
Question 3: Which phrase best exemplifies a 'turn-taking' cue used in spoken interaction according to CEFR?
- 'I completely agree with everything you said.'
- 'Could you speak more slowly?'
- 'That's interesting — and what do you think about…?' (Correct answer)
- 'I'm afraid I don't understand the question.'
Correct answer: 'That's interesting — and what do you think about…?'
Redirecting with 'and what do you think about…?' is a classic turn-yielding device that hands the floor to another speaker.
Question 4: In CEFR spoken interaction descriptors, 'repair strategies' refer to:
- Correcting a partner's grammar errors politely
- Recovering from communication breakdowns by rewording or asking for help (Correct answer)
- Replacing difficult vocabulary with simpler synonyms before speaking
- Revising a written script before delivering a speech
Correct answer: Recovering from communication breakdowns by rewording or asking for help
Repair strategies are techniques used to fix misunderstandings or breakdowns mid-conversation, such as self-correction or asking for confirmation.
Question 5: A C1 speaker's spoken interaction is characterized by which feature that distinguishes it from B2?
- Ability to discuss familiar topics without preparation
- Fluent, spontaneous expression with only occasional searching for words (Correct answer)
- Using fixed phrases to manage basic transactions
- Asking for repetition when speech is fast
Correct answer: Fluent, spontaneous expression with only occasional searching for words
C1 descriptors emphasize fluent, spontaneous interaction with very few pauses or circumlocutions, going beyond the competent but sometimes effortful B2 level.
Question 6: Which strategy is associated with 'compensating for gaps' in spoken interaction at lower CEFR levels?
- Using circumlocution to describe what you can't name directly (Correct answer)
- Memorizing lists of advanced vocabulary before speaking
- Avoiding topics outside your comfort zone entirely
- Speaking faster to appear more fluent
Correct answer: Using circumlocution to describe what you can't name directly
Circumlocution — describing a concept when you lack the exact word — is a core compensatory strategy recognized in CEFR interaction descriptors.
Question 7: When a C2 speaker engages in spoken interaction, how does the CEFR describe their ability to handle misunderstandings?
- They rarely encounter misunderstandings due to perfect grammar
- They can backtrack and reformulate smoothly to avoid confusion (Correct answer)
- They depend on the interlocutor to resolve all misunderstandings
- They use formal language exclusively to minimize ambiguity
Correct answer: They can backtrack and reformulate smoothly to avoid confusion
C2 descriptors state that speakers can backtrack when they encounter a difficulty and restructure around it so smoothly that the interlocutor is hardly aware.
CEFR Spoken Interaction Strategies 2
When you don't understand a word in a conversation, which CEFR-recommended strategy is most effective for keeping the interaction going?