Part 2

Band 6+: Describe a time when you had to make a difficult decision

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Polished transcript:

Male Female

I would like to discuss a time when I had to make a difficult decision. First, I want to speak about the decision itself. This decision was related to my future. I needed to decide where I was going to study. I had to choose my future university. To tell the truth, I wanted to study in another city, not in my city. Therefore, I had different options. I was able to stay in my hometown or I could move to another city. I decided to move to another city because I wanted to develop myself. I wanted to improve my skills and abilities. And I thought that it would be possible only in another town. To tell the truth, my grandmother and mother didn't accept my decision. Nonetheless, I had already decided to study in this particular university. Making this decision was really difficult for me because I didn't receive much support. And to be honest, the outcome of that decision was great. I moved to another town and now I'm studying there. This town is so beautiful and I have met a lot of interesting people. I will never regret my decision. It was right.

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

I would like. Mhm. Discuss a time when I had to make a difficult decision. First, I want to speak about the decision itself. This decision was related to my future. I needed to decide where I uh, were going to study. I had to uh, choose my future university. To tell the truth, I wanted to study in another city. Uh, not in my city. Um, uh, therefore I uh, have. I had different, uh, options. I was able to stay in my hometown or I could move to another city. I have decided to move to another city because I wanted to develop myself. I wanted to improve my skills and abilities. And I thought that it would be possible only in another town. To tell the truth, my grandmother and mother didn’t accept my decision. Nonetheless, I have already decided to study in this particular university. To make this decision, it was really difficult for me because I uh, didn’t receive much support. And to be honest, the outcome of that decision was great. I moved to another town and now I’m studying there. This town is so beautiful and I have met a lot of interesting people. I will never regret my decision. It was right.

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Speaking Time: 79 seconds

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Overall Band Score

6.5

(+/- 0.5)

Vocabulary Complexity:
B2 - Upper Intermediate
Opt for even more advanced words when appropriate.

Vocabulary Repetition:

decision: 7

another: 5

this: 4

city: 4

study: 3

wanted: 3

town: 3

would: 2

difficult: 2

future: 2

university: 2

truth: 2

decided: 2

because: 2

didn't: 2

Try using synonyms for the above words

Pronunciation

Your pronunciation is very good. Aim to refine subtleties and intonation to further improve.

Task Response

The answer addresses all parts of the topic: it describes the decision (choosing a university), the options (stay or move), how it was made (personal desire for development), and the outcome (positive experience). It includes personal experience and specific details, such as the lack of support from family and the positive outcome. However, the response could be more fully developed with additional details about the decision-making process and the outcome. For example, elaborating on the factors considered, the challenges faced, and the specific benefits of the move would enhance the response. The language is clear and coherent, but there is room for more complex structures and vocabulary to achieve a higher band.

Fluency & Coherence

The answer is generally coherent and follows a logical structure, but there are noticeable hesitations, repetitions, and self-corrections (e.g., 'I would like. Mhm.', 'I uh, were going', 'I have. I had'). These disrupt the flow. To improve, practice speaking more smoothly and reduce filler words. Use cohesive devices more effectively to link ideas, though the progression from decision to options to outcome is clear.

Lexical Resource

Vocabulary is adequate for the topic, with some good phrases like 'develop myself', 'improve my skills and abilities', and 'outcome of that decision'. However, there is some repetition (e.g., 'another city' and 'another town' used interchangeably) and a lack of precise or varied vocabulary. To score higher, use more specific and varied terms, such as 'pursue higher education', 'relocate', 'weigh the pros and cons', and 'ultimately proved beneficial'. Pay attention to vocabulary repetition to improve the overall score.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy

The grammar is mostly accurate, but there are some errors and inconsistencies. For example, 'I uh, were going' should be 'I was going', and 'I have decided' should be 'I decided' for past tense consistency. The use of 'I have already decided' is correct but could be simplified. The range of structures is limited, with mostly simple and compound sentences. To improve, incorporate more complex structures, such as conditional sentences or relative clauses, and ensure consistent past tense usage.

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Band 6+: Describe a time when you had to make a difficult decision

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Overall Band Score

Pronunciation

Task Response

Fluency & Coherence

Lexical Resource

Grammatical Range & Accuracy

Answers On The Same Topic:

Describe a time when you had to make a difficult decision

Describe a time when you had to make a difficult decision

Describe a time when you had to make a difficult decision

Describe a time when you had to make a difficult decision

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