Describe someone you know who is good with money.
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 someone you know who is good with money.
You should say
- who the person is
- how they manage their money
- what they spend it on
- and explain what you have learned from them
60 seconds to prepare, up to 2 minutes to speak
A band 7 to 8 answer
About 181 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 uncle Prakash is the most careful person with money I have ever met, and he is not remotely mean, which is the interesting part. He was a school teacher for thirty-two years on a modest salary, and he has managed to put two children through university, help several nephews including me, and retire without owing anybody anything. What he does is very simple and almost nobody copies it. He decides what something is worth before he finds out what it costs. So he will walk out of a shop over fifty rupees and then hand over a large sum for a nephew's fees without blinking, because one was overpriced and the other was worth it. He also buys things once. His watch is older than I am. What I have taken from him is that being careful with money is not about denying yourself, it is about knowing what you actually value. I am nowhere near as disciplined as he is, but I do now ask myself his question, which is whether I would want this at twice the price.
The words that earn marks
Each one links to how it is pronounced.
- remotely
adverb that qualifies mean precisely
- modest
the right adjective for a small salary
- nephews
a specific family noun, plural handled correctly
- blinking
idiomatic in without blinking
- overpriced
compound adjective, precise and economical
- denying
the verb the argument turns on
- disciplined
three syllables with the stress on the first
How a strong answer is built
- 1Name the person and block the obvious assumption.
- 2Give the evidence that they are good at it.
- 3Explain the principle behind their behaviour.
- 4Say what you took from it, honestly.
Sounds to watch
The ones this answer leans on most.
Straight answers
How long should my answer to “Describe someone you know who is good with money.” 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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