Part 1 · Band 8

What do you like to do in your free time?

Source-reported band score · 204 words

Sample answer

There are various activities I enjoy in my free time; however, what I enjoy the most is meeting with my friends. I now live with my best friend, so we are able to hang out basically whenever we want. We watch a lot of movies together and cook every day, so I believe this is a great way to bond and create lasting memories. Additionally, we often explore new restaurants in our area, trying different cuisines and sharing our thoughts about the dishes we taste. This not only satisfies our culinary curiosity but also gives us a chance to discover hidden gems in the city. Another activity I cherish is reading. I find that immersing myself in a good book allows me to escape reality and explore different worlds and perspectives. I particularly enjoy fiction and historical novels, as they provide both entertainment and knowledge. Furthermore, I like to stay active during my free time. I often go for runs in the park or join a local yoga class. This helps me to relieve stress and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Overall, my free time is a blend of socializing, indulging in literature, and keeping fit, all of which contribute to my well-being and happiness.

Answer analysis

Fluency & Coherence

The written sequence moves clearly from socialising with your best friend, to reading, and then to exercise, with a concluding summary of how these activities support your well-being. The development is easy to follow, though the three-part list and phrases such as “Furthermore” can feel more like a prepared mini-speech than spontaneous Part 1 speech. Practise giving this answer in 45 seconds, using brief pauses between the three activities and one example for each.

Lexical Resource

The answer uses a varied and appropriate range, including “bond and create lasting memories,” “culinary curiosity,” and “immersing myself in a good book.” These expressions add detail without obscuring your meaning, and the topic vocabulary covers food, literature, and exercise. Some phrases, such as “explore different worlds and perspectives,” are familiar rather than especially personal. For a more natural spoken style, replace one or two broad expressions with a specific book, dish, or activity you genuinely enjoy.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy

You use a good range of accurate structures, including the reason clause “so we are able to hang out” and the participle phrase “trying different cuisines and sharing our thoughts.” The sentences are generally clear, and there is no significant grammatical error to correct. Some are quite long for a spoken response, especially the restaurant sentence. Practise dividing longer ideas into shorter clauses while keeping the links between the activity and its benefit clear.

Pronunciation

This is a practice guide, not an assessment of a recording; pronunciation cannot be judged from text alone. Practise the word stress in “historical novels” and “culinary curiosity,” and group the final summary as “socializing / indulging in literature / and keeping fit.” Record yourself reading the answer once, then check whether each thought group is easy to understand and whether the key content words stand out. Do not try to imitate a particular accent.

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 45-second version with one concise example for each activity: time with your friend, reading, and exercise.
  • Make the answer more personal by mentioning one real film, book, cuisine, or dish you particularly like, if you can do so accurately.
  • Record yourself and check that you pause between the three main activities rather than reading the whole response as one long paragraph.

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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