Part 1 · Band 5

What do you like to do in your free time?

Source-reported band score · 164 words

Sample answer

In my free time, I would like to do some cooking and reading books because they give me a good mood and help me feel better throughout the day. And also, I would like to take a stroll in my neighborhood or yard. It's also a good activity for my health. And that's why I'm always looking for new recipes to try out. Cooking allows me to be creative and experiment with different flavors. I often invite friends over to share the meals I prepare, which makes it even more enjoyable. Reading is another passion of mine. I love getting lost in different stories, whether they are fiction or non-fiction. Books transport me to different worlds and help me learn new things. I usually read for at least an hour before bed, which helps me relax and unwind after a long day. Overall, my free time activities like cooking, reading, and walking not only bring me joy but also contribute positively to my well-being.

Answer analysis

Fluency & Coherence

The answer develops in a clear sequence: it introduces cooking and walking, expands on cooking with examples, then moves to reading and ends with a summary. This gives the response a complete shape, though the opening “And also” and repeated “I would like to” make some transitions less direct. For practice, give a 60-second spoken version using the same sequence, then repeat it in 45 seconds while keeping one detail about each activity.

Lexical Resource

There is useful topic vocabulary, including “experiment with different flavors,” “fiction or non-fiction,” and “relax and unwind.” These phrases make the response specific and show some range beyond basic activity words. A few choices are less natural, especially “give me a good mood”; “put me in a good mood” is the usual expression. Next, practise collocations for feelings and leisure activities, while keeping the vivid examples already in the answer.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy

The response uses varied sentence patterns, including the relative clause “which makes it even more enjoyable” and the longer sentence about reading before bed. Most sentences are easy to understand. However, “I would like to do” sounds like a wish rather than a regular free-time habit, and several sentences begin with “And.” Use “I enjoy” or “I like” for habits, and connect related ideas without repeatedly starting with a conjunction.

Pronunciation

This is a text-only response, so pronunciation cannot be assessed; this guide is not an assessment of a recording. Practise stressing the key content words in “different flavors,” “fiction or non-fiction,” and “relax and unwind.” Divide the answer into thought groups at natural sense boundaries, such as after “different stories.” Record a spoken practice, check that the key words are clear and prominent, then record it again.

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

  • Use “I like” or “I enjoy” when describing regular habits, reserving “I would like to” for something you want to do in the future.
  • Learn and rehearse natural word partnerships from this answer, such as “put me in a good mood” and “relax and unwind.”
  • Practise a concise spoken version with one detail for each activity, then add a brief concluding sentence if time allows.

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.

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