Part 1 · Band 7

Do you have many friends?

Source-reported band score · 50 words

Sample answer

Yes. I have a few close friends that I obviously love spending time with. They are like family to me, always. Therefore, through the good times and the bad weather, we are a group of males going on adventures or just chilling out. Being with them makes every moment special.

Answer analysis

Fluency & Coherence

The ideas move from having “a few close friends” to describing them as family, sharing activities, and explaining how their company makes you feel. This gives the answer a clear progression, though “Therefore” makes the transition sound more formal than a short, conversational reply needs. Try a 30-second timed response: deliver these same points in order, using one simple transition between friendship and shared activities. Fluency cannot be scored from text alone.

Lexical Resource

Phrases such as “close friends,” “going on adventures,” and “chilling out” give the answer a warm, conversational tone and a useful range of expressions. “Bad weather” is an awkward fit for the intended idea of difficult periods, and “a group of males” sounds less natural than everyday wording for male friends. Practise the collocation “through good times and bad” and choose conversational phrases that fit a personal answer.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy

The response uses clear sentence structures and includes a relative clause in “friends that I obviously love spending time with,” as well as the participial phrase “Being with them makes every moment special.” The meaning remains easy to follow, but “They are like family to me, always” places “always” awkwardly. Try moving time adverbs next to the phrase they modify, for example, “They are always like family to me.”

Pronunciation

This is a practice guide, not an assessment of a recording; pronunciation cannot be judged from the written answer. Practise the word stress in “close friends,” “adventures” (stress the second syllable), and “every moment special” (emphasise “moment” and “special”). Read in thought groups: “I have a few close friends / that I love spending time with.” Record yourself once, then check whether the stressed words and pauses make each idea easy to follow.

A transcript shows language and organisation. Fluency, delivery and pronunciation require an audio recording; the synthetic voice demonstrates the text, not the original speaker.

  • Replace “bad weather” with “good times and bad” to express support through both easy and difficult periods.
  • Use a conversational transition such as “We also…” instead of “Therefore” when adding details about what you do together.
  • Practise a 30-second version with three points: how many close friends you have, what you do together, and why their company matters to you.

Plan your answer

Try your own response before reading the samples.

Ideas to explore

  • Contrast having many acquaintances in the past with having fewer now.
  • Explain that a smaller social circle does not necessarily feel like a negative change.
  • Describe lasting closeness as the quality that makes someone a true friend.

Suggested structure

  1. Begin with a direct answer about your past social circle.
  2. Explain how the number of acquaintances has changed over time.
  3. Give your view on whether that change is bad.
  4. End with the reason: the people who stayed close are your true friends.
Useful vocabulary & examples
a lot of acquaintances
many people you know but may not be close to

I used to have a lot of acquaintances from different parts of my life.

diminish over time
become smaller or less numerous gradually

The number of people I see regularly has diminished over time.

stay close to someone
continue to have a strong relationship with someone

A few friends have stayed close to me over the years.

true friends
people regarded as genuinely close and dependable friends

I value the true friends who have remained part of my life.

Practise your answer →

Compare answers on this topic

Band 9

I used to have a lot of acquaintances whom I frequently hung out with. However, that number has diminished over the years. Nevertheless, I don't think this is inherently bad. On...

Band 8

I have a few close friends rather than many. I prefer quality over quantity because true friends are the ones who support and understand me.

Band 7

I don't have a lot of friends, just a few closer ones who truly understand me. We usually spend time together after work, often on Fridays. I believe that having a small number...

Band 6

I have more than 10 friends, and I'm not sure if I should say this many. However, I had more than 30 friends in my neighborhood. I like all of my friends, and if I need help I c...

Band 5

I have more than 10 friends, and I'm not sure if I should say this, but I have maybe 20 friends. I like all of my friends. Then I next play...

Band 4

I have more than 10 friends, and I'm not sure if that's a lot. I've had as many as 20 friends in the past. I like all of you, my friends, and I'm always here to help. I can take...