Part 1
Examiner
Did you have a bike when you were a child?
Candidate
I actually did. I had a pink bike with ribbons alongside with two wheels, not 4 because my dad taught me how to ride a bike.
Examiner
Do you think bikes are popular in your country?
Candidate
They're not so popular because of the humid weather in my country, but when travelling I think it would be an amazing opportunity to try a new way of transport.
Did you have a bike when you were a child?
Score: 68.0Suggestion: Be more concise and use a clear topic sentence, then add one or two specific supporting details. Avoid redundancy (e.g., “two wheels, not 4” is unnecessary). Use linking words to connect ideas (e.g., “and” or “which”). Also correct small grammar issues: say “with ribbons on the handlebars” and “my dad taught me to ride.”
Example: Yes. I had a small pink bike with ribbons on the handlebars, which my father taught me to ride when I was six. It had training wheels at first, but he removed them after a few weeks, and I quickly became confident.
Do you think bikes are popular in your country?
Score: 72.0Suggestion: Start with a direct opinion, then give specific reasons and a short example. Use linking words (e.g., “because,” “however,” “for example”) to make your explanation coherent. Replace vague phrasing like “amazing opportunity” with concrete ideas about when and why you’d use a bike. Fix grammar: say “when travelling” -> “when travelling abroad” or “when I travel.”
Example: Not really — bikes aren’t very popular here because the climate is hot and humid, and traffic makes cycling inconvenient. However, when I travel to quieter cities or tourist areas, I often rent a bike because it’s a cheap and enjoyable way to explore local sights.
× I had a pink bike with ribbons alongside with two wheels, not 4 because my dad taught me how to ride a bike.
✓ I had a pink bike with ribbons and two wheels, not four, because my dad taught me how to ride it.
The phrase 'alongside with two wheels' is incorrect word choice and word order for listing features; use 'and' to connect items. Use the word 'four' in full in formal writing. Also 'a bike' repeated at end is redundant; replace with pronoun 'it'. This fixes singular/plural clarity and improves cohesion. Suggestion: use 'and' to join features and use pronoun to avoid repetition.' ,
× They're not so popular because of the humid weather in my country, but when travelling I think it would be an amazing opportunity to try a new way of transport.
✓ They're not very popular because of the humid weather in my country, but when travelling I think it would be an amazing opportunity to try a new mode of transport.
Use 'very' rather than 'so' for more natural neutral statements. 'Way of transport' is non-idiomatic; 'mode of transport' or 'means of transport' is correct. The sentence mixes present ('They're not very popular') with conditional 'it would be' which is acceptable here because the speaker refers to hypothetical travel situations; keep tense consistent. Suggestion: replace 'so' with 'very' and 'way of transport' with 'mode of transport' for idiomatic English.' }]} מערייַן