Module 05 —Describing a Photo
Speaking Part 2 (long turn) · place and position language · keeping going for a minute
PET parts in this lesson · mixed-skill spiral
Why this lesson now? Second Speaking 2 photo turn, with fluency focus.
CEFR Pathway · You are here
Get ready · 01
5 minGet talking
Describe your bedroom to your partner without saying its name. Can they guess which room it is?
Look around the room. Choose an object and describe exactly where it is using 'next to', 'in front of', 'behind'.
Try to talk about your weekend for 30 seconds without stopping. What made it hard?
Grammar for the Exam · 02
8–10 minDescribing position and appearance (prepositions of place)
Use prepositions like 'in front of', 'behind', 'next to' and 'in the background/foreground' to say exactly where people and things are.
When you describe a photo, you need to say clearly where things are, not just what they are. Prepositions of place help you do this precisely: 'next to' shows two things are close together, 'in front of' and 'behind' show one thing is closer or further from the viewer, and 'in the background' or 'in the foreground' describe distance within the whole picture. Using these phrases, plus a few guessing phrases like 'it looks as if' or 'they seem to be', helps you sound natural and keeps you talking smoothly for the full minute, even if you are not completely sure about a detail.
→ There's a woman standing behind the stall, next to some boxes of fruit.
→ In the background, I can see some trees and a car park.
→ It looks as if the man in the foreground is choosing some vegetables.
→ The children seem to be standing in front of a table full of food.
Question 1.'The dog is sitting ____ the chair.' (closer to viewer)
Question 2.Which phrase describes something far away in a photo?
Question 3.'She's standing ____ her friend.' (right beside)
Question 4.Which phrase is used to guess about a photo?
Question 5.'The boy ____ the woman is her son.'
Quick check 1.In Speaking Part 2, roughly how long should you speak for?
Exam Vocabulary · 03
5–7 minWords & phrases to own
a small table or stand where things are sold
Have you ever bought something from a market stall?
a person who buys something from a shop or seller
What makes a customer come back to the same shop?
fruit and vegetables that were recently picked
Do you prefer buying fresh produce at a market or a supermarket?
to measure how heavy something is
When was the last time you saw someone weigh food in a shop?
clothing worn over the front of your body to protect it while cooking or working
Do you or your family ever wear an apron at home?
to cut food into pieces
What's the last thing you chopped or sliced while cooking?
further away, at the back of a photo or scene
Describe something in the background of the room you're in now.
closer to the viewer, at the front of a photo or scene
What's usually in the foreground of a family photo?
to look or feel like something is true, without being certain
Look at a classmate — what do they seem to be feeling today?
Tap an item on the left, then tap its match on the right.
Activation · Personalise · Recycle
Use the vocabulary in full descriptive sentences, as you would in Speaking Part 2.
Ask your partner
- What can you usually buy from a market stall?
- What makes a good customer experience?
- Why might people prefer fresh produce?
"The last time I chopped or sliced something was..."chop
Do you think cooking at home is more enjoyable than eating out? Give a reason.
Give your answer + one reason.
Write 35 words describing a market you have visited, real or imagined.
Pronunciation for Speaking · 04
3–4 minSentence stress on descriptive words
Stress the key descriptive word in each phrase: 'in the BACKground', 'a busy STALL', 'FRESH produce'.
- • There's a busy STALL in the FOREground.
- • In the BACKground, I can see some TREES.
- • The WOMAN seems to be SERVING a CUSTomer.
- • It LOOKS as if they're at a FARMers' market.
Reading Skills · 05
8–10 minReading strategy — keeping talking for a full minute
Many PET candidates lose marks in Speaking Part 2 not because their English is wrong, but because they stop talking too early. The task asks you to describe your photograph for about a minute, and examiners are trained to notice when a candidate runs out of things to say after only twenty or thirty seconds.
The best way to avoid this is to have a simple, repeatable structure in your head before the exam. Start with the general scene ('This photo shows...'), then describe the people or main objects, then say where things are using position language, and finish with a guess about what is happening or how people feel. If you are not sure about a detail, never stop talking — use a guessing phrase like 'it looks as if' or 'I think this might be', which lets you keep speaking naturally instead of saying nothing.
Another useful trick is to describe the same photo twice in practice, once quickly and once slowly, adding more detail the second time. This shows you that almost any photo has enough detail to talk about for a full minute if you know where to look — foreground, background, people, objects, and your own guesses about the scene.
Question 1.Why do many candidates lose marks in Speaking Part 2, according to the text?
Question 2.What should you do first when describing a photo?
Question 3.What should you do if you're not sure about a detail?
Question 4.What order does the text suggest for a description?
Question 5.What does practising the same photo twice show you?
Listening Skills · 06
8–10 minComparing two photo descriptions
Listening audio
Tap play to listen. Replay as many times as you need.
Show transcript
Teacher:OK, let's look at your two Speaking Part 2 photos. Maria, can you describe yours?
Maria:In my photo, there's a busy market stall with lots of fresh fruit and vegetables.
Teacher:Good start. What's happening in the foreground?
Maria:A man is weighing some vegetables for a customer. He's wearing an apron.
Teacher:And in the background?
Maria:It looks as if there are more customers waiting in a small queue.
Teacher:Excellent. Tom, what about your photo?
Tom:Mine shows a family cooking dinner together in a kitchen.
Teacher:Where is everyone standing?
Tom:A woman is next to the cooker, and a child is standing in front of the table, helping to chop vegetables.
Teacher:Nice detail. How do they seem to feel?
Tom:They seem happy — the child is smiling while they cook together.
Question 1.What is Maria's photo mainly about?
Question 2.What is the man in Maria's photo doing?
Question 3.What can be seen in the background of Maria's photo?
Question 4.What is Tom's photo about?
Question 5.Where is the child standing in Tom's photo?
Question 6.How do the people in Tom's photo seem to feel?
Exam Strategy · 07
5 minSpeaking Part 2 — describing a colour photograph
Scene → people/objects → position → guess. Never stop talking — guess instead.
Task
You are given a photograph and asked to describe it for about a minute, while your partner listens without seeing it (and then does the same with a different photo).
Example
This photo shows a busy market stall. In the foreground, a man is weighing vegetables for a customer. In the background, there are more people waiting. It looks as if it's a sunny day at an outdoor market.
Writing Task · 08
5 minPut it in writing
Q1.Give one phrase for guessing about a photo when you're not sure.
Q2.Give one preposition that shows something is close to another thing.
Write a description (35–45 words) of a photo of a market or kitchen scene, using at least two position phrases (e.g. 'in the background', 'next to').
Your writing draft
0 words SavedShow model answer & examiner comment
This photo shows a busy outdoor market. In the foreground, a woman is choosing fresh fruit from a stall. Next to her, a vendor is weighing vegetables for another customer. In the background, more people are walking between the stalls, looking at what's for sale.
Examiner comment
| 5 | All content points covered; consistent style; range of structures; minor errors only. |
| 3 | Content mostly covered; mostly suitable style; some range; errors don't stop the reader understanding. |
| 1 | Limited content; intrusive errors; very basic structures; under-length. |
Speaking Task · 09
10–15 minMake it a real conversation
In pairs, take turns describing a photo you both know (or a photo shown on screen) for about a minute each. Your partner should not interrupt until you finish, then give one piece of feedback.
Candidate A — At a farmers' market
Need help? Show prompts (try describing with no help first)
- • What can you see in the photo?
- • Where is the stall?
- • What is the vendor doing?
- • How do the customers look?
- • Do you enjoy shopping at markets?
Candidate B — Cooking dinner together
Need help? Show prompts (try describing with no help first)
- • What can you see in the photo?
- • Where are the people?
- • What is each person doing?
- • How do they seem to feel?
- • Do you enjoy cooking with your family?
Useful phrases
- • In the photo I can see...
- • They seem to be...
- • It looks as if...
- • In the background...
- • Next to...
Show model 1-minute description
In this photo I can see a busy outdoor market. In the foreground, a vendor is serving a customer at a stall full of fresh fruit and vegetables. He seems to be weighing something for her. In the background, other customers are walking between the stalls, looking at what's on sale. It looks like a sunny day, and everyone seems relaxed and cheerful.
Optional · Teacher-led
Teacher Activities
Use if the Speaking Part 2 practice finishes early. ~14 min total
Homework · 10
Take-homeTake it home
Self-study — everything you need is included below. All four skills are covered so you keep the spiral going between lessons; pick the order that suits you.
Practise describing a photo from your phone for one minute, recording yourself, then check how much you said.
Your response
0 words SavedMaterials included
Structure to follow
Attempt the task first, then check your answers.
Complete the position-language gaps, then check your answers.
Your response
0 words SavedMaterials included
Gaps
Attempt the task first, then check your answers.
Write a 40-word description of a family photo you own, using at least two position phrases.
Your response
0 words SavedMaterials included
Checklist
Attempt the task first, then check your answers.
Recap · 11
2–3 minWhat you've learned
- Use a clear structure to describe a photo: scene, people/objects, position, then a guess.
- Prepositions of place like 'next to', 'in front of' and 'in the background' make descriptions precise.
- Never stop talking if you're unsure — use guessing phrases like 'it looks as if' instead.
- Stress key descriptive words to sound clear and confident.
- Practising the same photo twice shows there's always enough detail for a full minute.