English - C2 — Proficient

Navigating a heated debate at a dinner party

You are a guest at an intimate dinner party where a fellow attendee makes a controversial claim about urban planning. You disagree but wish

Giving feedback on a colleague's proposal

You are a senior team member who has been asked to review a junior colleague's draft proposal before it goes to senior management. You need

Negotiating a Hybrid Work Arrangement

You are a senior project manager meeting with your director to propose a transition from full-time office presence to a hybrid working model

Discussing your son's possible dyslexia with your partner

After receiving a letter from your son's year-four teacher suggesting a screening for dyslexia, you and your partner are discussing it toget

Lodging a formal complaint and negotiating compensation

You have purchased a premium product that proved defective within days. You are now on the telephone with the retailer's customer relations

Responding to constructive feedback in a performance review

Sam has been called into a mid-year performance review with his manager, Clare. A key project underperformed expectations, and Clare needs t

Challenging a mis-sold financial product

You are on a call with a customer relations representative at your bank, disputing a complex financial product that was sold to you under mi

Addressing a museum board about repatriation concerns

You are a community representative attending a formal museum board meeting where trustees are debating whether to return an artefact to its

Giving a nuanced professional reference

You are a former line manager who has been asked to provide a professional reference for a previous subordinate who is applying for a senior

Defending a controversial restructuring plan to anxious staff

You are a senior director who has just announced a departmental restructuring that involves closing a beloved community programme. A tense a

Requesting a sabbatical from your director

You are a senior specialist who has been with your organisation for eight years. You have arranged a meeting with your director, James, to f

Presenting an Unpopular Policy Change to Staff

You are a department head at a public arts council. Your organisation has announced that due to funding cuts, opening hours at three regiona

Mediating a Dispute Between Two Colleagues

You are a senior team lead called in to mediate a conflict between two colleagues who have had a falling out over project credit. Your role

Conducting a Disciplinary Hearing as Chair

You are a newly appointed HR manager convening your first formal disciplinary hearing. An employee, Ms. Patterson, has been called to answer

Communicating project discontinuation with empathy

You are a department head who must inform your team that the internal project they have championed for two years is being discontinued due t

Seeking a Second Medical Opinion

You have been referred to a new specialist after months of unexplained symptoms. You are preparing for your first consultation and need to a

Consulting a Listed Building Officer About Planned Alterations

You are a homeowner who has just purchased a Victorian end-of-terrace property. You are meeting with Ms. Thornbury, a listed building consen

Defending your thesis in a viva voce examination

You are a doctoral candidate sitting your viva voce examination. Two external examiners have read your thesis on post-war urban regeneration

Appealing an academic decision

You are a postgraduate student who has received a mark of 48 on your dissertation, narrowly failing to pass. You have been granted a formal

Exploring a grandparent's wartime childhood memories

You are a researcher with training in oral history methodology. You have arranged to visit your 92-year-old grandfather, Arthur, to record h

Requesting compassionate leave

You are meeting with your line manager to request two weeks of compassionate leave following a family emergency. Your manager, while sympath

Negotiating a Salary Review During a Formal HR Meeting

You are a mid-career professional attending a scheduled salary review meeting with an HR Business Partner to discuss aligning your compensat

Presenting a sabbatical proposal to an academic committee

You are a senior lecturer who has applied for a twelve-month sabbatical to complete a monograph. The Research and Strategy Committee has sum

Responding to a critical internal review

You are a senior researcher who has received a critical internal review of your department's annual report from a newly appointed quality as

Contesting a parking penalty at tribunal

You are appearing before a parking adjudication tribunal to challenge a £200 penalty charge notice issued for parking in a bay you believe w

Consulting an Art Conservator About a Family Heirloom

You have inherited a damaged 18th-century oil painting from your grandmother. At a specialist conservation studio, you are meeting with Elen

Realigning a Major Donor's Vision with Organisational Strategy

You are the Development Director of a regional arts charity. Richard, a long-standing major donor, has requested a meeting to discuss his de

Defending Research Methodology to an Ethics Review Board

You are a postdoctoral researcher summoned to appear before your university's research ethics board, who have received an anonymous complain

Presenting a pub licensing objection at a council hearing

You are a local resident addressing the licensing committee of your borough council to object to a new late-night venue's application to ext

Requesting time off for fertility treatment

You are an employee who has been undergoing fertility treatment for several months. You need to request a series of short-notice absences fr

Defending a controversial editorial decision at a press briefing

You are the editor-in-chief of a regional newspaper who has published an investigative piece about a local authority. Senior councillors are

Presenting a counter-proposal to senior leadership

You are a product development lead meeting with the executive committee, who have already decided to discontinue your flagship legacy produc

Navigating a Public Planning Inquiry

You are the director of a housing development company appearing before a public planning inquiry. An inspector will question you about a pro

Defending a research grant to a funding council

You are a postdoctoral researcher appearing before an arts and humanities research council grant panel. Two senior academics have questioned

Negotiating a house price after a disappointing survey

You are a first-time buyer whose offer on a Victorian terrace has been accepted, but the mortgage valuation survey has flagged significant r

Negotiating workplace adjustments after mental health absence

You are a marketing manager who has been on sick leave for three months due to anxiety and depression. Today you meet with Priya, your HR Bu

Delivering a character reference in a sentencing hearing

You have been asked by a solicitor to provide a character reference for a close friend facing sentencing for a non-violent offence. You are

Advocating for a vulnerable adult's care preferences

You are an independent advocate meeting with a social worker at an Adult Social Care office. Your client, Mr. Ainsworth, has moderate cognit

Defending Research Findings on Live Television

You are a research psychologist who has published a study linking social media use to anxiety in adolescents. You have been invited onto a p

Negotiating freelance contract terms

You are a freelance UX consultant who has been offered a six-month contract by a mid-sized tech company. Before signing, you need to negotia

Negotiating a Freelance Contract with a Corporate Client

You run a small web development studio. A corporate client has expressed interest in your services for a major project, but their standard c

Addressing a football board about the manager's dismissal

You are a prominent club member and former captain, summoned to address the board of directors at a top-flight football club who are conside

Discussing a terminal prognosis with family

Your mother has been diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer and has asked you to help explain her prognosis to the wider family. You are

Crisis Communication: Briefing the Board After a Data Breach

You are the Head of Corporate Communications at a mid-sized financial services firm. Overnight, your IT team discovered a significant data b

Negotiating Listed Building Consent for Home Improvements

You are the owner of a Grade II listed Regency terrace and have arranged a meeting with Elena, a conservation officer from your local planni

Facing Cross-Examination at an Employment Tribunal

You are representing yourself as the claimant in a disability discrimination employment tribunal. The respondent's barrister will question y

Addressing a Family Member's Driving Capacity After Diagnosis

At your parents' home, you must raise concerns with your mother and father about your 78-year-old grandfather's recent diagnosis of early-st

Requesting a flexible retirement arrangement

You are a senior manager in your late fifties who has arranged a private meeting with your HR Director to request a gradual transition into

Defending Your Teaching Registration at a Fitness to Practise Hearing

You are a secondary school teacher whose registration is under review following three parental complaints about classroom management. You ar

Challenging an archaeological interpretation at a conference

You are a postdoctoral researcher attending a session at an international archaeology conference. A senior colleague has just presented a re

Discussing a grandparent's wartime experiences

You are a researcher with training in oral history methodology. You have arranged to visit your 92-year-old grandfather, Arthur, to record h

Media training for a first broadcast interview

You are a communications consultant coaching Priya, a climate scientist who has been invited onto a flagship news programme to discuss her d

Discussing a friend's decision to create a living will

A close friend, Helen, has recently been diagnosed with a progressive neurological condition and has asked to meet you for coffee to discuss

Addressing a Friend's Gambling Concerns

You are meeting your close friend Marcus for coffee. Over the past several months, you have noticed concerning changes in his behaviour – mi

Discussing a Difficult Veterinary Prognosis

You are meeting with Dr. Patel, an experienced veterinary surgeon, to discuss the test results for your twelve-year-old border collie, Bella

Consulting a barrister about suspected patent infringement

You are a technology entrepreneur who has discovered that a former business partner is manufacturing and selling a product that closely mirr

Responding to an IPSO Press Complaints Commission inquiry

You are the editor of a regional newspaper. The Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) has opened a formal investigation following

Preparing for a sensitive radio interview about a family member's past

You are a communications consultant coaching Marcus, a former MP who has agreed to give a live BBC Radio 4 interview about newly released in

Presenting a Licensing Mitigation Appeal to the Licensing Panel

You are the manager of a neighbourhood public house who has been summoned to appear before the licensing sub-committee of your local council

Presenting a controversial marine archaeology discovery to trustees

You are a marine archaeologist who has discovered significant evidence of an unmapped medieval shipwreck in local waters. At a meeting with

Discussing Anniversary Reactions with a Grief Counsellor

You are meeting with a grief counsellor, Dr. Naylor, for your third session following the loss of your sister eighteen months ago. The first

Advocating for a colleague's religious accommodation

You are a senior team lead in a diverse department. Your colleague, Fatima, a talented analyst, has mentioned she found the scheduling of an

Presenting a character reference at a disciplinary hearing

A colleague has been suspended pending a disciplinary investigation, and you have been called to give a character reference to the panel. Yo

Discussing a friend's career pivot from academia to the trades

Your close friend Marcus has just told you over coffee that after fifteen years as a university lecturer in English Literature, he has decid

Defending an Interpretation at an Academic Conference

You are a postdoctoral researcher presenting your re-dating of a disputed stone circle at a prestigious archaeology conference. Two senior s

Negotiating a contents insurance claim after a kitchen fire

You are at home, three weeks after a minor kitchen fire caused by a faulty appliance. Your insurers, Alderton & Hart, have initially decline

Presenting at a Public Inquiry Against Demolition

You are a local history campaigner addressing a planning inspector at a public inquiry into a developer's application to demolish a Victoria

Questioning a gallery curator's interpretation of a painting

You are attending a private view at a regional gallery where a visiting curator has just concluded a short talk on a newly acquired landscap

Preparing to come out at work

You are meeting your close friend Claire for coffee. She has recently begun gender transition and has asked you to help her prepare for disc

Discussing a friend's possible radicalisation with a Prevent coordinator

You are meeting with a trained Prevent safeguarding coordinator at your local council offices. Over the past several months, you have become

Advocating for listed building status at a council meeting

You are a conservation architect attending a borough council planning committee meeting to object to the demolition of a Victorian bathhouse

Negotiating a Residuals Clause in a TV Drama Contract

You are a television director who has been offered the lead on a prestige drama series. At the production company's offices, you are meeting

Negotiating a flood damage settlement with a loss adjuster

Your ground-floor flat sustained significant flood damage following a burst pipe in the flat above. Your insurer has sent a loss adjuster to

Planning a Direct Cremation with a Funeral Arranger

You are meeting with a funeral arranger at a crematorium following the sudden death of your father. You have chosen a direct cremation to ke

Negotiating a Personal Injury Compensation Settlement

Three months after a road traffic accident that was not your fault, you are meeting with a claims handler at a personal injury law firm to d

Reporting a dignity-at-work concern to HR

You are a senior team member who has been made aware that a colleague you manage has been subjected to persistent undermining behaviour by a

Addressing a Workplace Cultural Dress Code Concern

You are a team lead who has been asked by HR to speak with Priya, a talented analyst, after a client commented on her choice of cultural dre

Consulting a Forensic Accountant About Suspected Embezzlement

You are the owner of a small creative agency. Over the past several months, your accountant has flagged irregularities in the quarterly acco

Navigating an Interfaith Dialogue About Communal Rites

You are a community interfaith coordinator invited to mediate a meeting between a local Anglican vicar and a mosque committee regarding shar

Navigating a literary estate dispute with a publisher

You are the literary executor for a deceased novelist, meeting with a commissioning editor from a major publishing house who wants to acquir

Preparing for a Restorative Justice Encounter

You are a trained restorative justice facilitator meeting Jamie, who has been convicted of criminal damage to a local community centre, to p

Discussing a friend's interest in psychedelic-assisted therapy

You are meeting your close friend Dr. Priya Sharma for coffee. She has been struggling with treatment-resistant depression for years and has

Discussing a relative's wish to become a living kidney donor

Your brother, James, has told you over coffee that he is considering undergoing medical assessment to donate a kidney to a stranger through

Negotiating an insurance valuation for a damaged artwork

A specialist art handling company has damaged a valuable painting during transit to an exhibition. You are now in a meeting with the insurer

Supporting a sibling through voluntary psychiatric admission

Your brother Martin has voluntarily admitted himself to a psychiatric unit following a severe depressive episode. Today you are meeting with

Advocating for Exam Access Arrangements for Your Autistic Child

You are attending an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) annual review meeting at your son's secondary school. The SENCO, his form tutor,

Preparing for British Citizenship with an Immigration Advisor

You are meeting with Fatima, an immigration advisor at aCitizenship Ready clinic, to prepare for your naturalisation application interview a

Discussing an uncertain prenatal genetic finding

You are meeting with Dr. Okonkwo, a clinical geneticist, to discuss the results of your recent non-invasive prenatal screening. A microdelet

Consulting an accountant about non-domicile status

You are a British national who has spent the past decade working abroad in finance and have recently returned to the UK. You have a meeting

Discussing a friend's relationship with alcohol

You are meeting your close friend Alex for a coffee. Over the past several months, you have become genuinely concerned about his increasing

Navigating a Care Needs Assessment for an Elderly Relative

You are meeting with Ms. Okonkwo, a social worker from Adult Social Care, to discuss the outcome of a community care assessment for your 84-

Preparing for British Citizenship: Discussing Naturalisation Requirements

You are an adult learner of English who has lived in the UK for five years on indefinite leave to remain. You have a citizenship test and an

Contesting a will with a solicitor

You are meeting with Mr. Harrington, a specialist contentious probate solicitor, to discuss your concerns about your late grandmother's will

Discussing adult ADHD assessment with a clinical psychologist

You are attending an initial consultation with Dr. Okonkwo, an independent clinical psychologist, to discuss your decision to pursue a forma

Jury deliberations: convincing a hesitant juror

You are a juror in a criminal trial. The evidence phase has concluded, and the jury has retired to deliberate. One fellow juror, Helen, is i

Discussing advance care directives with a palliative care specialist

Your close friend Rachel has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of motor neurone disease and has asked you to help her articulate her ca

Supporting a friend preparing to come out to their parents

You are meeting your close friend James at a café. He is preparing to come out to his parents for the first time and wants to talk through h

Expressing concern to a friend about their gambling habits

You are meeting your close friend James for a coffee. Over the past few months, you've noticed concerning changes in his behaviour – missed

Objecting to a neighbour's planning application at a committee meeting

You are a resident attending a planning committee meeting at your local authority to object formally to a neighbour's approved extension, wh

Discussing a friend's cognitive screening referral with a memory clinic

Your close friend David, 64, has been referred to a memory clinic after his GP noticed concerning patterns during a routine check-up. You ha