Part 1 · Band 9

What do you like to do in your free time?

Source-reported band score · 44 words

Sample answer

In my free time, I enjoy engaging in sports such as football, badminton, and basketball. However, after a long and hectic day, I often prefer to unwind at home and spend quality time with my nephew, which provides a perfect balance to my activities.

Answer analysis

Fluency & Coherence

The answer develops in a clear sequence: it names three sports, contrasts them with relaxing at home after a hectic day, then explains the balance this creates. That progression makes the response easy to follow, though it could develop one point a little further. Practise speaking this answer for 30 seconds: use the contrast between sports and relaxing as your transition, then add one brief reason you enjoy time with your nephew.

Lexical Resource

Phrases such as “unwind at home,” “hectic day” and “spend quality time” express the activities and mood precisely, while the named sports make the answer specific. “Engaging in sports” is slightly formal for this everyday question, so “playing sports” may sound more conversational. For further practice, keep the strong contrast in the answer but try one natural alternative for describing how you relax.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy

The answer uses accurate sentence structures, including the time clause “after a long and hectic day” and the relative clause “which provides a perfect balance to my activities.” The contrast introduced by “However” is also clear. There is no clear grammatical error to correct; as a refinement, you could use shorter sentences or contractions to make the response sound more like spontaneous conversation.

Pronunciation

This is text only, so pronunciation cannot be assessed and this practice guide is not an assessment of a recording. Practise the word stress in “basketball” and “quality time,” then group the answer into thought units: “In my free time, I enjoy engaging in sports” / “However, after a long and hectic day” / “I often prefer to unwind at home.” Record yourself, check that each phrase is easy to understand, and adjust the grouping if needed.

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

  • Try “playing sports” instead of “engaging in sports” to keep the wording conversational.
  • Add one brief detail about what you enjoy when spending time with your nephew, while keeping the response concise.
  • Practise the contrast aloud: say what you do for activity, then explain when you prefer to relax at home.

Plan your answer

Try your own response before reading the samples.

Ideas to explore

  • Name reading as the free-time activity you enjoy.
  • Mention the library and the Peace Hotel as places where you used to read.
  • Include the detail that you read in class three times, expressed clearly.

Suggested structure

  1. Answer the free-time question directly with the activity.
  2. Add a sentence about when or where you used to read.
  3. Give the class-reading detail in a separate, clear sentence.
  4. Check that each detail connects to reading rather than introducing a new question.
Useful vocabulary & examples
in my free time
during the time available for leisure

I enjoy reading books in my free time.

I used to read
I read regularly or habitually in the past

I used to read in the library.

at the Peace Hotel
at the named place, Peace Hotel

I used to read at the Peace Hotel.

read in class
read while attending a class

I read in class three times.

Practise your answer →

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