Part 1 · Band 7

Where do you live?

Source-reported band score · 26 words

Sample answer

I'm currently living in Hanoi, a beautiful and bustling city that is widely known as the capital of Vietnam. I have lived here for ten years.

Answer analysis

Fluency & Coherence

The ideas follow a clear sequence: you name Hanoi, describe it, identify its national role, and then say how long you have lived there. The answer is concise and relevant, though it could develop one detail to sustain a longer response. Timed practice: give this answer in 20 seconds, then add one true personal detail about what you like about living in Hanoi.

Lexical Resource

“Beautiful and bustling city” gives a clear, positive description, and “widely known as the capital of Vietnam” communicates the city’s significance precisely. The vocabulary is natural and appropriate, with no evident misuse, although the range is necessarily narrow in this short answer. For a little more personal detail, add one accurate adjective or a specific feature of Hanoi that matters to you.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy

The answer uses two accurate sentence structures: “I'm currently living in Hanoi” and “I have lived here for ten years.” The present continuous describes your current situation, while the present perfect connects your length of residence to the present. The grammar is clear and controlled. As an optional refinement, use a simpler present-tense opening to make this short Part 1 response more direct.

Pronunciation

This is a text-only response, so pronunciation cannot be assessed; this practice guide is not an assessment of a recording. Practise the word stress in “currently” (CUR-rent-ly) and “Vietnam” (Viet-NAM), and group the answer into thought groups: “I'm currently living in Hanoi” / “a beautiful and bustling city” / “I've lived here for ten years.” Record yourself, check that each group is easy to follow, and compare your stress with a reliable dictionary audio model.

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 the more direct opening “I live in Hanoi” and retain the present perfect for your length of residence.
  • Practise the answer in thought groups, placing a brief pause between the city description and the sentence about how long you have lived there.
  • To extend your response naturally, add one accurate personal detail about what you enjoy or notice in Hanoi.

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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