The most common words band 6 students stick to when talking about their studies are: bad at, good at, ok at, boring, interesting, easy, difficult, I like, and I don’t like etc. Read 33 more alternatives below:
| Band 6 Word (basic) | Band 7 Alternative (precise/natural) | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| difficult (subject / exam) | challenging / demanding / tough / tricky | Math is quite tricky sometimes; last year was challenging, but this year is on a different level! |
| easy (assignment / lesson) | straightforward / simple | History is fairly straightforward for me; I just need to remember key dates and events. |
| boring (lesson) | tedious / dull | The lectures became a bit tedious after a while because teach class was basically the same. |
| interesting (lesson) | kind of interesting/ pretty interesting/ fairly interesting/ super interesting | I wasn’t too fussed on history last year but this year I find it pretty interesting to be honest. |
| teacher is nice | approachable / supportive / encouraging / friendly / warm / witty / patient | My maths teacher is very approachable because he’s so patient, so I never feel shy about asking questions. |
| I’m good at (subject) | I’m decent (enough) at / I’m alright at / I’m pretty solid at/ not too bad at | I’m decent enough at English, and I’m also alright at Chemistry. |
| I’m not good at (subject) | I struggle with / I’m hopeless at / I’m rubbish at / I’m useless at/ I’m not the best at | I struggle with physics because the concepts are so abstract, and I’m also rubbish at Math; I guess I’m just not good with numbers. |
| I don’t like (subject) | I’m not that keen on / I’m not that fussed about / I’m not a fan of / I’m not mad about | I’m not that keen on geography; memorising all the maps feels pointless to me. |
| I like (subject) | I enjoy (using strong alternatives can sound unnatural e.g. I adore Math) | I really enjoy Biology because it explains how the body actually works. |
Practice Exercise 1: Describe the Subject!
Task: Look at the pictures below and decide how you would describe each subject using the vocabulary above. Try to develop your answer E.g. I’m hopeless at Math, but I’m decent enough at English.
Practice Exercise 2: Listen And Report!
Task: You will hear an audio of a student expressing how they feel about different subjects. Fill in the 15 gaps using the words that were used from the vocabulary above.
I’m pretty 1) _________ at Math and Physics; I just 2) _________ understanding and using formulas! I’m far more 3) _________ subjects like English, Literature, Music and Art. I’d say I’m 4) _________ Music because I’ve been playing instruments since I was a kid, so it comes naturally to me. But I think the reason I also 5) _________ these classes is because of the teachers; I find the Art teacher to be super 6) _________ and 7) _________; she’s the best! What else.. History 8) _________.. too many dates to remember! Geography is 9) _________ although I’m 10) _________ it. 11) _________ physical education because 12) _________ the new teacher; she’s just not very 13) _________. As for Biology, I like some aspects, but most of it I find quite 14) _________, especially stuff about the cells. 15) _________ it, but it’s just not my thing I guess.
Reveal Answers
I’m pretty 1) hopeless at Math and Physics; I just 2) struggle with understanding and using formulas! I’m far more 3) keen on subjects like English, Literature, Music and Art. I’d say I’m 4) decent enough at Music because I’ve been playing instruments since I was a kid, so it comes naturally to me. But I think the reason I also 5) enjoy these classes is because of the teachers; I find the Art teacher to be super 6) supportive and 7) encouraging; she’s the best! What else.. History 8) I’m not that fussed on.. too many dates to remember! Geography is 9) fairly straightforward although I’m 10) not the best at it. 11) I’m not mad about physical education because 12) I’m not a fan of the new teacher; she’s just not very 13) approachable. As for Biology, I like some aspects, but most of it I find quite 14) dull, especially stuff about the cells. 15) I’m alright at it, but it’s just not my thing I guess.
