IELTS Speaking Part 1 — Work (Band 7+ Sample Answers)
"Do you work or are you a student?" is one of the most reliable opening questions in IELTS Speaking Part 1. These four model answers show how to use specific job vocabulary, vary your tenses, and signal Band 7+ from sentence one.
What Examiners Want
Name your specific role and workplace (not just "I work in an office"), use a mix of present, past, and future tenses across the answer, and reach for job-specific lexis where natural. Two to three sentences per answer.
Sample Q&A: "Do you work or are you a student?"
"I'm working at the moment — I've been a paediatric nurse at a city hospital for the last four years, mostly on the outpatient ward. Before that I was studying nursing at university for three years."
Vocabulary Lifts (Band 6 to Band 7)
"I work in a hospital" becomes "I'm a paediatric nurse on the outpatient ward". "I have worked there for 4 years" becomes "I've been a nurse there for the last four years". "I want to be a doctor" becomes "I'd like to specialise as a nurse practitioner".
Common Follow-Ups
What does your typical day look like at work? What do you find most challenging about your job? Do you work better in the morning or evening? Is your job common in your country? Would you recommend your job to a young person?
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