What this task asks
You see an image and a question asking you to describe a personal experience related to the topic. 30 seconds to prepare, 90 seconds to speak. The examiner wants to hear a story — not a general opinion. You can invent a realistic experience; it doesn't need to be literally true.
The STAR Structure
S — Situation: Set the scene briefly (when, where, what was happening) T — Task/Challenge: What was the specific challenge or goal A — Action: What you specifically did (most of the response) R — Result/Reflection: What happened and what you learned
The Structure in Practice
Opening — Set the scene (15 seconds)
"The experience that immediately comes to mind happened about two years ago when I was living in a new city and didn't know many people."
The challenge (15 seconds)
"I had just started a new job, and within the first week I was asked to lead a presentation for a client I had never met — with only 48 hours to prepare."
What you did — this is the main body (40–50 seconds)
"My first step was to research the client's company thoroughly so I could tailor the content to their specific industry. I also reached out to two colleagues who had worked with similar clients and asked them directly what had worked well in the past.
The night before, I rehearsed the presentation three times — once alone, once in front of a mirror, and once by recording myself and watching it back. I realised my opening was too slow and restructured it to lead with the key finding rather than the background."
Result and reflection (15 seconds)
"The presentation went much better than I expected. The client asked specific follow-up questions, which is always a sign of genuine engagement. Looking back, what I learned from that experience is that preparation time matters more than raw confidence — and that asking for help early is never a sign of weakness."
Key Language Patterns
Starting the story:
- "The experience that comes to mind is from [time period] when..."
- "I remember a time when I was..."
- "One situation that really stands out happened when..."
Sequencing events:
- "My first step was to..." / "Initially,..."
- "After that,..." / "Following that,..."
- "The next thing I did was..."
Describing the outcome:
- "In the end,..." / "Ultimately,..."
- "Looking back on it now,..."
- "What I took away from that experience is..."
Plug-and-Play Sentence Starters
Memorise these. On exam day, your opening, transitions, and closing should be automatic — so your mental energy goes entirely into the content.
Opening sentences (choose one):
- "The experience that immediately comes to mind happened [TIME] when [CONTEXT]."
- "Before anything else, I think it's important to acknowledge that [CONTEXT]."
- "One situation that really stands out happened when [CONTEXT]."
Transition phrases (between points):
- "What I did next was..."
- "After that, I..."
- "The next thing I did was..."
Closing sentences (choose one):
- "Looking back, what that experience taught me was [LESSON]."
- "Whatever the outcome, I'm confident that [POSITIVE OUTCOME] came from it."
- "At the end of the day, [RESTATE LESSON] — that's what I'd hold onto."
CLB 6 vs CLB 8 — Same Idea, Different Level
See exactly what the examiner is comparing your response against.
| Criterion | CLB 6 response | CLB 8 response |
|---|---|---|
| Opening | "I remember a time when I had a problem at work." | "The experience that immediately comes to mind happened about two years ago, when I was asked to lead a presentation with almost no notice." |
| Supporting detail | "I worked hard and it was okay in the end." | "My first step was to research the client thoroughly, and I also reached out to colleagues who had handled similar situations before." |
| Vocabulary | "It was a hard situation but I did my best." | "It was a demanding situation, but breaking it into manageable steps made it far less overwhelming." |
| Closing | "So that's what happened." | "Looking back, what I took away from that experience is that preparation matters more than raw confidence." |