Part 2 · Band 7

Describe a person who encouraged you to achieve a goal.

Illustrative target band for this model answer · 234 words

AI-completed learning example

There have been a few people who have had a great influence on me, and I have benefited greatly from their vast experiences. Here, I would like to talk about one person who encouraged me to achieve my goal. He is my neighbor, Ajit Singh, a kindhearted man who always has a smile on his face. I got to know him better after moving into the house next door, and his kindness soon became clear. At that time, my goal was to feel more confident speaking English in front of other people. I often worried about making mistakes, so I avoided speaking whenever I could. Ajit noticed this and told me that confidence comes from practice rather than being naturally talented. Instead of simply giving advice, he helped me break the goal into small steps. He asked me to prepare a few points, speak aloud, and then explain the same ideas again without reading. We practised this regularly, and he listened patiently, correcting me only when it was helpful. His calm encouragement made the task seem manageable, and I gradually stopped being so afraid of mistakes. Eventually, I was able to speak in front of others with much more confidence. I did not become a perfect speaker overnight, but I achieved the goal I had set. I still remember Ajit’s support because he helped me believe that steady effort can make a real difference.

Answer analysis

Fluency & Coherence

The ideas follow a clear speaking sequence: you introduce Ajit, explain your difficulty with speaking English, describe his practical support, and finish with the result and its significance. The contrast in “Instead of simply giving advice” also helps the story progress. To develop it further aloud, practise a two-minute retelling using only four prompts—goal, difficulty, Ajit’s help, outcome—then add one concrete example of how his encouragement affected you.

Lexical Resource

The answer uses relevant, varied wording, including “break the goal into small steps,” “calm encouragement,” and “steady effort,” which make Ajit’s support clear. One collocation in the preserved opening, “vast experiences,” sounds less natural for describing someone’s accumulated knowledge; “extensive experience” would be smoother. As a refinement, choose a few precise verbs for his actions—such as advised, listened, and reassured—rather than relying on general descriptions.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy

You use accurate complex sentences, for example, “Ajit noticed this and told me that confidence comes from practice rather than being naturally talented,” and the past-tense narrative is generally consistent. The sequence also combines short and longer sentence patterns effectively. A useful next step is to check that each sentence has one clear focus when speaking, especially in the longer descriptions of the practice routine; this can make the answer easier to follow without changing its meaning.

Pronunciation

This is a practice guide, not an assessment of a recording. Practise the word stress in “encouraged,” “manageable,” and “confidence,” and group the final reflection into thought units: “I still remember Ajit’s support / because he helped me believe / that steady effort can make a real difference.” Record that sentence and check whether each phrase is easy to understand and whether the key words stand out; no claims about your actual pronunciation can be made from text alone.

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 telling the story from four cue words—goal, difficulty, Ajit, result—so you can develop it naturally rather than memorising every sentence.
  • Add one brief, truthful example of a specific occasion when you practised speaking with Ajit, if you can recall one.
  • Replace “vast experiences” with “extensive experience,” then record the final reflection and check that its three thought groups are clear.

Plan your answer

Try your own response before reading the samples.

Ideas to explore

  • Name one specific goal and explain why it mattered to you.
  • Describe two concrete ways the person supported you, such as setting small targets and giving feedback.
  • Explain what changed after the encouragement and what you learned from the experience.

Suggested structure

  1. Briefly introduce the person and your relationship.
  2. State the goal and why you found it challenging.
  3. Give specific examples of how the person encouraged you.
  4. Describe the result and reflect on why the support mattered.
Useful vocabulary & examples
set manageable targets
choose small, realistic steps towards a larger goal

My mother helped me set manageable targets for practising my speaking.

offer gentle feedback
give suggestions in a supportive, non-critical way

After each practice, she offered gentle feedback on one thing I could improve.

grow in confidence
become more self-assured over time

I began to grow in confidence as I spoke more often in class.

break a goal into steps
divide a larger aim into smaller actions

It became easier to make progress once I broke my goal into steps.

Practise your answer →

Compare answers on this topic

Band 8

The first person who comes to my mind when I think of somebody who has inspired me to achieve my goal is perhaps my father. He is a man who is so resilient. The number of challe...

Band 7

I would like to talk about a situation that demanded a lot of perseverance from my side, and my brother was always there to push me forward and always remind me of my resilience...

Band 6

Well, I think motivation plays a role in the success of every person's life. Actually, I know many people who inspire me a lot throughout my life. Among them, I would like to ta...

Band 5

Thank you for your question. I believe that motivation plays an integral role in our life. Without it, achieving a goal becomes a challenge. And at times, people feel the obviou...

Band 4

Well, I would like to talk about my dad, who has had a significant impact on my life with his inspiration. His name is Farhat, and he's also one of the best businessmen in my co...

Band 8

Everyone needs someone in their life to encourage them during challenging times. We all need that support, whether it comes from parents, friends, relatives, or even siblings. T...