Band 7 Example
Topic: Describe a piece of good news that you heard about someone you know well
Example
A surprising piece of news What it was I'm going to talk about a piece of news that really took me by surprise. It was when I found out that I had been accepted into my dream university. I had applied but honestly didn't think I would get in because it's really competitive. When you heard it I heard the news about two years ago, in late spring. It was just a normal day, and I was checking my emails without expecting anything significant. How you knew it The news came through an email from the university's admissions office. The subject line was quite plain, so I didn't suspect anything until I opened it. The first line of the email congratulated me, and it took a few seconds for the reality to sink in. And explain how you felt about it I was overwhelmed with joy and disbelief. It was a mix of emotions because, on one hand, I was ecstatic about the acceptance and the opportunities it would bring. On the other hand, I was nervous about moving to a new city and starting a new chapter of my life. Overall, it was a pivotal moment that I still remember vividly, as it marked the beginning of an exciting journey towards my career goals.
Grammar Analysis
The response effectively uses a variety of sentence structures, which enhances the narrative flow and helps to clearly convey the emotions associated with the news. For example, the use of past continuous ("I was checking my emails") and simple past tenses ("I found out") appropriately reflects the actions and events as they happened. The answer also incorporates conditional phrases ("didn't think I would get in"), which adds a layer of depth to the speaker's initial expectations and the surprising outcome. Additionally, the use of direct speech in explaining the email content ("The first line of the email congratulated me") helps to vividly recreate the moment of discovery for the listener.
Vocabulary
  • - **surprising piece of news**: Sets the theme of the response, indicating an unexpected event.
  • - **dream university**: Indicates a highly desired or idealized place for higher education, adding to the significance of the acceptance.
  • - **competitive**: Suggests a challenging or demanding situation, enhancing the impact of the acceptance.
  • - **overwhelmed with joy and disbelief**: These phrases effectively convey strong, mixed emotions, illustrating the speaker's intense reaction to the news.
  • - **pivotal moment**: Highlights the significance of the event in the speaker's life, suggesting a major turning point.
  • - **exciting journey towards my career goals**: Implies a forward-looking, optimistic view about the future, emphasizing the opportunities that the acceptance might lead to.
  • These elements combine to create a detailed and emotionally engaging narrative that clearly explains the significance of the news and the speaker's feelings about it.