Band 7 Example

Question: Did you use to keep your room tidy as a child?

Idea 1

Yes
Model Answer
Yes, I used to keep my room tidy when I was a child. My parents always told me to clean up, so I got used to it. I liked putting my toys and books in order, and I felt more comfortable in a neat room.
Yes, I was actually quite tidy as a child. My parents always encouraged me to keep my room clean, so it became a habit. I enjoyed organizing my toys and books, and I loved showing my friends how neat my room was whenever they visited.
Grammar Analysis
1. Past simple tense: The answer consistently uses the past simple tense ("was," "encouraged," "enjoyed," "loved") to talk about habits and actions in childhood, which is appropriate for the question. 2. Use of reason and result: The phrase "so it became a habit" shows cause and effect, linking encouragement from parents to the development of a habit. 3. Use of gerunds: "organizing my toys and books" uses a gerund after "enjoyed," which is grammatically correct and natural.
Vocabulary
  • quite tidy
  • encouraged me to keep my room clean
  • habit
  • organizing my toys and books
  • showing my friends how neat my room was

Idea 2

No
Model Answer
No, I wasn't very tidy as a kid. I usually left my toys and clothes all over the place, and my parents had to remind me to clean up. I only cleaned my room when we had guests coming.
No, to be honest, I was a bit messy when I was younger. I used to leave my toys and clothes everywhere, and my parents often had to nag me to tidy up. Usually, I only bothered to clean my room if we were expecting visitors.
Grammar Analysis
1. Past simple and 'used to': The answer uses past simple ("was," "bothered") and 'used to' ("used to leave") to describe past habits and states, which is exactly what's needed for this type of question. 2. Informal expressions: The use of informal phrases like "nag me to tidy up" and "bothered to clean" makes the answer sound natural and conversational, which is great for IELTS Speaking.
Vocabulary
  • messy
  • used to leave
  • nag me to tidy up
  • bothered to clean

Idea 3

Sometimes
Model Answer
Sometimes I kept my room tidy, but it depended on my mood or if I was busy with schoolwork. If my parents asked me, I would clean up, but most of the time I didn't care much.
I would say it depended. Sometimes I kept my room tidy, especially if I got new things or wanted to rearrange my stuff. But most of the time, unless my parents asked me to clean up, I didn't really bother.
Grammar Analysis
1. Use of past simple tense: The answer uses the past simple tense ("kept", "got", "wanted", "asked", "didn't bother") appropriately to talk about habits and actions in childhood. 2. Conditional structure: The phrase "unless my parents asked me to clean up" uses a conditional clause to explain when the action would happen, showing good control of complex sentences.
Vocabulary
  • depended
  • got new things
  • rearrange my stuff
  • clean up
  • bother