Describe a party you went to.
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 party you went to.
You should say
- whose party it was
- where it was held
- what happened there
- and explain whether you enjoyed it
60 seconds to prepare, up to 2 minutes to speak
A band 7 to 8 answer
About 188 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.About a year ago a friend from university had a party for his thirtieth, held on the roof terrace of a building where somebody he knew lived, which meant carrying everything up six floors. There were perhaps forty people, most of whom I did not know, and it started at eight and finished at something closer to three. What happened was mostly what happens at parties, but two things stood out. His mother came, stayed for about an hour, and turned out to be far funnier than any of us, and then left at exactly the right moment. And at about midnight the music failed completely, and instead of the evening dying somebody produced a guitar and it turned into an hour of extremely bad singing that was better than the music had been. Whether I enjoyed it, honestly, yes, more than I expected. I had gone intending to leave by eleven. The failure of the sound system is the only reason I did not. I have been to better parties and I cannot remember any of them, which suggests something about what actually makes an evening stick.
The words that earn marks
Each one links to how it is pronounced.
How a strong answer is built
- 1Say whose, where and the scale.
- 2Give the timing so the evening has a shape.
- 3Pick two things that stood out rather than narrating it all.
- 4Answer whether you enjoyed it, with a reason you did not expect.
Sounds to watch
The ones this answer leans on most.
Straight answers
How long should my answer to “Describe a party you went to.” 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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