In many high-stakes English speaking examinations—including the Croatian Državna Matura, the Slovenian Splošna Matura, the Czech/Slovak Maturita, Spain's EOI, and Cambridge B2 First / C1 Advanced—candidates are required to compare two contrasting photographs. This is a visual monologue designed to test your grammatical range, lexical precision, and fluency under tight time limits.
A common pitfall is spending too much time simply describing what is visible (e.g. "In Photo A I see a dog..."), leaving no time to contrast the themes or answer the examiner's abstract questions. To achieve high marks, you must follow a structured strategy: **Describe → Compare → Contrast → Speculate**.
The Golden Rule of Photo Tasks
Spend no more than 30% of your time on simple description. Spend 70% comparing the pictures, highlighting differences, and speculating on the underlying exam topic.
1. Spatial Prepositions: Where to Look
Examiners listen closely for spatial prepositions. Using precise vocabulary to guide the examiner's eye shows lexical control and keeps your talk structured. Instead of saying "at the side" or "near the bottom", utilise these spatial prepositions:
| Prepositional Phrase | Functional Area | Exam-Style Example |
|---|---|---|
| In the foreground | Front / center focus | "In the foreground of the first image, a young student is taking notes..." |
| Against the background of | Scenery behind | "Against the background of a towering physical library bookcase, she stands..." |
| In the upper right-hand corner | Top right detail | "In the upper right-hand corner, we can make out a traditional clock..." |
| On the left-hand side | Left partition | "On the left-hand side of Photo B, a digital reader is sitting on a bench..." |
| In the distance | Far background | "In the distance, there are mountains indicating this is an outdoor study space..." |
2. Comparative Structures: Linking the Images
To compare the pictures smoothly, avoid switching abruptly between description blocks. Instead, integrate cohesive linking words. Synthesise your observations by showing how the pictures contrast with one another:
- Whereas / While: "While Photo A portrays a student engaged in traditional study, Photo B, on the other hand, depicts someone studying outdoors using mobile devices."
- In contrast / On the contrary: "In contrast to the indoor library setting, the second scene takes place in a sunny public park."
- Similarity frames: "Both photographs illustrate modern study methods, though they focus on different media formats."
"Using complex conditional structures like 'If the student in Photo A had a tablet, she wouldn't need to carry those heavy encyclopaedias...' instantly signals B2/C1 command to the board of examiners."
3. Speculation: Moving Beyond the Visuals
The highest level of any photo task asks you to speculate about feelings, advantages, or future implications. Since you cannot know exactly what the people are thinking, you must use hypothetical patterns to express assumptions:
Interactive Candidate Notes: Speculation Toolkit
- Modals of Deduction: The students must be feeling quite exhausted due to the physical book piles, or they might be preparing for a final exam.
- Speculative Verbs: It appears to be a stressful study session, and I speculate that digital books will soon replace physical collections.
- Phrasal Templates: Judging by their body language, we can infer that they are deeply absorbed in their work.
Before you go...
The next time you practise a mock exam card (like the ones on our Slovenian Splošna Matura or Croatian Državna Matura guides), set a timer for 1.5 minutes of preparation and exactly 4 minutes of speaking. Plan to spend the first minute describing spatial details, the second minute highlighting similarities, the third minute contrasting, and the final minute speculating on the exam question. This structure guarantees task achievement every single time.