Describe a child you know.
A strong long turn names the subject in the first sentence, spends most of the two minutes on the last bullet — the why — and arrives at a prepared final line rather than trailing off.
The question, as the examiner gives it
Describe a child you know.
You should say
- who the child is
- how you know them
- what they are like
- and explain what you enjoy about spending time with them
60 seconds to prepare, up to 2 minutes to speak
A band 7 to 8 answer
About 210 words at a natural pace — roughly what 120 seconds holds.
Answer it yourself first
Record your own answer first. A model you have read three times comes out with a flattened rhythm, and examiners are trained to hear exactly that. Read it afterwards for the vocabulary and the shape, not to memorise the sentences.My cousin's daughter Anya is seven, and I see her perhaps once a month when the family gathers, which is often enough to notice how fast she changes. She is a serious child, which surprises people who expect seven-year-olds to be noisy. She asks questions and then waits for the whole answer, and if the answer is unsatisfactory she says so. Last time she asked me what my job was, listened to a fairly careful explanation, and said that it sounded quite boring, which is not inaccurate. What I enjoy about her is that she has no social machinery yet. She does not pretend to be interested, she does not soften anything, and she will simply walk away when a conversation is over. There is something restful about that after a week of adults. She is also completely obsessed with birds at the moment and can name about thirty, which is thirty more than I can, and I have learned a surprising amount by being quizzed on them. I suspect she will lose all of that within about five years, which is how it works, and I am enjoying it while it lasts. Her parents say she is exhausting, and I can afford to disagree because I hand her back.
The words that earn marks
Each one links to how it is pronounced.
- gathers
the right verb for a family coming together
- unsatisfactory
a six-syllable adjective used naturally
- inaccurate
four syllables with the stress on the second
- machinery
used figuratively about social behaviour
- soften
verb with a silent t, worth practising
- obsessed
strong adjective with the stress on the second syllable
- quizzed
an unusual verb that closes the answer lightly
How a strong answer is built
- 1Name the child, the connection and how often you see them.
- 2Give a characteristic that defies expectation.
- 3Prove it with something they actually said.
- 4Say what you get from the time together.
Sounds to watch
The ones this answer leans on most.
Straight answers
How long should my answer to “Describe a child you know.” be?
You get 60 seconds to make notes and then speak for up to two minutes without interruption. Aim to still be talking at ninety seconds: finishing at forty is the commonest way to lose marks on this part.
Should I memorise the model answer?
No. Record your own version first, then read the model for the shape and the vocabulary. A memorised answer changes rhythm and pace noticeably, and examiners are trained to hear it — it usually costs more than the better wording gains.
Does sayit score this answer?
It scores what a microphone can observe: an estimate from fluency and pronunciation only — not an official band, and not a mark for vocabulary or grammar.
What the band on your result means
An estimate from fluency and pronunciation only — not an official band, and not a mark for vocabulary or grammar.One question a day until your test
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