Part 2

Band 6+: Describe a decision you made that turned out better than expected. You should say: - What the decision was about - What your concerns were - What you did And explain why the outcome was better than you anticipated.

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Polished transcript:

Male Female

I will tell you about my decision to drop out of university when I was only in the first year. So, to begin, I have to start from the fact that I chose it because it sounded prestigious to me. Actually, I studied computer science for one year and actually I realized that I wasn't interested in it at all. And for the rest of the first year, it was spring. I try to discover myself and think of other ways I can follow if I drop out of this university and change my direction to other major. The reason why I didn't like studying especially this field is that I wasn't into it before, like in the school. And then it was quite obvious that I wouldn't like it soon. About my expectations, actually, they were really vague, because I didn't know what to expect. My mother told me that it could be the worst decision ever, but actually it turned out to be the best choice in my adult life. because finally I found myself being an artist and I was really surprised yet satisfied that I did it.

Actual audio transcript (What native speakers are likely to hear):

I will tell you about my decision to drop out of university when I was only in the first year. So, to begin, I have to start from the fact that I chose it because it sounded prestigious to me. Actually, I studied computer science for one year and actually I realized that I wasn’t interested in it at all. And for the rest of the first year, it was spring. I try to discover myself and think of other ways I can follow if I drop out of this university and change my direction to other major. The reason why I didn’t like studying especially this field is that I wasn’t into it before, like in the school. And then it was quite obvious that I wouldn’t like it soon. About my expectations, actually, they were really vague, because I didn’t know what to expect. My mother told me that it could be the worst decision ever, but actually it turned out to be the best choice in my adult life. because finally I found myself being an artist and I was really surprised yet satisfied that I did it.

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Speaking Time: 76 seconds

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Overall Band Score

(+/- 0.5)

Vocabulary Complexity:
B1 - Intermediate
Using more sophisticated words could be beneficial.

Vocabulary Repetition:

that: 6

actually: 4

year: 3

because: 3

like: 3

about: 2

decision: 2

university: 2

first: 2

wasn't: 2

myself: 2

other: 2

didn't: 2

really: 2

Try using synonyms for the above words

Pronunciation

Your pronunciation is quite good. Working on consistency and tackling difficult sounds may enhance clarity.

Task Response

The response addresses the topic and covers the required points to some extent, but it lacks depth and specific details. The decision is clearly stated, and the reasons and expectations are mentioned, but the explanation of why it turned out better than expected is brief and not fully developed. To improve, consider providing more concrete examples and elaborating on the outcomes and personal growth experienced. Additionally, organizing the response more coherently and using more varied vocabulary would enhance the overall quality.

Fluency & Coherence

The response is generally coherent and addresses all parts of the topic, but there are some issues with fluency. There are noticeable hesitations and self-corrections (e.g., 'actually' repeated multiple times, 'I try to discover' instead of 'I tried to discover'). The use of cohesive devices is limited (e.g., 'So, to begin', 'And then', 'About my expectations'). To improve, practice speaking more smoothly with fewer repetitions, and use a wider range of linking words (e.g., 'furthermore', 'consequently', 'on the other hand'). Also, ensure consistent tense usage.

Lexical Resource

The vocabulary is adequate to convey the message but lacks flexibility and precision. There is some repetition (e.g., 'actually' used four times, 'really' twice). Some phrases are awkward (e.g., 'change my direction to other major' should be 'change my major to another field'). To improve, expand your vocabulary with more precise and varied words (e.g., 'prestigious' is good, but try 'renowned' or 'well-regarded'; instead of 'vague', use 'unclear' or 'uncertain'). Also, avoid overusing filler words like 'actually'.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy

The grammar is mostly understandable but contains errors that sometimes cause confusion. For example, 'I try to discover' should be 'I tried to discover'; 'if I drop out' should be 'if I dropped out'; 'change my direction to other major' should be 'change my major to another field'. There is also a sentence fragment: 'because finally I found myself being an artist...' which should be connected to the previous sentence. To improve, focus on consistent tense usage (especially past tense for past events) and ensure sentences are complete. Practice using a wider range of complex structures accurately.

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Band 6+: Describe a decision you made that turned out better than expected. You should say: - What the decision was about - What your concerns were - What you did And explain why the outcome was better than you anticipated.

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Overall Band Score

Pronunciation

Task Response

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Lexical Resource

Grammatical Range & Accuracy

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