Objective: Listen and repeat. Focus on -s endings and BE verb forms. This is a Band 5-6 IELTS Part 1 answer.
Band 5: -s Missing
"My brother wake up at six."
Examiner: "Consistent -s errors limit you to Band 5 GR"
Band 6: -s Present
"My brother wakes up at six."
Fix this → Band 6 Grammatical Range
Present Simple
IELTS: habits, facts, routines
I / You / We / They+ verbHe / She / It+ verb-sI study at university.(fact)My classes start at 9.(routine)I practise every evening.(habit)Do you like your job?(question)
Signal words: every day, always, usually, never, sometimes
Present Continuous
IELTS: right now, these days, temporary
- am / is / are + verb-ing
I am preparing for IELTS.(these days)I am taking a writing course.(this semester)They are building a new campus.(current project)He isn't working right now.(at the moment)Are you studying anything new?
Signal words: right now, at the moment, today, this week, these days
Trap 1: BE Verb Omission
Russian: "Я учитель." (no verb)
English: "I am a teacher."
BE verb is REQUIRED in English
Trap 2: The -s Endings
Russian verbs don't change for he/she/it
"He like coffee" → "He likes coffee"
Missing -s = Band 5. Fix this = Band 6.
| Criterion | Band 5 (Current Target) | Band 6 (Next Milestone) |
|---|---|---|
| Fluency & Coherence | Short answers, hesitations | Longer answers, some linking |
| Lexical Resource | Simple vocabulary | Some less common words |
| Grammar | Basic tenses, some errors | Both present tenses, -s mostly correct |
| Pronunciation | Can follow, some errors | Clear, few errors |
attend lectures — посещать лекцииtake notes — записыватьprepare for an exam — готовиться к экзаменуdo research — заниматься исследованиемmeet deadlines — соблюдать срокиwork part-time — работать неполный деньapply for a course — подать заявку на курсtake a break — сделать перерывFrequency words: always usually often sometimes rarely never | Time phrases: every day once a week these days at the moment this semester
Choose the correct form. Click to reveal the answer.
Click each sentence to see the correction and IELTS band impact.
Answer in full sentences. Use Present Simple for habits, Present Continuous for current situations.
Q1
"Do you work or are you a student?"
Q2
"What do you do in your free time?"
Q3
"How often do you read books or watch films in English?"
Q4
"Tell me about your daily routine."
Q5
"What are you studying or working on these days?"
Q6
"Is there anything new you are learning right now?"
30 seconds preparation → 1 minute speaking
Cue Card
Describe a typical day in your life.
You should say:
- What you usually do in the morning
- What you do during the day
- What you are doing differently these days
- And explain if you like your daily routine.
Prompt
"Tell me about a typical day in your life — and what is different about today or this week."
Teacher listens for: -s endings, BE verbs, correct simple vs continuous choice, speaking stamina
| Russian Pattern | English Fix | IELTS Band Impact |
|---|---|---|
| "Я учитель." (no verb) | "I am a teacher." | Fix this → Band 6 GR |
| "Он работаeт." (verb only) | "He works." / "He is working." | Fix this → Band 6 GR |
| "Я нет знаю." | "I don't know." | Fix this → Band 6 GR |
| "Она хорошо говорит." | "She speaks English well." | Fix this → Band 6 GR |
| "Я всегда опаздываю." | "I am always late." | Fix this → Band 6 GR |
Band 5 Grammar Profile
"He live in Moscow. She working now. I no have. He always is late."
Band 6 Grammar Profile
"He lives in Moscow. She is working now. I don't have. He is always late."
Write Liza's actual errors here during the lesson. Auto-saved to localStorage.
Task: Record a 1.5-minute answer: "Describe your typical weekend. What do you usually do, and what are you doing differently this weekend?"
"On weekends, I usually wake up late. I have breakfast and then I watch some videos in English. In the afternoon, I sometimes meet my friends. We go to a café or walk in the park. But this weekend, I am doing something different — I am staying at home to study for my IELTS exam. My friend is also studying, so we are practising together online. I think it is a good plan because the exam is soon."
Prompt: Write an email to an English-speaking friend (120-150 words) welcoming them to your city. Describe what you usually do in your free time and what you are planning to show them.
Self-Check Checklist
Write down 3 mistakes you caught yourself making during today's lesson.
Fill in after each activity to track Liza's progress with IELTS Band equivalents.