Why did you choose that subject?

Partly because I was good at maths at school, and partly because I wanted to understand why some countries get rich and others don't. I'm still working on the second part.

What do you like most about your job?

The people I work with. The work itself can be repetitive, but the team is great, and we have a lot of jokes that wouldn't make sense to anyone else.

Is there anything you'd like to change about your studies?

I'd like more practical work. A lot of what we do is theory and exams, and I sometimes wonder how much of it I'll actually use once I start working.

What do you plan to do after you graduate?

Ideally, a master's abroad, which is why I'm taking IELTS. After that, I'd like to work for an international organisation for a few years before deciding where to settle.

IELTS Speaking Part 1 · Work or study

Do you work or are you a student?

Almost every test starts here, straight after your name. It's a warm-up, but it's marked. One word ("Student.") makes a poor first impression; two or three relaxed sentences make a good one.

Say which, what exactly you do or study, and one thing you think about it. If you're between jobs or taking a gap year, just say so: it's a completely normal answer.

Answer it out loud with the AI examiner

Sample answers at 3 bands

Same question, three answers. Read them out loud and notice what changes: not longer words, but more detail, better linking and a bit of you in it.

Band 5.5 answer

I am a student. I study in university, my major is economics. I am in second year.

Why it scores Band 5.5: Clear, but very short, with small slips ("in university" should be "at university", "in second year" needs "my" or "the").

Band 7 answer

I'm a student at the moment. I'm in my second year of economics at a university in Hanoi. It's harder than I expected, there's a lot more maths than I'd realised, but I'm enjoying it, especially the courses on how markets actually behave.

Why it scores Band 7: A natural length, accurate details and an honest opinion. "Harder than I expected" and "than I'd realised" are good comparative and past perfect use.

Band 8 answer

Both, in a way. I'm finishing a master's in public health, and to pay for it I work three days a week at a clinic doing admin. It's a lot to juggle, but the two feed into each other quite nicely: half the things we discuss in seminars, I've seen happen at work that week.

Why it scores Band 8: A slightly unexpected answer, explained clearly, with natural idioms ("a lot to juggle", "feed into each other") and a precise final point.

Bands are our estimate against the public IELTS Speaking band descriptors. In the real test your band comes from all three parts, not one answer.

The follow-up questions

Part 1 stays on one topic for three or four questions. These are the ones that usually come next.

Why did you choose that subject?: Partly because I was good at maths at school, and partly because I wanted to understand why some countries get rich and others don't. I'm still working on the second part.
What do you like most about your job?: The people I work with. The work itself can be repetitive, but the team is great, and we have a lot of jokes that wouldn't make sense to anyone else.
Is there anything you'd like to change about your studies?: I'd like more practical work. A lot of what we do is theory and exams, and I sometimes wonder how much of it I'll actually use once I start working.
What do you plan to do after you graduate?: Ideally, a master's abroad, which is why I'm taking IELTS. After that, I'd like to work for an international organisation for a few years before deciding where to settle.

Words that lift this answer

I'm in my second year of…: The natural way to say how far through a course you are.
major in / do a degree in: Talk about your main subject.
juggle: Manage several things at once: "I juggle work and study."
a gap year / between jobs: Not studying or working for a while.
hands-on experience: Practical experience from doing a job.
work part-time / full-time: How many hours you work.

Mistakes that cost marks here

A one-word answer. The examiner will keep asking, and you lose a chance to warm up.
"I study in university". Say "at university" or "at a university in…".
Answering about the future when the question is about now.

Reading answers won't move your band. Saying them will.

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