Grade 9 is the final exam in Trinity’s Intermediate stage. It is a 15-minute speaking and listening exam with three parts. Candidates lead a discussion on a prepared topic, take charge of an interactive task, and explore two subjects chosen by the examiner. Across all three parts, they explain their reasoning, weigh alternatives, and respond when the examiner introduces a different point of view.

The candidate chooses a topic outside the six conversation subjects and leads a discussion about it. For example, someone who volunteers at a food bank could explore the question, Should volunteers choose their own roles? They might describe how the team currently assigns tasks, explain why some volunteers want more choice, and ask the examiner what they think would be fair. If the examiner challenges an assumption, the candidate can clarify it, qualify their opinion, or return to an earlier point. 

The examiner gives a short prompt, and the candidate decides what to ask next. Suppose the examiner says, “Our club turned down an offer of help last month, and now I’m wondering whether we made the right decision.” The candidate might first ask what kind of help was offered and why the club declined. Once they know the circumstances, they can consider alternatives: “Could you have accepted the equipment without agreeing to the other conditions?” The exchange gives the candidate an opportunity to uncover relevant facts and reconsider a past decision.

The examiner selects two of six subject areas: dreams and nightmares, crime and punishment, technology, habits and obsessions, global environmental issues, and design. Candidates explore ideas within those subjects and invite the examiner to contribute. In a discussion about design, for example, the two public-square proposals shown in the thumbnail could raise a question: “One plan leaves room for concerts, while the other adds trees and benches. Whose needs should come first?”

Candidates use grammar to express regret, examine assumptions, and connect past choices with present consequences. For example, “We should have asked residents before choosing the plan” evaluates a past action. “If we had asked them earlier, we would know what they need now” uses a mixed conditional to explain why that decision still matters. Candidates also express wishes and hopes, discuss hypothetical situations, and paraphrase when an idea needs clarification.

Grade 9 places emphasis on how stress, rhythm, and intonation help a listener follow an argument. In “I agree with the aim; I’m less sure about the cost,” the stressed words pinpoint where the speaker’s view changes. Candidates also use their voice to signal when they want to continue and when they are inviting a response. If interrupted, they can briefly recap the point and pick up the discussion where it left off.