Describe something you do that saves you time

Band 6

I would like to talk about something I do every Sunday in Monterrey, where I live: I cook my meals for the whole week. I start at about three o’clock in the afternoon and I stay in the kitchen since two hoursPreposition error: should be “for about two hours”. I make rice, chicken, beans and some vegetables, and then I put everything in boxes in the fridge. I wash and cut the vegetables first, so the cooking goSubject-verb agreement: should be “goes” faster, and I listen to music while I work. During the week I work in an office and I finish late, so before I started this habit I was buyVerb form error: should be “used to buy” or “was buying” food on the way home almost every day. Now I just take a box, heat it and eat. On a normal weekday this saves me about one hour, which is a lot when I arrive home at seven and I am very tired. It helps me because I do not need to cook after work, so I have more timeBasic vocabulary; limits Lexical Resource in the evening to relax or watchingParallel structure error: should be “watch” to match “relax” a series. You knowFiller phrase used as a hesitation marker, it also saveSubject-verb agreement: should be “saves” money, but the main reason is the time. When I do it I feel very goodBasic adjective; “relieved” or “in control” would score higher, because I know the week is already erNatural hesitation marker, minor filler planned, and I do not worry about dinner. My colleagues ask me sometimes how I stay so calm, and I tell them it is only my Sunday routine. I think it is a simple habit but it changed my life.

Band 7

I’d like to talk about something I do every Sunday in Monterrey, where I live: I cook my meals for the whole week. I start at about three o’clock in the afternoon and spend roughly two hours in the kitchen. I make rice, chicken, beans and some vegetables, and then I put everything into boxes in the fridge. I wash and cut the vegetables first so the cooking goes faster, and I listen to a podcast while I work, which makes the time pass quickly. During the week I work in an office and finish late, so before I started this habit I used to buyingVerb form error: should be “used to buy” food on the way home almost every day. Now I simply take a box, heat it and eat. On a normal weekday that saves me about an hour, which matters when I get home at seven, exhausted. It helps me because I don’t have to cook after work, so I have a couple of extra hoursNatural, specific phrase in the evening to relax or watch a series. It also saves money, but the real benefit is the timeClear emphasis on the main reason. When I do it I feel relievedPrecise adjective choice, because I know the week is already planned and I don’t have to worry about what to eatAccurate infinitive and wh-clause. My colleagues sometimes ask how I stay so calm, and I tell them it’s just my Sunday routine. It’s a simple habit, but it has honestly changed my routine.

Band 8

I’d like to talk about something I do every Sunday in Monterrey, where I live: I cook my meals for the whole week. I start at about three in the afternoon and spend roughly two hours in the kitchen, making rice, chicken, beans and some vegetables, which then go into boxes in the fridge. I chop the vegetables first so that everything cooks in parallel, and I put a podcast on, which makes the two hours fly by. I work in an office and often finish late, so before I started this habit I used to buy food on the way home almost every day. Now I simply take a box, heat it and eat. On a normal weekday that saves me roughly an hour, which matters a great deal when I get home at seven, exhausted. It helps me because I no longer have to cook after work, which frees up a couple of hoursPrecise phrasal verb used naturally in the evening to relax or watch a series. It also saves money, but the real benefit is the time, not the savingsContrast built with a balanced noun phrase. When I do it I feel relieved, almost as if a weight has been liftedIdiomatic expression of feeling used accurately, because I know the week is already taken care of and I won’t have to think about dinner againNatural, flexible future reference with correct negative modal until the following Sunday. Colleagues sometimes ask how I stay so calm, and I tell them it’s simply my Sunday routine. It’s a small habit, but it has quietly changed the shape of my whole routine.