Describe a time when you worked in a group.
You should say:
- 1what you did~30s
- 2who you worked with~30s
- 3what problems you faced~30s
- 4and explain why you worked in the group~30s
Reported in September 2026 Work & Study
Plan it in one minute
What each point needs, about 30 seconds on each.
- 1What you didSet the scene: a real time, place or person. Specific beats impressive.
- 2Who you worked withSay it in one line, then add one detail.
- 3What problems you facedSay it in one line, then add one detail.
- 4Explain why you worked in the groupThis is your ending. One clear reason or lesson, said with confidence.
Sample answers: Band 6, 7 and 8
One story told three ways. Tap a highlighted phrase to learn it.
Band 6
Um, I’d like to talk about a group project I did at university last year. It was about making a recycling campaign for our campus. There was four of us, me, Minh, Lan and Phuong.1 I designed the poster and explained our idea in the presentation, while the others collected information and made a short video. We worked together because it was a required project for an environmental class, and we also wanted students to recycle more. At first, we had some problems because everyone had different timetables. Also, one member didn’t send his part on time. Also, the meeting were quite stressful2 because we were waiting for him. We met in the library - well, in the study room next to it - on Saturday morning, to finish the slides3, and it was very crowded. We nearly missed the deadline, but I tried to pull my weight and helped with the video too. Then we divided the last jobs and finished everything. You know, the group worked quite well in the end because we shared ideas. I’d be happy to work in a similar group again.
Why it's a Band 6
There was four of us, me, Minh, Lan and Phuong.
The agreement slip is a real weakness, although the meaning is clear.Also, one member didn’t send his part on time. Also, the meeting were quite stressful
The repeated connector sounds simple, and meeting were is a small grammar slip.We met in the library - well, in the study room next to it - on Saturday morning, to finish the slides
This self-correction fixes a real detail, but the sentence is quite simple.
What lifts it to Band 7 Change “There was four” to “There were four”, and say “At the same time” instead of the repeated “Also”.
Phrases to borrow
pull your weight
/pʊl jɔː weɪt/
do a fair share of the work
I don't always pull my weight when I join a new team.
Band 7
I’d like to describe a group project I did at university last year. Our task was to make a recycling campaign for the campus, and I was mainly responsible for the poster and the final presentation. I worked with three classmates, Minh, Lan and Phuong. They researched recycling habits and made a short video, while I put the different parts together. We joined the group because the project was required for an environmental studies course, but we also wanted students to take recycling a bit more seriously. The main problem was our different schedules. We all had classes, and one person had a part-time job, so arranging meetings took a lot of patience. We also ran into problems when the video file became too big to send.2 We tried sending it several times, then we compressed it and used Google Drive. I tried to keep everyone on track by making a simple schedule1 and checking what each person had finished. There were some disagreements about the design, and at first we didn’t really see eye to eye.3 After looking at two versions, though, we choose the one that seemed more suitable. I was, um, a little nervous during the presentation, but it went fine. We managed to meet the deadline, and our teacher said the campaign was useful. I liked the project because I wasn’t doing everything alone, and someone was usually available when I got stuck. So I’d happily do something similar again.
Why it's a Band 7
I tried to keep everyone on track by making a simple schedule
By making shows the method I used to keep everyone on track.We also ran into problems when the video file became too big to send.
This phrase gives clear vocabulary for an unexpected technical difficulty.There were some disagreements about the design, and at first we didn’t really see eye to eye.
See eye to eye is a natural idiom for agreeing, and at first shows the disagreement changed later.
What lifts it to Band 8 Change “we choose the one” to “we chose the one”, and “our teacher said the campaign was useful” to “our teacher said it was something students might actually use”.
Phrases to borrow
run into problems
/rʌn ˈɪntə ˈprɒbləmz/
experience unexpected difficulties
We ran into problems when the computer system stopped working.
keep everyone on track
/kiːp ˈevriwʌn ɒn træk/
help a group follow its plan
Our team leader kept everyone on track during the busy week.
see eye to eye
/siː aɪ tə aɪ/
agree with someone about something
My sister and I don't always see eye to eye about money.
meet the deadline
/miːt ðə ˈdedlaɪn/
finish something by the required time
We worked late to meet the deadline for our science report.
Band 8
One group experience that has stayed with me was a university project to design a recycling campaign for our campus. I worked with Minh, Lan and Phuong, and we split the work based on, well, what each of us felt comfortable with. I designed the main poster and led the presentation. Minh handled the research, while Lan and Phuong worked on the campaign message and the video. We worked together partly because it was an assessed project for our environmental studies course, but, to be honest, we also wanted to make something students would actually notice, not a poster that disappears the day the class ends. That's what kept us going when things got a bit frustrating. The biggest obstacle was finding a time when all four of us were free. We also ran into problems with the video file, which was too large to send1, so we compressed it and shared it through Google Drive. On top of that, we disagreed about the tone of the poster. I preferred something humorous, while Minh wanted it to sound more serious. We showed both versions to a few students, and their reactions helped us see eye to eye2. After that, I made a schedule to keep everyone on track, and we stayed late one evening to meet the deadline. I also made sure I did my share by helping with the video when Lan got busy. Looking back, I wasn’t just trying to finish my own part. I had to notice when the whole group was slowing down and step in3 without taking control of everything. These days I do the same thing in every group project, and it usually stops things getting stressful near the end.
Why it's a Band 8
We also ran into problems with the video file, which was too large to send
This uses precise vocabulary and a relative clause to explain the problem clearly.their reactions helped us see eye to eye
This links evidence to a result smoothly and uses the idiom accurately.I had to notice when the whole group was slowing down and step in
The when clause and phrasal verb show flexible, accurate grammar.
What would make it a 9 For Band 9, change “their reactions helped us see eye to eye” to “when three of them laughed at the funny one and said they’d actually stop and read it, that helped us see eye to eye”.
Phrases to borrow
run into problems
/rʌn ˈɪntə ˈprɒbləmz/
experience unexpected difficulties
We ran into problems when the computer system stopped working.
see eye to eye
/siː aɪ tə aɪ/
agree with someone about something
My sister and I don't always see eye to eye about money.
keep everyone on track
/kiːp ˈevriwʌn ɒn træk/
help a group follow its plan
Our team leader kept everyone on track during the busy week.
meet the deadline
/miːt ðə ˈdedlaɪn/
finish something by the required time
We worked late to meet the deadline for our science report.
Part 3: what the examiner asks next
Real follow-up questions candidates reported with this card.
- Is working in a group more effective than working alone? Why?
- What challenges do people face when working in a team?
- How can people improve their teamwork skills?
- Why do some people prefer to work by themselves?
- What should a leader do to make team members want to follow them?
- Should students learn to do group work?
Your turn: talk through the card
Describe a time when you worked in a group.
Talk for one to two minutes, one point at a time. Nothing is uploaded.
0:00 / 0:00
Answer it with the examiner
Sign in free, then speak for 1–2 minutes and get a band score with one thing to fix.
Which phrase means…
experience unexpected difficulties
“We ran into problems when the computer system stopped working.”
run into problems
heytardy