Part 1 · Band 5

Do you work or study?

Source-reported band score · 17 words

Sample answer

Currently, I'm working as an English tutor at a center based in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam.

Answer analysis

Fluency & Coherence

The answer follows a clear sequence: it gives your current work, names your role, then identifies the center’s location. The phrase “the capital of Vietnam” adds a useful clarification without distracting from the answer. The text alone cannot show spoken fluency. For practice, use this answer in a 30-second recording, then add one relevant detail, such as what you do as a tutor, while keeping the response focused.

Lexical Resource

“English tutor” is a precise, task-relevant job title, and “based in Hanoi” communicates the workplace location efficiently. The vocabulary is accurate and natural, but this short response offers limited evidence of range or flexibility. As an optional extension, add a specific detail about your teaching work using vocabulary you can support with your own experience, rather than adding unrelated detail.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy

The sentence “Currently, I'm working as an English tutor” uses the present progressive appropriately, and “the capital of Vietnam” is a clear appositive description of Hanoi. The sentence is controlled and easy to understand; there is no clear grammatical error to correct. Because only one sentence is available, grammatical range is difficult to demonstrate. In a spoken extension, add a clause explaining a genuine reason or a typical work activity.

Pronunciation

Pronunciation cannot be assessed from this text, so this practice guide is not an assessment of a recording. Practise the phrases “English tutor” and “the capital of Vietnam”: give the main word stress clearly in ENglish TUtor and CAPital, and avoid stressing every word equally. Group the sentence as “Currently, I'm working as an English tutor / at a center based in Hanoi, / the capital of Vietnam.” Record it, then check whether the phrase boundaries 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.

  • Keep the direct opening, then add one true detail about a usual teaching activity to make the Part 1 answer slightly fuller.
  • Practise a 20–30 second response aloud, aiming to add detail without repeating the job title or location.
  • Record the sentence twice: first with the thought groups marked in the pronunciation guide, then listen for clear word stress and an unhurried ending.

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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