Part 1 Topic: Studies & Work

Common Questions

1. What are you studying?
2. Why did you choose that subject?
3. What do you enjoy most about your course?
4. Do you prefer studying alone or with others?
5. What do you want to do after graduation?

Model Answer: "What are you studying?"

Band 7: > I'm in my final year of a Bachelor's in Computer Science at Tribhuvan University. The course covers everything from algorithms and data structures to software engineering. I'm particularly interested in machine learning, which is what I hope to specialise in for my Master's.

Band 8: > I'm in the final year of my undergraduate degree in Computer Science. The core of the programme is quite broad — we cover theoretical areas like algorithms, as well as applied subjects like software engineering and databases. I've gravitated towards machine learning in my electives, and that's probably what I'll pursue at postgraduate level.

Common Questions

1. What do you do?
2. How long have you worked there?
3. Do you enjoy your job?
4. Is your work what you expected when you started?
5. Would you like to change jobs in the future?

Model Answer: "What do you do?"

Band 7: > I work as a project manager at a software company in Kathmandu. I've been there for about three years. My main responsibility is coordinating between developers and clients, making sure projects get delivered on time. It's demanding but I enjoy the variety.

Band 8: > I'm a project manager at a software firm in Kathmandu. I've been there for three years now, and I've taken on progressively larger projects over that time. The core of the role is translating between technical teams and clients — which sounds straightforward but is probably the hardest part of the job. It's genuinely satisfying when a release goes smoothly.

• "It's my dream job" — overused and unnatural.
• "I love it so much" — emotionally flat. Replace with "It's genuinely fulfilling" or "I find it really engaging."
• Listing every course or job responsibility. Pick one or two and expand.

Examiners are not judging your career choices. If you find your job dull, say so — an honest, well-phrased negative answer can score higher than a forced positive one. "Parts of it are quite tedious, honestly, but the pay is good and my colleagues are excellent" is a band-7+ response.