Part 1: Home & Family

Warm-up: Your first marks of the test

2 warm-up questions

• First try: "Do you live in a house or a flat?" Answer right now, exactly as you would in the test — no preparation.
• Home and family are usually the FIRST questions in the real test. Why do you think the examiner starts there?

Reading: Talking About Home and Family

Read a 131-word text about Talking About Home and Family

Talking About Home and Family Home and family are among the most common Part 1 topics. The examiner may ask about: Your hometown or current residence Your accommodation (house, flat, room) Your neighborhood Your family members Family traditions and activities Sample Part 1 Questions: Do you live in a house or a flat? What's your favorite room in your home? How long have you lived there? Do you have a large family? Who do you live with? What do you like most about your hometown? Tips for Home & Family Topics: Be specific - don't just say "it's nice" Describe what makes your home special Share personal details that bring your answer to life Use present simple for habits and present perfect for experiences Remember: 15-30 seconds per answer, not longer

Vocabulary: Home & Family Vocabulary

6 items

Framework: Using PAFF for Home Topics

PAFF for Home & Family, 4 steps

PAFF for Home & Family: Apply the PAFF framework to common home and family questions. Remember: Point, Add reason, Follow-up detail, Flex (optional).

Reading: What Band 6 sounds like

Read a 271-word text about What Band 6 sounds like

What Band 6 sounds like "Band 6" is not about fancy words. It is about answers that are developed, connected, and accurate enough to follow easily. Listen to the same person answer the same question at two levels. The question: "Do you live in a house or a flat?" The Band 5 answer "I live in a flat. It is small. I live with my family. It is near my work, so... yes, it is good." It answers the question — but in four short, disconnected sentences. There is no reason, no detail, and the examiner has nothing to follow up on. Hesitation fills the gaps. The Band 6 answer "I live in a small flat in the city centre, which I share with my sister. It suits me really well because I can walk to work in about ten minutes. The only downside is the noise at weekends — but honestly, I'd rather have the convenience." Key differences: The Band 6 answer connects its ideas with linking words (which, because, but) instead of stopping after every short sentence It gives a reason ("because I can walk to work") without being asked It adds one specific detail (ten minutes, noise at weekends) that makes the answer real It shows a small contrast ("the only downside...") — a simple structure that makes a big impression Both answers are SHORT — Band 6 in Part 1 is 15-30 seconds, never a speech That is the whole gap: same person, same flat — one extra connected sentence with a reason and a detail. The PAFF structure you have just learned builds exactly this answer.

Practice: Complete the Sentences

Gap-fill exercise, 6 items

• I ____ in a small town in the north of the country.
• I've ____ here for about five years now.
• My neighborhood is very ____ and quiet.
• I ____ along well with my younger brother.
• We come from a ____ family - we're very close.
• I'd ____ to live in the countryside one day.

Dialogue: Part 1 Home & Family Practice

Role-play: Practice answering Part 1 questions about your home and family (8 lines)

• Examiner: Let's talk about your home. Do you live in a house or an apartment?
• Candidate (You): I live in an apartment in the suburbs. It's a two-bedroom flat on the third floor, which I share with my younger sister. I quite like it because it's close to public transport.
• Examiner: What's your favorite room in your home?
• Candidate (You): That would be my bedroom. It's where I can relax and have some privacy after a long day. I've decorated it with photos and plants, so it feels very personal and cozy.
• Examiner: Now let's talk about your family. Do you have a large family?
• Candidate (You): Not really - I have a fairly small family. There's just my parents, my sister, and me. But we have a lot of relatives nearby, so we get together quite often for family events.
• Examiner: Who do you get along with best in your family?
• Candidate (You): I'd say my mother. We have similar personalities and interests, so we often have long conversations about everything from books to current events. She's also very supportive whenever I need advice.

Discussion: Your mission: five questions, five Band 6 answers

3 discussion questions

• Mission: your tutor will ask you five Part 1 questions about home and family (your home, favourite room, hometown, family size, who you get along with). Answer every one with the Band 6 pattern: direct answer + reason + one real detail. Success = 15-30 seconds each, no one-sentence answers, and at least three linking words (because, which, but) across the set. (Tutor: time each answer and tick the criteria.)
• Second take: same questions, but now include one word from today's vocabulary (cozy, spacious, close-knit, get along with, neighborhood, settle down) in at least three answers — without forcing it.
• Compare with your first try from the warm-up. What did your first answer miss — the reason, the detail, or the linking? Say the improved version one last time.