Part 2

Band 5+: Describe a place you visited that was surprisingly different from what you expected. You should say: where it was, what you had expected before visiting, what it was actually like, and explain why the difference made an impression on you.

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Polished transcript:

Male Female

A couple of months ago, my friend and I went to the Sailing, which is located in the Dora Katu Strait, only three hours from my home in Rye. We had seen this place on the internet and went especially for the bodhisattva liberation. When we reached the place, it was really beautiful. But we couldn't see the proper view because the weather was too foggy. On the internet, we had seen that the place was really beautiful, covered with hills, and a big mountain was visible, but unfortunately, we couldn't see the proper view and we returned from halfway. It was a really beautiful place. The views were so mesmerizing, and we took lots of photos there. In the early morning, we wanted to see the sunrise, but we couldn't wake up. However, after we went there, the boats were both singing their song, which was really quite impressive because in the crowded city it is really difficult to listen. So I'm so impressed with the view, and I'm still wondering that in the future I will go there again.

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

A couple of months ago, me and my friend went to the Sailing which is located in the Dora Katu Strait which is only three hours far from my home in Rye. We had saw this place in the internet and we went especially for the bodhisattva liberation. When we reached the place, the place was really beautiful. But we cannot see the proper view because of the… Because the weather was too foggy, but in the internet we had saw the place was really beautiful, covered with hills and Big mountain was seen but unfortunately we couldn’t see the proper view and we returned from the half of the place. It was really beautiful place. The views were so mesmerizing and particularly we took lots of photos there and in the early morning we want to see the sunrise but we could not wake up but however after way went here the boats were both were singing their song that’s what that was really quite impressive because in the crowded city it is really difficult to listen so I’m so impressed with the view and I’m still wondering that in the future I will cool again the earth.

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Speaking Time: 72 seconds

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Overall Band Score

(+/- 0.5)

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

Vocabulary Repetition:

really: 5

place: 4

went: 3

beautiful: 3

couldn't: 3

there: 3

which: 2

internet: 2

proper: 2

because: 2

Try using synonyms for the above words

Pronunciation

Your pronunciation is above average. However, you may find complexity in certain words challenging. Regular practice should aid in improvement.

Task Response

The answer addresses the topic by describing the place, the initial expectation, and the actual experience, but it lacks depth and specific details. The response is somewhat repetitive and does not fully develop the reasons why the difference made an impression. To improve, provide more concrete details about the location, the contrast between expectation and reality, and elaborate on the personal significance of the experience. Additionally, ensure that all parts of the topic are covered thoroughly and coherently.

Fluency & Coherence

The answer is somewhat organized but lacks clear structure. The speaker jumps between ideas (e.g., from the foggy weather to taking photos to the boats singing) without clear transitions. There is noticeable repetition (e.g., 'really beautiful' and 'proper view' repeated) and self-correction ('Because the weather...'). To improve, use cohesive devices like 'firstly', 'in addition', 'however' to link ideas, and avoid repeating the same phrases. Also, ensure the response directly addresses all parts of the topic, especially the 'why the difference made an impression' part, which is only vaguely touched upon.

Lexical Resource

The vocabulary is basic and repetitive. Words like 'beautiful', 'really', 'proper view' are overused. There is some attempt at descriptive language ('mesmerizing', 'crowded city'), but it is limited. The phrase 'bodhisattva liberation' is unclear and may be a mispronunciation or misuse. To improve, use a wider range of adjectives and precise vocabulary (e.g., 'picturesque', 'obscured', 'serene'), and avoid vague terms. Also, clarify or rephrase unclear expressions like 'the boats were both singing their song' to 'the boats' horns were sounding' or 'the sound of the boats was melodic'.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy

There are several grammatical errors: 'me and my friend' should be 'my friend and I'; 'We had saw' should be 'We had seen'; 'we cannot see' should be 'we couldn't see'; 'we want to see' should be 'we wanted to see'; 'we could not wake up' is correct but 'we could not wake up' is fine; 'after way went here' is unclear and incorrect; 'I will cool again the earth' is a major error, likely meaning 'I will go there again'. The sentence structure is often simple and repetitive. To improve, practice using past tenses consistently, correct subject-verb agreement, and use a variety of complex structures (e.g., relative clauses, conditionals).

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See All

Band 5+: Describe a place you visited that was surprisingly different from what you expected. You should say: where it was, what you had expected before visiting, what it was actually like, and explain why the difference made an impression on you.

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Overall Band Score

Pronunciation

Task Response

Fluency & Coherence

Lexical Resource

Grammatical Range & Accuracy

Other Topics:

Tell about a competition you would like to take part in

Describe something you found interesting on social media

Describe a time when you had to adapt to a significant change unexpectedly. You should say: - When and where it happened - What the change was - How you initially felt about it - And explain how you eventually adapted.

Describe a sportman you admire

Describe a skill you learned from a mistake. You should say: - What the mistake was - How you learned the skill from it - When this happened And explain how this skill has helped you since.

Describe a gift you would like to buy for a friend.

Check Your Own Answer On This Topic?

Generate A Band-9 Sample With Your Idea?

Overall Band Score

Pronunciation

Task Response

Fluency & Coherence

Lexical Resource

Grammatical Range & Accuracy

Other Topics:

Plans & Pricing

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