Prompt
Do you live in a house or an apartment? Why?
Band 9 sample transcript
Band 9 sample transcript
Sentence-by-sentence analysis
Speaking examiner breakdown
The Band 9 label is inherited from the approved transcript. Pronunciation coaching is separate and is not a score claim from text alone.
I live in an apartment, in a mid-rise building not far from the city centre. The main reason is convenience: it’s within walking distance of my workplace, and there’s a subway station practically on the corner, so I don’t waste time commuting.
It also fits my routine right now. I’m out most of the day, so I’d rather not deal with the extra responsibilities that come with a house, like repairs, gardening, and general upkeep. In my building, if the plumbing acts up or something stops working, I just message the management office and it usually gets sorted out pretty fast.
Another thing I like is the security. There’s a receptionist and key-card access, which makes me feel safer, especially if I come home late.
That said, I do miss having more space and a bit of privacy—apartments can feel cramped, and you can’t always control noisy neighbours. But overall, for this stage of my life, an apartment is practical and it lets me focus on work and study rather than maintenance.
Examiner summary
The apartment choice is justified through commute convenience, low maintenance and security, followed by a genuine drawback. Linking the final choice to the speaker’s current life stage creates a convincing, balanced conclusion.
Pronunciation coaching
- Stress “convenience”, “security” and “That said” to make the response structure audible.
- Chunk the maintenance example around “if the plumbing acts up” so the conditional remains easy to follow.
Natural phrases to reuse
The main reason is…
Introduce your primary reason clearly
The main reason is convenience, because everything I need is nearby.
Another thing I like is…
Add a second point smoothly
Another thing I like is the security in my building.
That said, …
Add a brief, balanced contrast
That said, I do miss having a garden sometimes.
Overall, …
Give a concise concluding judgement
Overall, an apartment just makes more sense for me right now.
Pronunciation and fluency notes
- Linking for smoothness: ‘within_ walking distance’, ‘key-card access’, ‘sorted_out pretty fast’.
- Use contrast intonation on ‘That said…’ to signal a shift.
- Chunk longer ideas: ‘extra responsibilities / that come with a house’ to avoid rushing.
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