ICAO Level 6 English Test Sample: Free Speaking Practice

I can see a controller in the tower and some birds on the grass near the runway. I do not know if the birds will move onto the runway. The controller can tell the pilot where the birds are and say what is known. The controller can also ask the airport team for an update before giving more information.

The controller appears to be watching a flock on the grass beside the runway. The birds are close to the operating area, but the photograph does not tell us whether they are moving towards it. I would report their observed location to the relevant aircraft and seek an update from the airport team, making clear if their position changes.

The controller has a flock in sight on the grass alongside the runway, though a still image cannot tell us where the birds are heading. I would pass the observed position without turning a possibility into a warning that they are already on the runway. At the same time, I would seek an airport update and keep the aircraft informed if the picture changed.

There is a cover on a small part of the aircraft nose. A pilot and an engineer are looking at it. I do not know why the cover is still there or what work is being done. I would tell the crew what I can see and ask the engineer for the status. Then I would wait for clear information.

A pilot and an engineer are examining a protective cover fitted to an external sensor on the nose of a parked aircraft. We cannot tell from the photograph whether maintenance is still in progress. I would report the observation and ask the engineer to confirm the status of the work, then make sure the crew receives the same update.

The cover is visibly in place, but the picture does not establish whether that is expected at this stage of the operation. Rather than infer an error, I would ask the engineer what work is under way and when the crew can expect a status update. The useful communication is a precise observation followed by a question, with the answer relayed to the rest of the crew.

I can see a tug, a towbar and a parked aircraft. Two ground workers are talking beside the equipment. The tug is not moving in the picture. I do not know if there is a problem. I would ask the workers what they are checking and whether they need help. I would inform to the crew when I receive more information.

The aircraft and tug are stationary, and two ground workers are discussing the towbar. A pause does not necessarily mean there is a defect. Before the operation continues, the people involved need a shared understanding of its status and who will communicate the next step. I would ask the ground team for an update and relay confirmed information to the crew.

The tug and aircraft are stationary while the ground staff discuss the towbar. We cannot see the reason for the pause, so I would resist labelling it an equipment failure. The more useful question is whether the people involved have finished their checks and agree on the next step. I would seek a status update and ensure the crew hears the confirmed position directly and clearly.

The aircraft is on a wet runway and the far end is difficult to see. There is low cloud or mist in the picture. I cannot tell the exact visibility from the image. The pilots can discuss the weather information and their plan. If either pilot is unsure, they should say what they do not understand and check it with the other pilot.

The runway is wet and disappears into low cloud or mist in the distance. The photograph suggests reduced visibility, but it does not provide a measured value or tell us whether the aircraft is moving. The crew could compare the view with current information, review their plan and discuss any uncertainty before deciding what to do next.

The wet surface and the loss of the far end of the runway suggest restricted visual references, but the image cannot establish a measured visibility or the aircraft’s clearance. I would expect the crew to compare the view with the information available, check that they share the same plan and raise any disagreement early. That gives them a basis for a decision without pretending the picture answers every question.

Passengers are waiting near the stairs of an aircraft, and a bus is parked nearby. A ground worker is speaking to another worker. I cannot see why the passengers are waiting. I would ask the ground team what is happening and when they can give an update. Then I would explain the confirmed information to the people who need it.

A group of passengers is waiting at the bottom of mobile stairs, with a bus and ground staff nearby. The scene does not establish whether the bus is ready or why the passengers are waiting. I would ask the responsible ground team for the current status and the next expected update, then pass a concise, qualified explanation to the crew.

The passengers are gathered beside the stairs while the bus remains nearby, but a photograph cannot tell us what is holding the transfer up. I would establish who is coordinating the movement, ask for the present status and agree when we will hear more. Even if there is no firm time yet, telling the crew what is known and when to expect an update is more useful than offering a guess.

People can use automated systems to help them with their work, but they still need to talk to each other. I would explain what I see on the system and ask my colleague to check it. If the display and another report are different, we should discuss the difference. We should not assume that both people understand the situation in the same way.

Automated systems can present useful information, but a team still needs to interpret it together. I would state what the display shows and compare it with other information available to us. If there were a discrepancy, I would identify the uncertainty and invite my colleague to check it before we agreed on the next action. The important point is maintaining a common picture.

Automation can reduce routine workload, but it does not automatically create a shared understanding between people. If a display conflicts with another report, I would say exactly what I see, ask my colleague what they are seeing and separate the disagreement from the decision we need to make. That conversation may reveal that we are interpreting the same information differently, or that one source needs further checking.