Part 1 · Band 4

Do you work or study?

Source-reported band score · 167 words

Sample answer

I'm currently working towards my goal of gaining skills and experience in my field. I'm actively seeking opportunities to do so. However, I'm also studying part-time to improve my qualifications. I'm planning to take the IELTS exam soon, as it's a requirement for many universities. I'm hoping to use my studies and work experience to apply for a master's program next year. Balancing work and study is challenging, but I believe it is worth it. My job allows me to apply what I learn in my courses, which helps me understand the material better. I work in a customer service role, which teaches me valuable communication skills. On the other hand, my studies are focused on business management, which is related to my job. I often find myself tired after a long day at work, but I try to study in the evenings. I think this combination of work and study will help me in the future, as I will have both practical experience and academic knowledge.

Answer analysis

Fluency & Coherence

The ideas follow a clear sequence: your current work and study situation, your IELTS and master’s plans, and then the benefits and challenges of combining both. The details about customer service and business management develop the answer well, though it is lengthy for Part 1 and repeats future-focused points. Text alone cannot establish spoken fluency. Practise giving this answer in 35–45 seconds, keeping one example from each main point.

Lexical Resource

The answer uses relevant, precise topic vocabulary, including “qualifications,” “customer service role,” and “academic knowledge.” These choices explain both your current situation and future plans clearly. Some wording, such as “working towards my goal of gaining skills and experience,” is somewhat formal for a conversational Part 1 response. A useful refinement is to replace a few abstract phrases with natural spoken wording while keeping the specific details about your studies and work.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy

You use a good range of structures accurately, including the reason clause “as it's a requirement for many universities” and the relative clause “which teaches me valuable communication skills.” Present and future forms are also used appropriately to distinguish current routines from plans. There is no clear recurring grammar error to correct. For an optional refinement, vary the repeated “which” clauses by combining some ideas into shorter, more conversational sentences.

Pronunciation

Pronunciation cannot be assessed from this text, and this practice guide is not an assessment of a recording. Practise the phrases “part-time,” “customer service role,” and “practical experience and academic knowledge”: stress PART-time, CUS-tomer SER-vice ROLE, and PRAC-tical ex-PE-ri-ence / aca-DE-mic KNOW-ledge. Group the last phrase into two thought groups. Record yourself saying the answer, then check whether the stressed words are easy to hear and the phrase groups are clear.

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

  • Practise a 35–45-second version: state that you work and study part-time, give one example of how they connect, and finish with your master’s plan.
  • Replace one or two formal expressions with natural spoken language, such as “working towards my goal” with “building my skills and experience.”
  • Record a practice answer and check that you clearly stress key details such as “IELTS,” “business management,” and “next year.”

Plan your answer

Try your own response before reading the samples.

Ideas to explore

  • Give your current status and where you study or work: you are a student researcher at NIAB.
  • Briefly describe your research focus: crop germplasm and marker-assisted approaches.
  • Add a personal view and a future direction: the work is rewarding, and you see yourself growing in the field.

Suggested structure

  1. Answer the work-or-study question directly.
  2. Name your institution or workplace.
  3. Describe your research area in one concise sentence.
  4. Add how you feel about the work.
  5. Finish with a relevant future plan.
Useful vocabulary & examples
student researcher
A student who carries out research as part of their studies.

I’m a student researcher at NIAB.

marker-assisted approaches
Methods that use genetic markers to support research or selection in crops.

I work on crop germplasm using marker-assisted approaches.

challenging and rewarding
Difficult in some ways but satisfying or worthwhile.

I find my research both challenging and rewarding.

grow in this field
To develop skills or progress in a particular area of work or study.

I can see myself continuing to grow in this field.

Practise your answer →

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