Part 1 · Band 7

What do you do in your free time?

Illustrative target band for this model answer · 147 words

AI-completed learning example

Recently, I've had a busy schedule, but in my free time, I love to travel. It's hard to find enough time right now, but I always have a backpack packed by my door. I constantly check for cheap flights, especially to Europe or Asia. It doesn't matter which continent, I just grab my backpack, head to the airport as soon as I can. I enjoy discovering new places and seeing how people live, so even a short trip feels refreshing. At the moment, though, my schedule makes it difficult to travel often. When I do get a free weekend, I usually look for a low-cost flight and plan a simple trip. Having my backpack ready makes it easier to take advantage of a good offer. So, although I can't travel as much as I'd like right now, it's definitely my favourite way to spend my free time.

Answer analysis

Fluency & Coherence

The answer develops in a clear sequence: it names travel as a favourite activity, explains the time constraint, then describes checking flights and the appeal of discovering places. The shift from “It doesn't matter which continent” to a specific action is easy to follow, though the response could be a little more concise. For practice, speak this answer in 45 seconds, then repeat it in 35 seconds while keeping the main points.

Lexical Resource

The vocabulary is varied and well matched to the topic: “cheap flights,” “discovering new places,” and “take advantage of a good offer” make the answer specific and natural. “Travel” and “flight” recur because they are central to the topic, but a few repetitions could be reduced. As a refinement, practise replacing one repeated term with a natural alternative, such as “trip” or “getaway,” without forcing variety.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy

The answer uses a good range of structures, including the contrast in “but I always have a backpack packed” and the concessive ending, “although I can't travel as much as I'd like right now.” One punctuation issue occurs in “It doesn't matter which continent, I just grab my backpack,” where two independent clauses are joined with a comma. Use a semicolon or add a conjunction there; the rest of the phrasing is clear.

Pronunciation

This text-only response cannot show how the words are pronounced, so this is a practice guide, not an assessment of a recording. Practise the main stress in “backpack,” “cheap flights,” and “discovering new places,” and group the ideas into thought units: “I constantly check for cheap flights / especially to Europe or Asia.” Record yourself reading it, then check whether each key word is clear and the groups sound 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.

  • Practise the answer once in 45 seconds and once in 35 seconds, keeping the sequence of preference, time constraint, travel preparation, and reason for enjoying travel.
  • When linking two complete ideas, use a semicolon or a conjunction rather than a comma alone, as in the sentence about choosing a continent and grabbing the backpack.
  • Record a short practice and check that the main phrases—“cheap flights” and “discovering new places”—are easy to understand and separated into clear thought groups.

Plan your answer

Try your own response before reading the samples.

Ideas to explore

  • Explain what you enjoy about reading, such as learning about different subjects.
  • Mention the range of genres you read, including fiction and nonfiction.
  • Add a personal detail by describing your interest in self-improvement books.

Suggested structure

  1. Answer the question directly by naming your free-time activity.
  2. Give a brief reason you enjoy it.
  3. Describe the types of books you typically read.
  4. Finish with a personal detail about your reading habits or interests.
Useful vocabulary & examples
a wide range of
A large variety of different things.

I read a wide range of books, from fiction to nonfiction.

a bookworm
Someone who enjoys reading a lot.

I’d say I’m a bit of a bookworm.

self-improvement
The process of developing your abilities or making positive changes in your life.

I’m especially interested in books about self-improvement.

in my spare time
During the time when you are not working or studying.

I enjoy reading in my spare time.

Practise your answer →

Compare answers on this topic

Band 9

I enjoy reading books in my spare time. Reading can help expand our knowledge because it provides a wealth of information on various topics. I typically read a wide range of boo...

Band 8

Generally, I'm the kind of person who doesn't have enough free time. However, when I realize that I have some, I usually go to the gym or ride a bike around the city. I also con...

Band 7

I'm usually quite busy, but when I do have free time, I love to travel. I'm always ready for an adventure. With my backpack packed and waiting, I try to find affordable destinat...

Band 6

In my free time, I like reading books. It really helps me relax from my busy day. If it is a long weekend coming, I will enjoy going shopping with my friends, or doing something...

Band 5

Okay. In my free time, I do many activities. For example, I play sports such as football or volleyball. And sometimes, I go swimming in the summer. I often go to beautiful place...

Band 4

To be honest, I don't have a lot of free time because of my studies. However, when I do have some free time, I like to relax and enjoy activities that help me unwind. I try to m...