Respond to a Situation(RTS)
12% of SPEAKINGScenario ≤60 words · 10s prep · 40s speaking
NEW in Aug 2025 — role-play with the right tone for the right listener.
Research-seeded guide — verified method and traps included; a full live example is coming next.
The Format
- Prompt
- Everyday scenario shown and read aloud
- Your job
- Apology, request, complaint, invitation or explanation — as fits
The Scoring
0–6
Content
Fits the situation, achieves the goal, right register. Human-reviewed.
0–5
Oral Fluency
0–5
Pronunciation
~12% of Speaking — the new tasks replaced Answer Short Question's speaking weight.
The System
Who · What · Why
1
READ
WHO am I talking to?
Manager or professor → formal. Friend → casual. Register is scored.
2
SHAPE
Greet → acknowledge → point → reason → close
"Hi [name], I'm really sorry about ___. The thing is, ___. Would it be possible to ___? I'd really appreciate it."
3
DEVELOP
30–35 seconds of speech
One-sentence answers score low on content — add a reason or an offer.
Avoid
The 3 Traps That Cost You the Task
✕ One-sentence answers
Content needs development: reason, offer, detail.
✕ Wrong tone
Casual with a professor or stiff with a friend costs content.
✕ Memorized-sounding delivery
Human-rated — sound like a person.
Daily Drills
- →Daily: 3 scenarios (apology, request, complaint) recorded and reviewed.
Memory Hooks
WHO → SHAPE → DEVELOPGreet · acknowledge · ask · close