Part 1 · Band 9

Where do you live?

Source-reported band score · 32 words

Sample answer

I live in a small town called Wolkenstein, situated on the northeast side of my city in Uzbekistan. It is surrounded by many forests and mountains, which make it vibrant and beautiful.

Answer analysis

Fluency & Coherence

The answer develops in a clear sequence: it names the place, locates it, then describes its surroundings. The move from “a small town called Wolkenstein” to “forests and mountains” gives a focused response to the question. Text alone cannot show spoken fluency, so no fluency band is assigned. For practice, give this answer in 20 seconds, then repeat it in 15 seconds while keeping the place, location and description clear.

Lexical Resource

The answer uses appropriate location and landscape vocabulary, including “surrounded by many forests and mountains,” and “vibrant and beautiful” adds a positive impression. The wording is clear, though the final adjectives are broad and do not explain what makes the town distinctive. As an optional refinement, choose a more precise description of the setting or atmosphere, but only if it reflects your own experience.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy

The response is grammatically controlled, with a descriptive participle in “situated on the northeast side” and a relative clause beginning “which make it.” The plural verb “make” agrees with “forests and mountains.” The two sentences are straightforward and easy to follow; to demonstrate a little more range, you could combine the location and setting details while keeping the sentence natural and clear.

Pronunciation

Pronunciation cannot be assessed from text, and this practice guide is not an assessment of a recording. Practise the word stress in “Wolkenstein” and “Uzbekistan,” checking a reliable pronunciation source for the names. Say the answer in thought groups: “I live in a small town called Wolkenstein / situated on the northeast side of my city in Uzbekistan.” Record yourself, replay it, and check that each phrase is easy to understand and the place names are clear.

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 delivering the answer in 15–20 seconds, keeping the order: town name, location, surroundings.
  • If it is accurate to your experience, replace one broad adjective such as “beautiful” with a more specific description of the landscape or atmosphere.
  • Record the answer and check that “Wolkenstein” and “Uzbekistan” are easy to understand; practise them separately before saying the full response.

Plan your answer

Try your own response before reading the samples.

Ideas to explore

  • Describe your home by giving its location and type.
  • Add one concrete detail about the home, such as its number of bedrooms or whether it is in a high-rise.
  • Explain a personal benefit of the location, such as being close to school.

Suggested structure

  1. State where you live.
  2. Describe the type and size of your home.
  3. Mention one feature you especially like.
  4. Connect that feature to a practical benefit in your daily life.
Useful vocabulary & examples
in central Chennai
in the central area of Chennai

I live in central Chennai, close to my school.

a high-rise apartment
an apartment in a tall building with many floors

My family lives in a high-rise apartment.

on the same road as
located along the same street or road as something

My apartment is on the same road as my school.

convenient for me
easy and practical for my needs

Living near school is very convenient for me.

Practise your answer →

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