A free trial is a diagnostic, not an audition — for either side. Here is what a good tutor can genuinely establish in 25 minutes, and the claims to be suspicious of.
It cannot give you an accurate overall band. One conversation, on one day, with no test conditions, is not a test. Treat any number you get as a range with a caveat, and be suspicious of a tutor who gives you a precise score in 25 minutes.
It also cannot tell you how many lessons you need. It can tell you which profile you are — structurally stuck, accuracy-capped, pronunciation-limited, or general proficiency — and that is the useful output.
A good tutor answers all four with specifics. A weak one answers in adjectives.
Your First Open Mic is a free 25-minute 1-on-1 lesson. It is available once per student, and you may use it with up to two different tutors so you can compare styles. No credit is consumed, and there is no obligation to buy a package.
If you do not show up, the trial counts as used — that is the only rule, and it exists because tutors are paid for their time.
A 25-minute 1-on-1 lesson with a tutor who coaches your goal. You leave with the name of the problem and one drill — no package required.
Book the free trialThe band descriptors are public. Almost nobody reads them properly. Here is what separates a 6.5 from a 7 in each of the four criteria — and the habits that quietly hold people back.
Everyone wants a number. The honest answer is a range that depends on which criterion is limiting you — so here is the reasoning, and the four profiles that cover most students.