Band 7 Example
Topic: Describe a time when you broke something
Example
An accidental mishap What it was I'm going to talk about a time when I accidentally broke my friend's favorite vase. It was a beautiful, antique porcelain vase that had been passed down through her family for generations. When/where that happened This unfortunate incident happened about a year ago at my friend's house. We were having a small get-together to celebrate her birthday, and she had invited a few close friends over for dinner. How you broke it The accident occurred when I was helping to set the table for dinner. I was carrying a tray of glasses to the dining room when I tripped over the edge of a rug. In an attempt to regain my balance, I inadvertently swung my arm and knocked the vase off the side table. It fell to the floor and shattered into countless pieces. I was horrified and immediately felt a wave of guilt wash over me. And explain what you did after that After the initial shock, I quickly apologized to my friend and offered to replace the vase. She was understandably upset but was gracious enough to assure me that it was an accident and that she didn't hold it against me. I insisted on making amends, so the next day, I went to an antique shop and found a similar vase that I thought she would like. I also wrote her a heartfelt note expressing my regret and appreciation for her understanding. When I gave her the new vase, she was touched by the gesture and assured me that our friendship was far more valuable than any object. This experience taught me the importance of being careful and the value of true friendship, as my friend was incredibly forgiving and understanding despite the mishap.
Grammar Analysis
The answer uses a variety of sentence structures, including complex and compound sentences, which contribute to the overall coherence and fluency of the narrative. For example, "The accident occurred when I was helping to set the table for dinner" combines multiple actions into a single sentence. The use of past tense is consistent and appropriate for recounting a past event, as seen in "I tripped over the edge of a rug" and "I went to an antique shop." The narrative also includes conditional and modal verbs to express intentions and hypothetical situations, such as "I insisted on making amends" and "I thought she would like."
Vocabulary
  • accidental mishap
  • antique porcelain vase
  • get-together
  • regain my balance
  • inadvertently
  • shattered into countless pieces
  • wave of guilt
  • gracious
  • make amends
  • heartfelt note
  • touched by the gesture
  • value of true friendship
  • forgiving and understanding