Trinity GESE Grade 4 is an elementary speaking and listening exam for adults and younger learners. It lasts 10 minutes and has two parts. The candidate spends up to five minutes discussing a topic they have prepared, followed by up to five minutes in conversation about two subjects chosen by the examiner. Across both parts, candidates show that they can listen to a question, respond with relevant details, and take part in a two-way exchange.

Before the exam, the candidate chooses a personal topic outside the six conversation subjects listed below and completes a topic form with four discussion points. For example, a candidate choosing My neighbourhood could prepare to discuss where they lived before, what they like about their street, how their area compares with another, and a local place they plan to visit. The examiner uses these points to guide the discussion and may ask for more detail. The candidate also asks the examiner at least one related question, such as “What do you like about your neighbourhood?

The examiner selects two subjects from six areas: holidays, shopping, school and work, hobbies and sports, food, and weekend and seasonal activities. Candidates draw on their own experiences, so the same subject can suit learners of different ages. For example, a conversation about food might begin with “What do you usually have for lunch?” and continue with “What did you eat yesterday?” Listening closely helps the candidate recognise when the conversation moves from a habit to a particular event. 

Candidates talk about past events and future plans, express likes and dislikes, make comparisons, and describe how or how often they do something. A question about shopping, for example, might prompt the answer, “I usually go to the market on Saturdays, but last week I went on Friday.” If the examiner asks which shop they prefer, the candidate could add, “The market is cheaper, but the supermarket is closer.” These exchanges show how grammar helps the speaker convey a time, a preference, or a contrast.

Candidates work on saying familiar words clearly and using a natural rhythm when they speak. One Grade 4 focus is the regular past-tense ending -ed, which sounds different in walked, played, and wanted. For the topic discussion, a useful way to practise is to have a partner ask about the four points in a different order each time. This encourages the candidate to listen and shape each answer to the question.