Part 1 · Band 8

Do you work or are you a student?

Source-reported band score · 42 words

Sample answer

Well, currently, I am working as a math teacher at a secondary school called Alicia. I have been working there for 2 years, and I was a volunteer in my 1st year. Additionally, I completed my graduation from Continental University last year.

Answer analysis

Fluency & Coherence

The answer follows a clear sequence: current work, length of employment, first-year volunteering, and university graduation. “Additionally” makes the final detail easy to follow, though the answer could connect the timeline more smoothly. Text alone cannot show spoken fluency. Practise delivering this answer in 20 seconds, then repeat it in 15 seconds while keeping all the key facts and using one natural linking phrase.

Lexical Resource

You use relevant, specific vocabulary such as “math teacher,” “secondary school,” and “volunteer,” which directly answers the question with useful personal detail. “Completed my graduation” is an unnatural collocation; “graduated from” is the more idiomatic choice. Next, practise combining the job and study vocabulary in a short spoken answer, and check common verb–noun combinations when describing education and work.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy

The answer uses several accurate time forms, including “I am working” for your current job and “I have been working” for a period continuing to the present. “I was a volunteer” and “I completed” also communicate past facts clearly. The main opportunity is to make the timeline and phrasing more natural, rather than correcting a major grammar breakdown. Practise saying the details in short, connected sentences.

Pronunciation

There is no recording to assess, so this is a practice guide, not an assessment of your pronunciation. Practise the word stress in “secondary school” and “Continental University,” and group the answer into thought groups: “I’m currently working as a math teacher / at a secondary school called Alicia.” Record one take, listen back, and check that each phrase is easy to understand and that the key words are clearly stressed.

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 “completed my graduation” with “graduated from” when describing finishing university.
  • Use a brief transition such as “Before that” to make the relationship between your current teaching role and first-year volunteering clearer.
  • Practise a 15–20 second version that includes your current role, your two years at the school, and your graduation last year.

Plan your answer

Try your own response before reading the samples.

Ideas to explore

  • Briefly explain when you finished school to establish your timeline.
  • Describe your current plan to explore career options.
  • Give a reason for taking on projects and jobs, such as gaining experience before making a decision.

Suggested structure

  1. Answer directly by stating whether you currently work or study.
  2. Give the relevant background and time reference.
  3. Explain what you are doing at present.
  4. End with the purpose of those activities or your next decision.
Useful vocabulary & examples
explore career options
consider different possible types of work before choosing a direction

I'm taking a year to explore different career options.

short-term project
a piece of work intended to last for a limited period

I've been working on some short-term projects.

gain experience
develop practical knowledge or skills by doing work

I'm taking part-time jobs to gain experience.

decide what to do next
choose the next action or direction

I'm gaining experience before deciding what to do next.

Practise your answer →

Compare answers on this topic

Band 9

I graduated from school last year, and at the moment, I'm taking a year to explore different career options. I've been working on some short-term projects and part-time jobs to...

Band 8

Currently, I am working as a data operations analyst in a Dubai-based company called Infinity Communications. I have been working there for 2 years, and my responsibilities incl...

Band 7

Yes, both. I'm studying and working at my university. It is a great chance to improve my future career. After graduation, I'm going to study abroad.

Band 6

Well, I'm a student at the university, and this is my 3rd year at this place. Also, I have a part-time job as a teacher at a vocational school. I'm still working this term at th...

Band 5

Well, I'm studying at school currently in 9th grade. I have subjects like English and events. Also, I help my father in a market in my free time.

Band 4

For now, I'm still a very school student. But sometimes during my own vacation, I work a part-time job. So I do work and study.