Module 1: People
3.1.1 DESCRIBING YOURSELF
Question 1 Do you work or study?
IDEAS
- Do you work or do you study?
- Where do you work?
- Why do you study what you study?
SAMPLE ANSWER
Right now, I’m studying to be an engineer. I attend the university in my local town. And in the future, I really want to work in this field. At the moment, I am in my penultimate year. And when I graduate, I really want to work for a large multinational corporation.
MY ANSWER
I’ve just graduated from University. And I’m unemployed at the moment. Right now, I’m practicing my penetration testing skills. And in the future, I want to work in Cyber Security. Hopefully, I can work as a pentester in Saudi Arabia next year.
TIP
In the exam, you need to use good vocabulary and perfect grammar if you can, so make sure you focus on those aspects.
VOCABULARY IDEAS
- I’m studying…
- I work as a…
- I’m looking for a job at the moment.
- I’ve just graduated from university, or “uni.”
- I’m unemployed at the moment.
So there are some useful phrases that you can use during your exam. Remember that you need to use lots of different ideas. So make sure that your answer are quite long if possible.
GRAMMAR IDEAS
Try to use different grammar forms when giving your answer. Here are some example ideas now:
| example | grammar forms |
|---|---|
| I am studing… | Present Continuous |
| It has been a dream…(of mine since I was a kid) | Present Perfect |
RECENT EXAM QUESTIONS
- Do you enjoy your job or your subject?
- What are your future plans?
MY ANSWER
Q: Do you enjoy your job or your subject?
A: I love my job. Currently, I’m working in Cyber Security. More specifically, I work as a penetration tester. I enjoy it primarily because I need to consistently learn new techniques to take advantage of the latest vulnerabilities. I can keep being creative and productive and try harder to resolve the challenge.
Q: What are your future plans?
A: I plan to find a job in Saudi Arabia before June 2023. I want to work as a penetration tester because Saudi is building a city called Neom, which is planned to incorporate smart city technologies and function as a tourist destination. As an ethical hacker, this city attracts me a lot.
Question 2 Do you enjoy living where you live?
In this section, it’s important to give your own opinion, so you could talk about:
Ideas
- Why do you enjoy living there?
- Why don’t you enjoy living there?
SAMPLE ANSWER
Well, for the most part, I really enjoy living where I live. There’s loads of things to do and plenty of amenities. For example, there’s lots of good night life. Plenty of culture such as museums and galleries. However, they do always say that the grass is always greener, so I do think about living in another city from time to time. But at the moment I’m really happy where I am.
MY ANSWER
Well, for the most part, I enjoy living where I live. There are loads of things to do and plenty of amenities. For example, there’s lots of good nightlife. However, I’ve lived in the same place since birth and get tired of the repetitive life. So, I want to work in another country and experience a different culture.
MORE VOCABULARY IDEAS
| vocabulary | means |
|---|---|
| For the most part | In general |
| Amenities | (That means things to do, like) Museums, restaurants, etc. |
| Plenty of | Lots of |
| The grass is always greener | This is a phrase which means that you think that someone has a better situation than you even if it’s not true |
MORE EXAMPLE SENTENCES
| sentences | example |
|---|---|
| I’m training to be a… | At the moment, I’m training to be an accountant |
| I’m not working. I’m looking for a job. | Right now, I’m not working, I’m looking for a job. |
SUMMARY
In summary, it’s always better to be prepared for the common questions. And more importantly, the recent questions that have appeared in the exam. Try to use a variety of grammar, but remember to make sure you use it correctly.
