IELTS Speaking Band 9.0 Sample: Work, Phones, Education

TL;DR

This IELTS Speaking Band 9.0 sample demonstrates direct answers expanded with relevant details and personal examples about work, phones, school, and university. The candidate explains how Secure My Scholarship connects students with scholarships, names the eight or nine apps he uses, and describes managing an economics major with four minors. Read on for specific answer structures and examples from the test.

Transcript

let's start off with asking you do you work or do you study I work actually um so I co-founded the startup it's called secure my scholarship it's an ettech platform that connects students with scholarships at universities around the world so I I work full-time longer than full-time of you may say what do you love about your job I love the impact th... Read More

Key Insights

• Band 9.0 answers extend beyond the question by adding context, such as explaining what the candidate's startup Secure My Scholarship does rather than just stating that he works.
• Personal examples strengthen responses. The candidate illustrates his job's impact by describing a girl whose $65,000 MBA fee was reduced to $40,000 through a $25,000 scholarship secured via his platform.
• Honesty makes answers natural. When asked if he dislikes his job, the candidate says he personally does not, but his fiance dislikes that the job takes up a lot of his time.
• The candidate uses about eight or nine apps including LinkedIn, Asana for task tracking, Slack for internal team communication, and WhatsApp, showing specific detail rather than vague generalizations.
• Nuanced answers acknowledge complexity. On school, the candidate says he hated it while attending but appreciates it more later in life, showing balanced reflection.
• The difficult-experience answer follows a clear arc: the candidate describes managing a major in economics plus four minors at university, then explains he learned time management by scheduling out his day and week.
• Part 3 answers weigh both sides. On free higher education, the candidate says it is ideal but acknowledges reality, noting his platform cannot make education free but can minimize the cost.
• The candidate connects scholarship questions to fairness, arguing an unbiased council should decide awards rather than favoritism, and that gifted students deserve support given limited seats.

Questions & Answers

Q: What does the candidate say when asked whether he works or studies?

He says he works and co-founded Secure My Scholarship, an edtech platform connecting students with scholarships at universities around the world. He works on the startup full-time, or longer than full-time.

Q: What does the candidate love about working at Secure My Scholarship?

He loves the impact the company creates by helping students from hardworking middle-class and working-class families attend their dream universities. He says his previous work has also involved companies with impact or social causes.

Q: Which mobile apps does the candidate use?

He uses about eight or nine apps, including LinkedIn, Asana, Slack, and WhatsApp. Asana helps him track tasks and manage his day, while Slack supports internal team communication.

Q: What was Lock and Stock?

Lock and Stock was a mobile app founded by the candidate and the same founding team before Secure My Scholarship. It rewarded students with offers and discounts for not using their phones during class, encouraging them to pay attention and study better.

Q: Did the candidate enjoy school?

He says he hated school while attending it. However, he believes people begin to appreciate their school more as they get older.

Q: Who was the candidate's favorite teacher?

His favorite teacher was Mrs. Mik Menan, his math teacher in grades 10 and 11. He says he liked and enjoyed her classes.

Q: What did the candidate dislike about his school?

He disliked its intense focus on academic performance and grades at the expense of sports and extracurricular activities. Although he played cricket and football, the school offered almost no training practices, practice matches, or tournaments.

Q: How did the candidate manage a difficult period at university?

During his second or third year, around 2015 or 2016, he struggled to fit an economics major and several additional subjects into limited time. He learned time management by carefully scheduling his day and week, eventually graduating with four minors alongside his major.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Definition: Secure My Scholarship is an edtech platform connecting students with scholarships at universities around the world.

• Who: The candidate co-founded Secure My Scholarship and works on it full-time, longer than full-time.

• Number: He uses about eight or nine apps, including LinkedIn, Asana, Slack, and WhatsApp.

• Tool: Asana helps him track tasks and manage his day, while Slack supports internal team communication.

• Definition: Lock and Stock rewarded students with offers and discounts for not using their phones during class.

• Who: Mrs. Mik Menan was his math teacher in grades 10 and 11 and his favorite teacher.

• Compare: He hated school while attending but appreciated it more later in life.

• Compare: His school prioritized grades while giving little attention to cricket, football, and other extracurricular activities.

• When: His most difficult university period was around 2015 or 2016, during his second or third year.

• Number: He graduated with one economics major and four minors, and says he would have had a fifth minor in finance.

• Step 1: He broke down what he wanted to accomplish during university.

• Step 2: He scheduled his day and week carefully to manage his classes and limited time.