Marlins speaking test practice interview questions, role-plays and model answers you can listen to.
The TOSE is an interview, not a written test — nobody finds practice for it online. Our free pack has 56 speaking tasks in four tracks (deck officers, engineers, ratings and hotel staff), each with what the assessor listens for and model answers at two levels, recorded with British voices.
The Marlins Test of Spoken English is a face-to-face interview of about 20 minutes with an assessor trained by Marlins — at an approved test centre or with a crewing manager licensed to run it. There is no computer and no microphone test: you talk to a person, who follows a standard interview and grades your speaking and listening in one of six levels. Many companies ask for it together with the written test.
Part
What happens
Part A — interview
Questions about you, your job, your ship, your experience and your duties. It sets your level.
Part B — adapted to your level
You describe a situation, discuss a topic and take part in a role-play where the assessor plays someone you deal with at work.
02The six levels, and the one your rank needs
Level
What it means, in our words
Beginner
Answers only the simplest personal questions, with single words or memorised phrases, and needs slow speech and a lot of help.
Elementary (CEFR A2)
Talks about themselves, the job and the daily routine in short, simple sentences; understands clear questions on familiar things; pauses often and makes basic mistakes.
Lower Intermediate (CEFR B1)
Describes duties, experience and plans in connected sentences on familiar work topics; manages routine exchanges but loses the thread when the talk gets fast or unexpected.
Intermediate (CEFR B2)
Explains procedures and problems at work in detail, gives reasons and opinions and keeps the conversation going; mistakes rarely cause a misunderstanding.
Upper Intermediate (CEFR C1)
Speaks fluently and accurately on almost any topic, including demanding situations at work, with a wide range of language and only minor slips.
Advanced
Speaks with ease and precision in any situation, including complex and unexpected ones.
Marlins relates four of the levels to the CEFR; the equivalents shown are the ones it publishes.
AB · OS · Fitter · ER CPO · Wiper · Galley rating · Messman
Elementary
Recommended levels published by Marlins in its help centre (January 2022). Each employer can set its own.
03Try one task
Listen to the assessor, answer aloud, then compare with the two model answers.
“Can you tell me about your career at sea and the last ship you served on?”
What the assessor listens for
Rank and years of sea experience
Type, size and trade of the ship
Present perfect versus past simple
Model answer — Lower Intermediate
Transcript: Well, I'm a second officer and I've been at sea for about eight years. I started as a deck cadet on a general cargo ship. My last ship was a bulk carrier of about sixty thousand tonnes deadweight. We carried grain and coal between South America and Asia. I was the navigating officer, so I kept the chart corrections and the passage plans up to date.
Model answer — Upper Intermediate
Transcript: Well, I've been at sea for about twelve years now. I joined my first ship as a deck cadet straight after graduating from the maritime academy, and I've worked my way up to chief officer. Most of my experience is on tankers. My last vessel was a product tanker of around fifty thousand tonnes deadweight, trading mainly between the Gulf and ports in Northern Europe. As chief officer I was responsible for cargo planning, ballast operations and deck maintenance, and I also supervised the cadets' training record books. It was a demanding contract, actually, because we had very short port stays, but I learnt a great deal about cargo handling under pressure.
From “tell me about yourself” to explaining a problem you solved on board — each with the points an assessor listens for.
Situations and discussion
Describe a watch handover, a drill or a guest's allergy; give an opinion on fatigue, technology or life at sea.
Role-plays
The assessor plays the master, a superintendent, a visitor or a guest: you read your role and goal, then listen to a full model conversation.
Two model answers each
A clear Lower Intermediate answer and a stronger Upper Intermediate one, both recorded, so you hear what the next level adds.
05Questions seafarers ask
What is the Marlins Test of Spoken English (TOSE)?
It is the spoken part of Marlins testing: a face-to-face interview of about 20 minutes with a trained assessor, who grades your speaking and listening in one of six levels, from Beginner to Advanced. Part A is an interview about you and your job; Part B, adapted to your level, asks you to describe a situation, discuss a topic and take part in a role-play.
What level do I need?
There is no pass mark. Marlins recommends a level per rank: Upper Intermediate for a Master, Intermediate for a Chief Officer or Chief Engineer, Lower Intermediate for most officers, engineers and skilled ratings, and Elementary for an AB, an OS, a wiper or galley staff. Employers can set their own.
Can I practise the TOSE online?
Not the interview itself — it needs a person. What you can practise is the content: our free pack has 56 tasks with the assessor's question recorded, what the assessor listens for, and two model answers to listen to, so you can answer aloud and compare.
Is the speaking pack free?
Yes. It is free for every member with a verified account; it does not use tokens.
Is Nauti Test Pro affiliated with Marlins?
No. Nauti Test Pro is an independent practice tool, not a Marlins test centre, and practising here gives no Marlins certificate. Marlins and TOSE are trademarks of their owner.
