Part 1 · Band 6

Do you work or study?

Source-reported band score · 26 words

Sample answer

I am a student. More specifically, I am a college student majoring in business, which I have chosen because I want to study abroad next year.

Answer analysis

Fluency & Coherence

The ideas move in a clear sequence: “I am a student” gives a direct answer, “More specifically” adds detail, and the final clause explains the choice of subject. The response is brief but complete for this Part 1 question. For practice, record a 30-second answer using this same sequence, then check that each added detail connects clearly to the reason for studying business.

Lexical Resource

“College student” and “majoring in business” provide relevant, specific information, while “study abroad next year” clearly describes a future goal. The vocabulary is accurate and natural, though the answer draws on a small range because it is short. You could optionally add one relevant detail about what interests you in business, but only if it reflects your real reason.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy

The answer combines short statements with a more developed sentence: “I am a college student majoring in business, which I have chosen because I want to study abroad next year.” The participle phrase and reason clause are handled clearly, and there is no clear grammatical error. For an optional refinement, replace “which” with “and I chose this major” to make the connection between your course choice and your reason more explicit.

Pronunciation

This is a practice guide, not an assessment of a recording. Practise the word stress in “college student” and “majoring in business,” then group the answer into thought units: “I am a student / More specifically, I am a college student majoring in business / because I want to study abroad next year.” Record it, listen back, and check that the phrase boundaries make the information easy to follow; no claim is made about your actual pronunciation.

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 answer, then add one specific detail, as you do with “majoring in business.”
  • Make the link between your subject and your study-abroad plan explicit by naming “this major” or “business” in the reason clause.
  • Practise giving the answer in about 20–30 seconds, using the sequence: current status, subject, reason or future plan.

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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