ISE I

ISE I
B1 CEFR

Candidate profile
A candidate who passes ISE I can:
understand the main points of clear standard English that they hear or read on familiar matters
regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc.
deal with most everyday situations likely to arise while travelling in an English-speaking country
describe experiences and events
give brief reasons and explanations for his or her plans and opinions
read, respond to and write simple, connected texts on topics that are familiar or of personal interest.
This profile is based on the first stage of the level Independent User, B1, in the Common European
Framework of Reference.

The Portfolio
Trinity publishes a full list of the portfolio task options on its website. Candidates must select their
portfolio tasks from the ISE I task list for the current examination year (January to December). This is
determined by the year in which the final Interview component takes place. No other tasks are acceptable.
Here are some examples of the three portfolio task types at ISE I:
Portfolio section

Correspondence

Factual writing

Creative/descriptive
writing

Example text output types

Example task

Letter/email

You have decided to join a new fitness

centre. Write a letter to the manager
explaining why you want to join. Give
details of your present level of fitness
and describe what physical activities
you have done in the past.
(7080 words)

Report/article/review

Write an article for a teenage magazine

about next seasons fashions. Describe
what clothes will be fashionable for
teenage boys and girls next season and
give your opinion on the new styles.
(110130 words)

Story/diary/description

Write your diary entry for the best day

of your life. Describe what happened and
explain why it was so special.
(110130 words)

A full list of the current ISE I portfolio tasks and sample portfolio answers written by ISE I
candidates can be found on the Trinity website.

The Controlled Written examination

The ISE I Controlled Written examination consists of two tasks that have equal weighting. Candidates
must complete both tasks. There is no choice given. The time allowed is 1 hour 30 minutes.

Examination format
Task 1 Reading into writing task: approximately 150 words
Task 2 Writing task: approximately 150 words
For further information about the structure of ISE I Controlled Written examination tasks please see
pages 1012.
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Sample of the Controlled Written paper for ISE I

Time allowed: 1 hour 30 minutes
This examination paper contains two tasks. You must complete both tasks.
Task 1 Reading into writing task
Read the text below and then, in your own words, write an article (approximately 150
words) for a health magazine:
i) telling readers what they need to do if they want to feel good in the morning
ii) saying which of the things below you do personally and
iii) explaining how it helps you start the day.

Start the day in a positive way

If you start the morning feeling refreshed and calm, you will enjoy the rest of your
day. Here are some healthy lifestyle habits to incorporate into your morning routine.
Move the alarm clock so you have to stretch to reach it. Then lie still in bed and
see how you feel about the day. Try to be positive. Each day is a new start and
another chance for good things to happen.
Dont have tea or coffee. Try a lemon drink or a glass of freshly squeezed orange
or grapefruit juice.
Get some fresh air! Breathe slowly by an open window, on a balcony or in a
garden. If you can, do your breathing while you look at some green things
parks and gardens, trees and plants. This will help to make you feel good about
the day.
Put on some music! Listening to music as you get ready will create positive
energy and a sense of peace (or a sense of fun if you play party music).
If you are a morning person and feel like exercising before work or school, thats
great. A morning walk can get you ready for the day, reduce stress and help you
sleep better at night.
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so make sure you eat plenty of
protein and fruit in the morning and avoid sugary foods.
(Source: Adapted from Muller Vitality Feel Good leaflet)
Use your own words as far as possible. No marks for answers copied from the reading texts.

Task 2 Writing task

Youve just won a big prize in a competition. Write an email (approximately 150 words) to
a friend:
i) explaining what you had to do in the competition
ii) describing what you have won and
iii) telling your friend how you are planning to celebrate tonight.

Past Controlled Written examination papers and sample answers written by ISE I candidates can be
found on the Trinity website.
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ISE I

The Interview
Interview format
Total Interview time: 8 minutes
.

The Interview at ISE I consists of two assessed phases:

Discussion of a topic prepared by the candidate (up to 4 minutes)
Conversation with the examiner including a discussion of the portfolio and one subject area
selected by the examiner (up to 4 minutes).

Communicative skills for the Interview

The candidate is expected to demonstrate the following communicative skills during the Interview.
Communicative skills for the Interview
In the Topic phase
Show understanding of the examiner by responding appropriately to questions
Give information about the prepared topic in a series of sustained turns under the four
discussion points on the Topic form
Make the sequence of events clear by referring back to previous events and forward to
forthcoming events
Answer questions on the prepared topic, and participate in informal discussion of the topic,
responding to the examiners requests for more information, facts or details
Ask the examiner at least one question about the topic area
Take the opportunity provided to include samples of the language functions and language items
listed for ISE I, where appropriate
In the Conversation phase
Show understanding of the examiner by responding appropriately to questions
Provide information and offer opinions where appropriate
Start to play a limited part in initiating and maintaining the conversation
Ask the examiner at least one question related to the portfolio and at least one question about
the subject area
Discuss the contents of the portfolio

Interview procedure
The examiner begins by greeting the candidate, trying to set him or her at ease and asking to see
the candidates identification.
The examiner asks the candidate for the Topic form and the candidate tells the examiner what he
or she is going to talk about.
During the Topic phase the examiner randomly selects one of the discussion points on the Topic
form and asks the candidate questions and makes comments to facilitate a spontaneous discussion
about the prepared topic. This continues until all four points on the Topic form have been covered.
During the Topic phase the candidate asks the examiner at least one question related to the topic.
This phase lasts up to four minutes.
The examiner then closes this phase of the examination and moves on to the portfolio discussion
and conversation.
During the Conversation phase the examiner spends approximately two minutes asking the
candidate about the contents of his or her portfolio. The candidate must ask the examiner at least
one question related to the portfolio. The examiner then selects one of the subject areas listed
for ISE I and engages the candidate in genuine conversation for a further two minutes. During the
conversation the candidate gives information, makes statements and responds as appropriate.
In addition, the candidate must ask the examiner at least one question related to the subject area
being discussed. This phase last up to four minutes.
The examiner brings the Conversation phase and the Interview to an end.

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ISE I

Sample ISE I Interviews can be found on the Trinity website. A DVD showing examples of ISE
Interviews at all levels is also available to Registered Centres.

Guidance for the Interview

Discussion of a prepared topic
The purpose of the Topic phase is to give candidates the opportunity to display his or her command of
the language of the level while talking about self-selected and personally relevant topics.
When choosing the topic for discussion, candidates should prepare the topic on a subject they are
personally interested in, knowledgeable about and able to talk about.
Please note the topic should not be chosen directly from the list of ISE I subject areas for the
Conversation phase or linked to any of the tasks in the portfolio. Instead, candidates should be
strongly encouraged to prepare a personalised topic. This is to enable candidates to show a wide
range of language throughout the Interview.
The personal aspect is an important feature of all Trinity examinations. Therefore, candidates should
be discouraged from selecting the same topic as their peers. Teachers should ensure that if groups of
learners do decide to use the same topic, e.g. football, every effort is made to personalise the content.
The topic should provide candidates with the opportunity to demonstrate the language requirements
of the level. Therefore, candidates should be encouraged to incorporate language items of the level
into their contributions.
When preparing the topic, candidates are advised to think carefully about the amount of material
necessary for their topic, bearing in mind the time available. They should prepare enough material
to sustain a discussion of the topic for up to four minutes, but not more.
Candidates must not prepare their topic as a written script, as this will inevitably lead to a memorised
recitation and result in the candidate not being prepared to use spontaneous spoken English. Recitation
will have a negative effect on the assessment of this phase.
In preparing their topic, candidates are advised to anticipate questions the examiner might ask.
They should be prepared to give further examples, explanations and clarifications as requested
by the examiner.
Before the Interview, the candidate must complete the Topic form and bring it to the examination
room. The Topic form is designed to help promote a spontaneous discussion which must not include
or rely on a memorised recitation.
The candidate must complete the Topic form with four points for discussion. One sentence will suffice
for each point. An example of a completed ISE I Topic form is provided as Appendix 4.
The examiner will refer to the points on the Topic form in no particular order until all four discussion
points have been covered. Therefore, all of the points should be thematic and provide an opportunity
for discussing different aspects of the topic. Topic forms must not include such general points as
Introduction, or What I did next...
The Topic form can be written by a person other than the candidate as written skills in English are not
assessed in the Interview. However, the content of the form should have originated from the candidate.
As the Topic form is crucial for the execution of this phase, the phase will not take place if the
information contained on the form is not made available to the examiner.
It is a requirement of the Interview that candidates ask the examiner relevant and appropriate
questions throughout the Topic phase. At ISE I, the candidate must ask the examiner at least one
question about the topic.
Candidates may bring pictures, photos, diagrams, or other useful objects into the examination room
to illustrate the topic and aid the discussion with the examiner. However, live animals or dangerous
objects such as knives must not be brought into the examination room.
Please note a candidate who fails to prepare a topic for discussion cannot be assessed for Task
fulfilment for this phase. The phase will be voided and this will result in a fail being awarded for the
examination as a whole.

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ISE I

The Conversation phase

The purpose of the Conversation phase is to give candidates the opportunity to discuss their portfolio
and to participate in a genuine and interesting exchange of information, ideas and opinions while
demonstrating their ability to use the language of the level.
In the discussion of the portfolio candidates must be ready to discuss points of detail arising out
of their portfolio and to give further examples and clarifications as requested by the examiner.
The portfolio itself will be in the possession of the examiner, who will have already studied it for
assessment purposes, and thus it will be available for reference by both examiner and candidate.
The candidate must ask the examiner at least one question about their portfolio. This must relate
to the content of the portfolio and must not include questions designed to find out the examiners
opinion of the work.
The next section of this phase consists of a discussion of one subject area as selected by the
examiner from the list provided. Although the examiner will only select one subject area, candidates
need to be prepared to talk about all of them. The examiner may introduce everyday objects or
pictures to facilitate the conversation. The candidate must ask the examiner at least one question
about the subject area in this section.
In this phase, candidates are encouraged to contribute as much as they can to the conversation
and make every effort to show the examiner the range and quality of the language required.
Candidates must not memorise or recite responses to the examiners questions as this will lead
to the candidate being unable to take part in a genuine conversation with the examiner.

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Language requirements for ISE I

In addition to the items specified for ISE 0, the candidate is expected to demonstrate the ability to use
the language functions and language items listed below.

Language requirements
Language functions
Describing the future informing and
predicting
Expressing preferences
Describing events in the indefinite and
recent past
Giving reasons
Stating the duration of events

Quantifying
Expressing and requesting opinions and
impressions
Expressing intention and purpose
Expressing obligation and necessity
Expressing certainty and uncertainty
Describing past actions over a period of time

Grammar
Present perfect tense including use with for,
since, ever, never, just
Connecting clauses using because
Will referring to the future for informing
and predicting
Adjectives and adverbials of quantity,
e.g. a lot (of), not very much, many

Expressions of preference, e.g. I prefer, Id rather

Zero and first conditionals, using if and when
Present continuous tense for future use
Past continuous tense
Modals connected to the functions listed
above, e.g. must, need to, might, dont have to
Infinitive of purpose

Lexis
Vocabulary specific to the topic and
subject areas
Further expressions relating to the past,
e.g. two days ago, the day before yesterday

Expressions relating to future time, e.g. the

day after tomorrow, in the future
Common phrasal verbs
Phrases and expressions relating to the
language functions listed above

Phonology (Interview only)

The correct pronunciation of vocabulary
specific to the topic and subject areas
The combination of weak forms and
contractions, e.g. Ive been to...
Sentence stress to clarify meaning

Basic intonation and features of connected

speech at sentence level
The intonation patterns of more complex
questions
Avoidance of speech patterns of recitation

Subject areas for the Conversation phase of the Interview

One subject area will be selected by the examiner from the list below.
Travel
Money
Fashion

Rules and regulations

Health and fitness
Learning a foreign language

Please note ISE I candidates should not select their topic from the list of subject areas above
(see guidance notes on page 30).

Subject areas for the Portfolio and Controlled Written examination

In addition to the subject areas listed for the Conversation phase of the Interview:
Festivals
Means of transport
Special occasions, e.g. birthday celebrations

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Entertainment, e.g. cinema, television, clubs

Music
Recent personal experiences

ISE I

General skills for ISE I (B1 CEFR)

Speaking
Overall spoken production
Can connect sentences in a simple way in order to describe experiences and events.
Overall spoken interaction
Can enter unprepared into conversation on familiar topics, express personal opinions and exchange
information on topics that are familiar, of personal interest or pertinent to everyday life.

Listening
Overall listening comprehension
Can understand straightforward factual information about common everyday topics, identifying
both general messages and specific detail, provided speech is clearly articulated.
Understanding a native speaker
Can generally follow clearly articulated speech, although may have to ask for repetition of
particular words and phrases.

Reading
Overall reading comprehension
Can read straightforward factual texts on subjects related to his or her field of interest with a
satisfactory level of comprehension.
Processing written text
Can collate short pieces of information from different sources and summarise them.
Can paraphrase short written passages in a simple way.

Writing
Overall written production
Can write straightforward connected text on a range of familiar subjects within his or her field of
interest by linking a series of shorter discrete elements into a linear sequence.
Correspondence
Can write personal letters or emails giving news and expressing his or her thoughts, ideas and opinions.
Can write personal letters or emails describing experiences and events in some detail.
Factual writing
Can write short simple essays on topics of interest.
Can summarise, report and give his or her opinion about factual information matters within
his or her field of interest.
Creative/descriptive writing
Can write straightforward detailed descriptions on a range of familiar subjects.
Can write accounts of experiences in a simple connected text.
Can write a description of an event real or imagined, e.g. a recent trip.

ISE I communicative skills, language requirements and general skills have been mapped to B1
in the CEFR.

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