A Bicycle, Motorbike or Car Trip That You Think Would Be Interesting

Part 3 follow-up questions

These are the discussion questions examiners asked after this cue card. Sample answers are shown where available.

1. 1. How popular are bicycles and motorbikes in your country?

   May–Aug 2026
   Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question

   Band 6.5

   This answer stays at 6.5 because it links ideas with a plain 'so' and offers one flat example rather than any reflection, as in 'So motorbikes are the most popular way to travel here'.

   Motorbikes are very popular in my country. You see them everywhere, especially in cities. Bicycles are not as common now, so mostly students or old people ride them. For example, my colleague Huy still rides his bicycle to work by the Han River every morning, but everyone else in our team uses motorbikes because it is faster. So motorbikes are the most popular way to travel here, and bicycles are becoming less common.

   Why this band

   • FC“So motorbikes are the most popular way to travel here” — The connector 'So' opens the closing sentence in a flat, mechanical way typical of 6.5 answers, simply restating the point rather than reflecting on it. A 7.0 answer would use a softer spoken opener like 'Honestly' or 'I'd say', while a lower band might drop connectors altogether and just list facts one after another.
   • LR“very popular” — This is a basic intensifier-plus-adjective pairing drawn from everyday vocabulary, with no attempt at a more specific or vivid collocation. A 7.5 answer would reach for something more idiomatic, like 'the undisputed king of the road', while a weaker band might just repeat 'popular' with no modifier at all.
   • GRA“my colleague Huy still rides his bicycle to work” — This is a simple present-tense clause in plain subject-verb-object order with no subordination or embedding. A higher band would compress this into a participial or contrastive structure, such as adding 'while the rest of us...' in the same breath, whereas a weaker candidate might struggle with subject-verb agreement here.

   Band 7.0

   This is a solid 7.0 answer because it opens with the natural spoken marker 'Honestly' and adds a mild qualifying remark with 'To be fair', going slightly beyond a flat statement of fact.

   Honestly, motorbikes are pretty much everywhere here, and I'd say they're the most popular way to get around, especially in busy cities. Bicycles used to be more common, but these days they're mostly ridden by students or older people, or just for exercise. My colleague Huy, for instance, still cycles to our office by the Han River every morning, while the rest of the team sticks to motorbikes because they're quicker and more convenient. To be fair, there's still something nice about the quieter, bicycle-filled streets of the past, but motorbikes really do fit the pace of daily life now.

   Why this band

   • FC“Honestly, motorbikes are pretty much everywhere here” — Opening with the spoken discourse marker 'Honestly' signals natural, conversational fluency rather than a scripted list of facts. A 6.5 answer would likely start with a bare statement like 'Motorbikes are very popular', while a 7.5 answer might replace it with something more distinctive, like a rhetorical claim about their dominance.
   • LR“sticks to motorbikes” — The phrasal verb 'sticks to' is a natural, moderately idiomatic collocation that goes beyond bare vocabulary like 'uses'. A 6.5 candidate would likely just repeat 'uses motorbikes', while a 7.5 answer might reach for something even more vivid, such as 'defaults to motorbikes'.
   • GRA“while the rest of the team sticks to motorbikes because they're quicker and more convenient” — This is a single moderately complex sentence combining a contrastive subordinate clause ('while') with a causal one ('because'), showing controlled sentence-building. A 6.5 answer would split this into two short separate sentences, while a 7.5 response might compress it further using a participial phrase instead of two full clauses.

   Band 7.5

   This reaches 7.5 through vivid, idiomatic phrasing like 'the undisputed king of the road' and a compact participial closing clause, 'drawn by their sheer practicality', rather than a plain second sentence.

   Motorbikes, I'd say, are the undisputed king of the road here — you can't miss the sheer scale of it, from schoolkids on the back seat to entire families balanced on a single scooter. Bicycles, meanwhile, have been pushed to the margins, surviving mainly among students, retirees, or the occasional fitness enthusiast. My colleague Huy is something of an exception, pedalling to our riverside office every morning while the rest of us default to motorbikes, drawn by their sheer practicality in unpredictable weather. If anything, there's a faint nostalgia for those quieter, bicycle-filled streets, even as motorbikes cement their grip on daily life.

   Why this band

   • FC“If anything, there's a faint nostalgia for those quieter, bicycle-filled streets” — This closing evaluative remark adds a reflective, slightly wistful observation rather than simply restating the main point, which is characteristic of higher-band answers. A 7.0 response would likely end more plainly with 'but motorbikes really do fit the pace of daily life', while a 6.5 answer would omit this kind of closing nuance entirely.
   • LR“undisputed king of the road” — This is a vivid, idiomatic collocation well beyond common vocabulary, showing genuine lexical flexibility rather than safe, literal wording. A 7.0 answer would more likely use a plainer phrase like 'the most popular way to get around', and a 6.5 answer would simply say 'very popular'.
   • GRA“pedalling to our riverside office every morning while the rest of us default to motorbikes, drawn by their sheer practicality in unpredictable weather” — This sentence uses a participial phrase ('drawn by...') tacked onto a subordinate clause, compressing what would otherwise need two extra sentences into one flexible structure. A 7.0 answer would likely break this into two separate finite clauses, and a 6.5 answer would use only simple, unlinked sentences.

2. 2. What is best about public transport or transportation where you live?

   May–Aug 2026
   Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question

   Band 6.5

   This is a 6.5-level response because it strings together short, plain sentences with simple linking words like 'but', as seen in 'Buses are getting better too, but for daily life'.

   I think the best thing about transport here is how convenient motorbikes are. It is easy and fast to get around the city. For example, last Friday morning I needed to take a prototype to a print shop across town. I rode my motorbike along the river, past Dragon Bridge, and avoided the traffic jams. It only took twenty minutes. Buses are getting better too, but for daily life, nothing is as good as a motorbike.

   Why this band

   • FC“Buses are getting better too, but for daily life” — The simple connector 'but' joins two plain ideas without any softening or spoken-style hedging. A 7.0 answer would add a hedge like 'To be fair' before this contrast, while a lower band might not link the two ideas at all.
   • LR“convenient” — This single common adjective describes the motorbike experience without any supporting detail or vivid modifier. A 7.5 answer would instead use a livelier phrase like 'weaving through the city', while a weaker band might avoid describing the quality at all.
   • GRA“I rode my motorbike along the river, past Dragon Bridge, and avoided the traffic jams.” — This sentence lists three simple actions joined by commas and 'and' in a basic coordinated structure. A 7.0 answer would combine this with a purpose clause like 'so I took a shortcut', and a 7.5 answer would open with a fronted participial clause instead.

   Band 7.0

   This sits at 7.0 thanks to the natural qualifying phrase 'To be fair' and a moderately complex sentence joining a purpose clause with a participle, 'so I took a shortcut... passing Dragon Bridge'.

   Honestly, I think the best thing about getting around here is the sheer convenience of a motorbike. For instance, last Friday morning I had to deliver a prototype to a print shop across town before work, so I took a shortcut along the river, passing Dragon Bridge and dodging most of the traffic jams cars usually get stuck in. The ride only took about twenty minutes, and I actually enjoyed the morning breeze along the way. To be fair, public buses are improving too, but day to day, nothing really beats the freedom a motorbike gives you.

   Why this band

   • FC“To be fair, public buses are improving too” — This spoken hedge softens the overall claim before returning to the main opinion, showing natural conversational balance. A 6.5 answer would state this as a flat separate fact, while a 7.5 answer might replace it with a more idiomatic concession like 'admittedly'.
   • LR“dodging most of the traffic jams” — The verb 'dodging' is a more natural, moderately vivid choice than the plain 'avoided' used at a lower band. A 6.5 response would likely just say 'avoided the traffic jams', while a 7.5 answer might use an even sharper verb like 'slipping past'.
   • GRA“so I took a shortcut along the river, passing Dragon Bridge and dodging most of the traffic jams cars usually get stuck in” — This sentence combines a result clause introduced by 'so' with a participial phrase and an embedded relative clause, showing controlled complexity in one breath. A 6.5 answer would split this into three short separate sentences, while a 7.5 answer might front the participial clause for extra compactness.

   Band 7.5

   This reaches 7.5 through the fronted participial clause 'needing to get a prototype...' and the idiomatic closing image 'two wheels and an open road', both of which compress and elevate the register beyond a standard sentence.

   If I had to pick one thing, it would be the sheer flexibility motorbikes give you for weaving through the city. Take last Friday morning: needing to get a prototype to a print shop across town before work, I cut along the riverside past Dragon Bridge, slipping past most of the jams that leave cars crawling. Twenty minutes later I'd arrived, having caught the morning breeze and watched the city wake up along the way. Buses are, admittedly, improving, yet for everyday errands, nothing quite matches the freedom of two wheels and an open road.

   Why this band

   • FC“Buses are, admittedly, improving, yet for everyday errands” — The parenthetical 'admittedly' inserted mid-clause, followed by 'yet', shows a more sophisticated way of conceding a point than a simple 'but' at the start of a sentence. A 7.0 answer would place a similar hedge, 'To be fair', at the front of the sentence instead, and a 6.5 answer would just use 'too, but'.
   • LR“weaving through the city” — This is a livelier, more image-based collocation than the plain 'convenient' or 'convenience' used at lower bands. A 7.0 answer would use the safer 'the sheer convenience of a motorbike', while a 6.5 answer would only manage the bare adjective 'convenient'.
   • GRA“needing to get a prototype to a print shop across town before work, I cut along the riverside past Dragon Bridge” — This is a fronted participial clause replacing a full subordinate clause like 'because I needed to', which compresses the sentence and varies its opening. A 7.0 answer would keep the subordinator 'so' and place the reason after the main clause, and a 6.5 answer would use two short separate sentences instead.

3. 3. Do more people want to buy cars these days?

   May–Aug 2026
   Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question

   Band 6.5

   This answer is 6.5 level because of its short, direct sentences and the plain concluding remark 'but I think the trend is clear', which offers no further reflection.

   Yes, I think more people want to buy cars now. There are new car shops opening on Nguyen Van Linh street. For example, my colleague Minh is saving money for a small car because he gets wet on his motorbike when it rains a lot. Cars are still not as common as motorbikes, but owning one feels like a big achievement now. Some people worry about traffic and parking, but I think the trend is clear.

   Why this band

   • FC“Yes, I think more people want to buy cars now.” — This opening sentence gives a direct position in a short, simple structure typical of 6.5 speakers, with no hedge or softening device. A 7.0 answer would soften this with a spoken marker like 'I'd say', while a 7.5 answer might open with an even more distinctive framing.
   • LR“big achievement” — This is a simple, common noun phrase used to describe car ownership, without any more specific or idiomatic alternative. A 7.0 answer would use the more precise 'a kind of milestone', and a 7.5 answer might go further still with 'a milestone people aspire to'.
   • GRA“my colleague Minh is saving money for a small car because he gets wet on his motorbike when it rains a lot” — This long sentence is built from simple clauses joined only by 'because', without any more advanced connecting device. A 7.0 answer would tighten 'gets wet' into a more idiomatic phrase like 'getting soaked', and a 7.5 answer would compress the whole idea into a participial phrase.

   Band 7.0

   This is a 7.0 answer because of the natural hedge 'at least from what I notice around here' and the mildly reflective phrase 'there's a sense that owning one is a kind of milestone'.

   Yes, I'd say more people are definitely interested in buying cars these days, at least from what I notice around here. It feels like a new showroom opens on Nguyen Van Linh street every month or so. Just last week, for example, my colleague Minh told me he's saving for a small hatchback because he's tired of getting soaked on his motorbike during rainy season. Cars still aren't as common as motorbikes, but there's a sense that owning one is a kind of milestone now, maybe for comfort or status. Of course, rising traffic and parking issues make some people hesitant.

   Why this band

   • FC“Of course, rising traffic and parking issues make some people hesitant.” — This closing concession adds a mild qualifying remark rather than a flat final statement, showing awareness of a counterpoint. A 6.5 answer would simply state 'Some people worry about traffic and parking' with no connecting nuance, while a 7.5 answer might phrase this concession even more idiomatically.
   • LR“a kind of milestone” — This phrase is a moderately less common way of describing car ownership as a symbolic achievement, going beyond the plain 'big achievement'. A 6.5 answer would use that simpler phrase instead, while a 7.5 answer might extend the idea into a fuller image like 'a milestone people aspire to'.
   • GRA“he's tired of getting soaked on his motorbike during rainy season” — This clause uses the idiomatic phrase 'tired of getting soaked' with a gerund complement, a more natural construction than the literal 'gets wet... when it rains a lot' seen at 6.5. A 7.5 answer would compress this further into a participial phrase like 'fed up with arriving soaked', while a 6.5 answer keeps the plain causal clause.

   Band 7.5

   This reaches 7.5 through the vivid opening collocation 'a growing appetite for car ownership' and the compressed participial clause 'fed up with arriving at work soaked', which replaces a full subordinate clause.

   There's definitely a growing appetite for car ownership these days — you can practically watch it happening, with a new showroom seeming to spring up along Nguyen Van Linh street every month. My colleague Minh, for one, is saving for a small hatchback, fed up with arriving at work soaked every time the rainy season ambushes his motorbike commute. Cars remain far less common than motorbikes, but owning one has taken on a certain status, a milestone people aspire to rather than a mere convenience. Rising traffic and parking headaches give some pause, admittedly, yet the overall trend is unmistakable.

   Why this band

   • FC“Rising traffic and parking headaches give some pause, admittedly, yet the overall trend is unmistakable.” — This closing sentence uses the parenthetical 'admittedly' and the evaluative word 'unmistakable' to give a confident, nuanced final judgement rather than a flat restatement. A 7.0 answer would close more simply with 'Of course, rising traffic and parking issues make some people hesitant', while a 6.5 answer would end even more plainly.
   • LR“a growing appetite for car ownership” — This is a vivid, less-common collocation personifying demand as an 'appetite', well beyond the plain 'interested in buying cars'. A 7.0 answer would use the safer phrasing 'definitely interested in buying cars', and a 6.5 answer would simply say 'want to buy cars'.
   • GRA“fed up with arriving at work soaked every time the rainy season ambushes his motorbike commute” — This is a participial phrase ('fed up with...') standing in for a full clause, combined with the personified verb 'ambushes', showing flexible, compact grammar. A 7.0 answer would use a full subordinate clause with 'because he's tired of', and a 6.5 answer would use the plainer causal clause 'because he gets wet'.

4. 4. How do people travel today in cities and in the countryside?

   May–Aug 2026
   Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question

   Band 6.5

   This is a 6.5 answer because the two halves of the comparison are simply placed side by side with the flat linking sentence 'In the countryside, it is different', with no deeper contrast drawn between them.

   In cities like Da Nang, most people use motorbikes because they are fast and can move through traffic easily. I use my motorbike every day to go to my office. In the countryside, it is different. When I visited my aunt's village in Quang Nam last year, I saw that people mostly used bicycles or walked, especially for short trips to the fields or market. There is less public transport there, and cars are not common because the roads are narrow. So the way people travel depends on the place.

   Why this band

   • FC“So the way people travel depends on the place.” — This closing sentence gives a plain, generic summary using the simple verb 'depends on' with no elaboration. A 7.0 answer would extend this idea with a hedge like 'honestly, the choice really depends on what's practical', while a 7.5 answer might reframe it as a more reflective observation about geography.
   • LR“fast” — This is a single common adjective used to explain motorbike popularity, without any more vivid or specific word choice. A 7.0 answer would use the fuller phrase 'weave through traffic pretty easily', and a 7.5 answer might reach for an even more precise word like 'nimble'.
   • GRA“I visited my aunt's village in Quang Nam last year” — This is a short, simple past-tense clause with no embedded subordination. A 7.0 answer would attach a participial phrase describing what was noticed, and a 7.5 answer would compress the whole idea into a single flexible sentence built around a gerund phrase.

   Band 7.0

   This is a 7.0 answer thanks to the natural spoken tag 'so honestly' in the closing line and a moderately complex sentence joining a causal clause with a contrastive one about narrow streets and parking.

   These days, I'd say most people in cities like Da Nang mainly rely on motorbikes, since they're convenient and can weave through traffic pretty easily. Cars are becoming more popular too, especially for families, but with narrow streets and limited parking, two-wheelers still dominate. In the countryside, though, it's a bit different. When I visited my aunt's village near Quang Nam last year, I noticed people relied more on bicycles or just walking, especially for short trips to the fields or the local market. There are fewer public transport options out there, so honestly, the choice really depends on what's practical in each place.

   Why this band

   • FC“so honestly, the choice really depends on what's practical in each place.” — The spoken filler 'honestly' inserted before the concluding claim gives the ending a natural, reflective tone rather than a flat statement. A 6.5 answer would end simply with 'So the way people travel depends on the place', while a 7.5 answer might reframe this as an observation about a deeper underlying cause.
   • LR“weave through traffic” — This phrase is a more natural, image-based collocation than the bare adjective 'fast' used at 6.5. A 7.5 answer would push this further with an even more precise word like 'thread through narrow streets', while a 6.5 answer manages only the plain adjective.
   • GRA“since they're convenient and can weave through traffic pretty easily” — This clause combines a causal subordinator 'since' with a modal verb and an adverb, showing a moderately complex single sentence rather than two short separate ones. A 6.5 answer would split this into 'they are fast' and 'they can move through traffic easily' as separate sentences, while a 7.5 answer would compress it into a comparative relative clause.

   Band 7.5

   This reaches 7.5 through the vivid word 'nimble' and the closing evaluative insight 'geography, rather than preference, dictates the mode of travel', which reframes the whole comparison rather than just restating it.

   City travel here revolves almost entirely around the motorbike — nimble enough to thread through narrow streets and limited parking, which cars simply can't manage as gracefully. In the countryside, though, the picture shifts noticeably. Visiting my aunt's village near Quang Nam last year, I found people leaning on bicycles or their own two feet for short hops to the fields or the market, largely because public transport barely reaches that far and unpaved roads rule out most cars. What strikes me is how thoroughly geography, rather than preference, dictates the mode of travel.

   Why this band

   • FC“What strikes me is how thoroughly geography, rather than preference, dictates the mode of travel.” — This closing sentence offers a genuine evaluative insight that reframes the entire comparison, going well beyond a simple restatement of the facts. A 7.0 answer would close with the plainer hedge 'so honestly, the choice really depends on what's practical', and a 6.5 answer would end even more flatly.
   • LR“thread through narrow streets” — This is a precise, less-common verb choice ('thread') paired with a vivid image, more distinctive than the safer 'weave through traffic' used at 7.0. A 6.5 answer manages only the bare adjective 'fast' to describe the same idea.
   • GRA“nimble enough to thread through narrow streets and limited parking, which cars simply can't manage as gracefully” — This sentence uses a compact adjective-plus-infinitive structure followed by an embedded relative clause and a comparative adverb, packing several ideas into one flexible sentence. A 7.0 answer would use a simpler causal clause with 'since', and a 6.5 answer would keep two short separate sentences.

5. 5. Do you agree or disagree that city planners do not consider the needs of pedestrians enough?

   May–Aug 2026
   Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question

   Band 6.5

   This is a 6.5 answer because of its short, listed sentences and the plain evaluative phrase 'it was not a nice walk', which states the reaction directly without elaboration.

   Yes, I agree that city planners often forget about pedestrians. For example, last month I walked with my friend Ha on Tran Phu street, and we saw broken pavement and motorbikes parked on the sidewalk. There was also no shade, so it was not a nice walk. Some newer areas by the river have better paths, but in most places walking is not easy. I think planners should build safer crossings, benches, and more green spaces for people who want to walk.

   Why this band

   • FC“Yes, I agree that city planners often forget about pedestrians.” — This direct opening sentence gives the position plainly with the simple verb 'forget about', without any softening device. A 7.0 answer would open with a stronger spoken phrase like 'I'd definitely agree', while a 7.5 answer might use an idiomatic opener like 'I couldn't agree more'.
   • LR“not a nice walk” — This is a basic negated adjective phrase describing the experience, avoiding any more specific or vivid vocabulary. A 7.0 answer would use the fuller idiom 'pretty stressful', while a 7.5 answer might reach for something more distinctive like 'an obstacle course'.
   • GRA“we saw broken pavement and motorbikes parked on the sidewalk” — This clause lists two problems joined simply with 'and', in a plain coordinated structure. A 7.0 answer would extend this into a three-item list joined by commas, and a 7.5 answer would compress the list using participial phrases instead of finite verbs.

   Band 7.0

   This is a 7.0 answer because of the reflective phrase 'It honestly turned what should've been a relaxing stroll into something pretty stressful', which adds a moderately complex evaluative sentence rather than a flat statement.

   I'd definitely agree that city planners often overlook what pedestrians actually need, at least from what I've seen here. Last month, for instance, I was walking along Tran Phu street with my friend Ha, and we kept running into broken pavement, scooters parked right on the sidewalk, and barely any shade. It honestly turned what should've been a relaxing stroll into something pretty stressful. To be fair, some newer riverside areas do have better paths, but once you leave those, walking feels like an afterthought. I really think planners should focus more on safe crossings, benches, and green spaces.

   Why this band

   • FC“It honestly turned what should've been a relaxing stroll into something pretty stressful.” — This sentence reflects on the experience using a spoken intensifier 'honestly' and a contrast between expectation and reality, going beyond a simple description. A 6.5 answer would state this more flatly as 'it was not a nice walk', while a 7.5 answer might replace the whole idea with a punchier image like 'an obstacle course'.
   • LR“an afterthought” — This is a moderately less common, slightly abstract noun used metaphorically to describe how walking is treated, more distinctive than a plain adjective. A 6.5 answer would simply say 'walking is not easy', while a 7.5 answer might extend the same idea into 'the neglect is obvious'.
   • GRA“we kept running into broken pavement, scooters parked right on the sidewalk, and barely any shade” — This is a three-item parallel list joined by commas and a final 'and', each item phrased slightly differently (adjective, participle, adverb phrase), showing controlled variety. A 6.5 answer would only manage a two-item list joined by 'and', and a 7.5 answer would turn the list into participial phrases without repeating 'we saw'.

   Band 7.5

   This reaches 7.5 through the idiomatic opener 'I couldn't agree more' and the vivid closing image 'turned into an obstacle course', which replaces a plain description with a sharper, more evaluative phrase.

   I couldn't agree more that pedestrians tend to be an afterthought in city planning here. Walking along Tran Phu street with my friend Ha last month, we found ourselves dodging broken pavement and scooters parked squarely across the sidewalk, with barely a scrap of shade to shelter under — what should've been a relaxing stroll turned into an obstacle course. Granted, the newer riverside stretches fare rather better, but step away from those and the neglect is obvious. Motorbikes and cars may dominate the roads, but planners, in my view, owe pedestrians safe crossings, benches, and genuine green space too.

   Why this band

   • FC“Granted, the newer riverside stretches fare rather better, but step away from those and the neglect is obvious.” — The concessive opener 'Granted' followed by an imperative-style conditional clause shows a more compact, idiomatic way of conceding a point than a full 'To be fair... but' construction. A 7.0 answer would use exactly that fuller hedge, and a 6.5 answer would state the concession as a flat separate sentence.
   • LR“an obstacle course” — This is a vivid, idiomatic metaphor describing the walking experience, considerably more distinctive than the safer 'pretty stressful' used at 7.0. A 6.5 answer manages only the plain phrase 'not a nice walk' for the same idea.
   • GRA“we found ourselves dodging broken pavement and scooters parked squarely across the sidewalk, with barely a scrap of shade to shelter under” — This sentence uses a reflexive verb phrase, a participial construction, and a trailing prepositional phrase with an infinitive, compressing several ideas into one flexible sentence. A 7.0 answer would keep this as a three-item list with 'and', and a 6.5 answer would use only two short coordinated clauses.

6. 6. What impact can an inadequate transport or transportation system have on a country?

   May–Aug 2026
   Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question

   Band 6.5

   This answer is 6.5 level because of its simple cause-and-effect sentences and the plain closing statement 'So better roads and buses are important for a country', which just restates the obvious.

   I think a bad transport system can really slow down a country's growth. For example, when I visited a small town near Quang Ngai last year, the roads were narrow and had many potholes, and the buses did not come on time. A short trip to the market took much longer than it should. My aunt, who lives there, often had to use her old motorbike even in bad weather. This kind of problem also affects students going to school and workers going to their jobs. So better roads and buses are important for a country.

   Why this band

   • FC“So better roads and buses are important for a country.” — This closing sentence is a flat, generic restatement using the basic connector 'So', without adding any new idea. A 7.0 answer would instead widen the point with 'Beyond just daily routines, this kind of situation affects...', and a 7.5 answer would close with a more evaluative remark about the wider payoff.
   • LR“slow down” — This is a simple, common phrasal verb used to describe the general effect on growth, without any more specific or evocative word choice. A 7.0 answer would use the slightly stronger 'hold back', and a 7.5 answer might reach for a more vivid verb like 'throttles'.
   • GRA“the roads were narrow and had many potholes, and the buses did not come on time” — This sentence joins two simple clauses with 'and' in a basic coordinated structure, repeating the subject pattern plainly. A 7.0 answer would add a tag like 'if at all' for natural rhythm, and a 7.5 answer would compress this into a single noun phrase followed by a relative clause.

   Band 7.0

   This is a 7.0 answer because of the natural tag 'if at all' after the main clause and the reflective closing remark 'but honestly, it pays off in the long run', which shows mild evaluation rather than a flat conclusion.

   I think an unreliable transport system can genuinely hold back a country's growth and quality of life. For instance, when I visited a small town outside Quang Ngai last year, the roads were narrow and full of potholes, and the buses rarely arrived on time, if at all. A simple trip to the market ended up taking much longer than it should, and my aunt, who lives there, often had to rely on her old motorbike even in bad weather. Beyond just daily routines, this kind of situation affects students getting to school and workers reaching their jobs. Building better infrastructure takes time and money, but honestly, it pays off in the long run.

   Why this band

   • FC“Beyond just daily routines, this kind of situation affects students getting to school and workers reaching their jobs.” — This sentence opens with a fronted prepositional phrase, 'Beyond just daily routines', to widen the scope of the discussion before listing further effects, a more fluent move than a plain 'This kind of problem also affects...'. A 6.5 answer would use exactly that flatter phrasing, while a 7.5 answer might replace the whole sentence with a compressed list of ripple effects.
   • LR“hold back” — This phrasal verb is a moderately stronger, more natural choice than the plainer 'slow down' used at 6.5. A 7.5 answer would push further still with a more vivid verb like 'throttles', while a 6.5 answer manages only 'slow down'.
   • GRA“the buses rarely arrived on time, if at all” — The trailing tag 'if at all' added after the main clause is a natural spoken device for emphasis, more advanced than a plain negative statement. A 6.5 answer would simply say 'the buses did not come on time' with no such tag, and a 7.5 answer would build this idea into a longer relative clause instead.

   Band 7.5

   This reaches 7.5 through the vivid opening verb 'quietly throttles' and the compressed closing list 'students struggling to reach school, workers arriving late, goods delivered behind schedule', which replaces full sentences with parallel fragments.

   A poorly functioning transport network, I'd argue, quietly throttles a country's growth and everyday quality of life. Visiting a small town outside Quang Ngai last year brought this home: potholed, narrow roads and buses that rarely kept to any schedule turned even a quick trip to the market into a small ordeal, leaving my aunt reliant on her ageing motorbike regardless of the weather. The knock-on effects ripple outward — students struggling to reach school, workers arriving late, goods delivered behind schedule. Infrastructure is expensive and slow to build, admittedly, but the payoff, from economic growth to sheer everyday sanity, is hard to overstate.

   Why this band

   • FC“The knock-on effects ripple outward — students struggling to reach school, workers arriving late, goods delivered behind schedule.” — This sentence uses a dash followed by three parallel participial fragments instead of full sentences, a compact and fluent way of listing consequences. A 7.0 answer would spell these out as two linked finite clauses joined by 'and', and a 6.5 answer would use two separate short sentences.
   • LR“quietly throttles” — This is a vivid, less-common verb choice personifying the transport system's effect, well beyond the safer 'hold back' used at 7.0. A 6.5 answer manages only the basic phrasal verb 'slow down' for the same idea.
   • GRA“potholed, narrow roads and buses that rarely kept to any schedule turned even a quick trip to the market into a small ordeal” — This sentence uses a compound subject with a relative clause ('that rarely kept to any schedule') and the evaluative noun phrase 'a small ordeal', packing description and consequence into one sentence. A 7.0 answer would split the description and result into two separate clauses joined by 'and', and a 6.5 answer would use even shorter, plainer sentences.

7. 7. Do you agree or disagree that pollution from vehicles causes the most damage to the environment today?

   May–Aug 2026
   Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question

   Band 6.5

   This is a 6.5 answer because it uses plain description like 'saw many delivery trucks with smoke coming out' rather than more reflective or figurative language.

   I mostly agree that vehicle pollution is one of the biggest problems for the environment now. In Da Nang, the air feels dusty on busy roads like Nguyen Van Linh, especially during rush hour with many motorbikes and cars. Last autumn, I took a Grab to the airport early in the morning and saw many delivery trucks with smoke coming out. You can even see a gray layer on windows and plants near busy roads. There are other causes too, like factories, but I think vehicles are the main reason for air pollution in the city.

   Why this band

   • FC“There are other causes too, like factories, but I think vehicles are the main reason for air pollution in the city.” — This closing sentence uses the simple connector 'but' to state a conclusion directly, without any softer hedge. A 7.0 answer would open this concession with 'Of course', and a 7.5 answer would phrase the whole idea more idiomatically, such as 'vehicles are the pollution you can't avoid seeing'.
   • LR“smoke coming out” — This is a plain, literal description of exhaust, using everyday vocabulary rather than a more atmospheric or specific phrase. A 7.0 answer would use the more natural 'their exhaust hanging in the air', and a 7.5 answer might push further to something like 'trailing exhaust into the dawn air'.
   • GRA“I took a Grab to the airport early in the morning and saw many delivery trucks with smoke coming out” — This sentence coordinates two simple past-tense actions with 'and', in a plain sequential structure. A 7.0 answer would attach an absolute construction like 'their exhaust hanging in the air' instead of a second finite verb, and a 7.5 answer would use a participial phrase for even tighter compression.

   Band 7.0

   This is a 7.0 answer because of the mild qualifying remark 'though it's probably not the only cause' right after the main opinion, softening a strong claim in a natural, spoken way.

   I'd say I mostly agree that vehicle pollution is one of the biggest threats to the environment nowadays, though it's probably not the only cause. In Da Nang, for example, the air feels noticeably heavier along main roads like Nguyen Van Linh, especially during rush hour when thousands of motorbikes and cars crowd the streets. Last autumn, I took a Grab to the airport early in the morning and was surprised by how many delivery trucks were already out, their exhaust hanging in the air. You can actually see a thin gray layer building up on windows and plants near busy intersections. Of course, factories and burning trash play a role too, but from what I see day to day, vehicles seem like the main cause.

   Why this band

   • FC“Of course, factories and burning trash play a role too, but from what I see day to day” — This concession opens with the natural hedge 'Of course' before returning to the personal claim, showing balanced, spoken-style reasoning. A 6.5 answer would state the same concession more flatly with just 'but', while a 7.5 answer might replace it with the more idiomatic 'undoubtedly contribute'.
   • LR“hanging in the air” — This is a more atmospheric, natural collocation describing exhaust than the plain 'smoke coming out' used at 6.5. A 7.5 answer would extend the image further with something like 'trailing exhaust into the dawn air', showing even more vivid description.
   • GRA“was surprised by how many delivery trucks were already out, their exhaust hanging in the air” — This sentence uses an absolute construction, 'their exhaust hanging in the air', attached without a repeated subject or finite verb, showing more flexible grammar than a simple coordinated clause. A 6.5 answer would instead add a second finite verb joined by 'and', and a 7.5 answer would turn the whole idea into a fronted participial phrase.

   Band 7.5

   This reaches 7.5 through the vivid collocation 'thick with the exhaust' and the closing idiomatic phrase 'the pollution you can't avoid seeing', a more evaluative image than a plain concluding statement.

   I'm largely on board with the idea that vehicle emissions do the most visible damage to the environment, even if they're not acting alone. Along Da Nang's busier arteries like Nguyen Van Linh, the air turns noticeably heavier during rush hour, thick with the exhaust of thousands of motorbikes and cars. Catching an early Grab to the airport last autumn, I was struck by how many delivery trucks were already crawling through the streets, trailing exhaust into the dawn air, and you can practically watch a thin grey film settle onto windows and roadside plants near busy intersections. Factories and burning rubbish undoubtedly contribute, but day to day, vehicles are the pollution you can't avoid seeing.

   Why this band

   • FC“Factories and burning rubbish undoubtedly contribute, but day to day, vehicles are the pollution you can't avoid seeing.” — This closing sentence uses the adverb 'undoubtedly' and the vivid relative clause 'the pollution you can't avoid seeing' to give a confident, image-based final judgement. A 7.0 answer would close more plainly with 'vehicles seem like the main cause', while a 6.5 answer would end with the simplest version of the same idea.
   • LR“thick with the exhaust” — This is a vivid, less-common collocation describing air quality, more distinctive than the plainer 'noticeably heavier' used at 7.0. A 6.5 answer manages only the basic description 'feels dusty' for the same idea.
   • GRA“trailing exhaust into the dawn air, and you can practically watch a thin grey film settle onto windows and roadside plants” — This sentence uses a participial phrase ('trailing exhaust...') attached to the previous clause, followed by a vivid verb phrase 'watch...settle onto', showing compact and flexible sentence-building. A 7.0 answer would use the absolute construction 'their exhaust hanging in the air' instead, and a 6.5 answer would use two short separate sentences.

8. 8. Are governments doing enough to promote environmentally friendly transport or transportation?

   May–Aug 2026
   Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question

   Band 6.5

   This answer sits at 6.5 because of its short, blunt opening judgement, 'No, I don't think governments are doing enough yet', with no softening or reflection.

   No, I don't think governments are doing enough yet. In Da Nang, there are new bicycle lanes near the beach, but they just stop at every junction. There is also an electric bus, but it only has one route. The government still gives cheap fuel and builds roads for cars instead of trains. To do enough, they need cheap buses, full bicycle lanes, and places to charge electric vehicles. Some cities have done this well, but most places, including mine, have only made small promises so far.

   Why this band

   • FC“No, I don't think governments are doing enough yet.” — This is a short, direct opinion sentence with no hedge or spoken filler, typical of a 6.5 opening. A 7.0 answer would soften this with 'Honestly, I'd say it's a start, but nowhere near enough', while a 7.5 answer might open with an even more compressed idiomatic judgement.
   • LR“small promises” — This is a plain, generic noun phrase describing government action, without any more vivid or specific term. A 7.0 answer would use the fuller phrase 'the gestures exist without much of a real system', and a 7.5 answer might compress this into 'gestures, essentially, without the system behind them'.
   • GRA“There is also an electric bus, but it only has one route.” — This is a short, simple sentence joined by 'but' in a plain contrastive structure. A 7.0 answer would embed this detail inside a longer sentence using 'plus', and a 7.5 answer would compress it into an appositive noun phrase without a separate finite clause.

   Band 7.0

   This is a 7.0 answer because of the natural spoken opener 'Honestly, I'd say it's a start, but nowhere near enough', which frames the whole response with a mild qualifying judgement.

   Honestly, I'd say it's a start, but nowhere near enough. Da Nang has painted bicycle lanes along the beach road that just end abruptly at every junction, plus an electric-bus trial that only runs a single route, so the gestures exist without much of a real system behind them. Governments here still subsidise fuel and build ring roads before metros, which sort of tells you where the priority actually lies. What would genuinely count as enough is cheap, frequent buses, continuous cycle lanes, and charging points, alongside making driving a private car just a bit less convenient. A few cities have managed it, but most, mine included, are still at the announcement stage.

   Why this band

   • FC“which sort of tells you where the priority actually lies” — This trailing relative clause adds an informal, reflective aside using the spoken filler 'sort of', going beyond a plain factual statement. A 6.5 answer would simply state the fact about subsidising fuel with no such commentary, while a 7.5 answer might replace this aside with a sharper evaluative remark.
   • LR“gestures exist without much of a real system” — This phrase is a moderately abstract, evaluative collocation describing token effort, more distinctive than the plain 'small promises' used at 6.5. A 7.5 answer would compress this further into the tighter phrase 'gestures, essentially, without the system behind them'.
   • GRA“so the gestures exist without much of a real system behind them” — This is a result clause introduced by 'so', following on from a list joined by 'plus', showing a moderately complex single sentence rather than several short ones. A 6.5 answer would present the same ideas as two or three separate short sentences, while a 7.5 answer would drop the connector and use a verbless appositive instead.

   Band 7.5

   This reaches 7.5 through the compact opening fragment 'Barely scratching the surface, I'd say' and the verbless appositive 'gestures, essentially, without the system behind them', both replacing full sentences with tighter constructions.

   Barely scratching the surface, I'd say. Da Nang has painted bicycle lanes along the beach road that end abruptly at every junction, and an electric-bus trial confined to a single route — gestures, essentially, without the system behind them. Governments here still subsidise fuel, prioritise ring roads over metros, and treat public transport as a fallback for people who can't afford a vehicle rather than a genuine alternative. What would actually count as enough is cheap, frequent buses, uninterrupted cycle lanes, ample charging infrastructure, and nudging private cars into being marginally less convenient than the alternatives. A handful of cities have pulled it off, and their air quality shows it; most, mine included, are still deliberating.

   Why this band

   • FC“Barely scratching the surface, I'd say.” — This opening is a compact idiomatic fragment functioning as a full judgement, rather than a complete grammatical sentence, a distinctively fluent and confident opening move. A 7.0 answer would open with the fuller 'Honestly, I'd say it's a start, but nowhere near enough', and a 6.5 answer would use the plainest possible opener, 'No, I don't think governments are doing enough yet'.
   • LR“nudging private cars into being marginally less convenient” — This is a vivid, idiomatic verb choice, 'nudging', paired with a precise gerund construction, more distinctive than the safer phrasing used at lower bands. A 6.5 answer manages only the plain phrase 'making driving less convenient' if it attempts this idea at all.
   • GRA“gestures, essentially, without the system behind them” — This is a verbless appositive fragment standing in for a full clause, a compact and confident structure. A 7.0 answer would use the fuller finite clause 'so the gestures exist without much of a real system behind them', and a 6.5 answer would present this as a separate, simple sentence.

9. 9. Do you think ways of travelling need to change radically in the near future to protect the environment?

   May–Aug 2026
   Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question

   Band 6.5

   This is a 6.5 answer because of its short conditional sentence structure, 'If more people used electric scooters..., the air in the city would be cleaner', stated plainly without further nuance.

   Yes, I think travel habits really need to change to protect the environment. For example, last month I used a shared electric scooter to go to a cafe on Nguyen Van Linh street instead of my motorbike. It was quiet and did not produce any smoke. If more people used electric scooters or bikes for short trips, the air in the city would be cleaner, especially during rush hour. It might be hard for people who live far away, but for short trips in the city, it is a good change. I think new technology can help protect the environment.

   Why this band

   • FC“Yes, I think travel habits really need to change to protect the environment.” — This opening sentence states the position directly with a simple modal verb 'need to', without any spoken hedge. A 7.0 answer would add the intensifier 'honestly' and the phrase 'quite a bit', while a 7.5 answer might open with a stronger claim about the shift needing to be 'fairly dramatic'.
   • LR“did not produce any smoke” — This is a plain negative description using basic vocabulary, avoiding any more specific or technical term. A 7.0 answer would use the more precise 'produced zero exhaust', and a 7.5 answer might compress this into the adjective 'exhaust-free'.
   • GRA“It might be hard for people who live far away, but for short trips in the city, it is a good change.” — This sentence joins two ideas with the simple connector 'but' in a plain contrastive structure. A 7.0 answer would introduce this concession with 'Of course, it might not be realistic for...', and a 7.5 answer would use the more idiomatic 'a harder sell' instead of 'hard'.

   Band 7.0

   This is a 7.0 answer because of the natural intensifier 'honestly' right after 'Yes' and the added compound predicate 'it felt surprisingly convenient, plus it was much quieter', which shows a little more sentence flexibility than a plain list.

   Yes, I honestly think travel habits need to shift quite a bit if we want to cut down on environmental damage. For instance, last month I rode a shared electric scooter to a cafe on Nguyen Van Linh street instead of taking my motorbike, and it felt surprisingly convenient, plus it was much quieter and produced zero exhaust. If more people switched to electric scooters or bikes for short trips, the city air would probably be noticeably cleaner, especially during rush hour. Of course, it might not be realistic for people commuting from the outskirts, but for short city journeys, it seems like a genuinely practical step.

   Why this band

   • FC“Of course, it might not be realistic for people commuting from the outskirts” — This concession opens with the natural hedge 'Of course' before qualifying the main claim, a more fluent move than a bare 'but' clause. A 6.5 answer would state the same idea with just 'but', while a 7.5 answer might replace this with the more idiomatic 'a harder sell'.
   • LR“produced zero exhaust” — This phrase uses the slightly more precise and technical 'zero exhaust' rather than the plain 'did not produce any smoke' used at 6.5. A 7.5 answer would compress this further into the adjective 'exhaust-free'.
   • GRA“it felt surprisingly convenient, plus it was much quieter and produced zero exhaust” — This sentence uses the informal connector 'plus' to add a second observation onto the first within the same breath, a natural spoken construction. A 6.5 answer would present these as two separate short sentences, and a 7.5 answer would use a participial opening instead of a finite verb here.

   Band 7.5

   This reaches 7.5 through the fronted participial opener 'Swapping my motorbike for a shared electric scooter...' and the compressed adjective 'exhaust-free', both replacing plainer full-clause constructions.

   Yes, and I'd argue the shift needs to be fairly dramatic if environmental damage is to be meaningfully reduced. Swapping my motorbike for a shared electric scooter on a trip to a cafe on Nguyen Van Linh street last month, I was struck by how quiet and exhaust-free the whole ride felt. Multiply that across a city's worth of short trips, and rush-hour air quality would improve noticeably. Granted, it's a harder sell for anyone commuting in from the outskirts, where distance makes electric bikes impractical, but for short city journeys it's a genuinely viable fix. Rethinking these daily habits, alongside embracing the technology itself, strikes me as essential for anything resembling sustainability.

   Why this band

   • FC“Granted, it's a harder sell for anyone commuting in from the outskirts” — The concessive opener 'Granted' is a more compact, idiomatic way of conceding a point than the fuller 'Of course, it might not be realistic for...' used at 7.0. A 6.5 answer would state this concession with the plainest possible connector, 'but'.
   • LR“exhaust-free” — This compressed compound adjective is a more precise, less-common lexical choice than the fuller phrase 'produced zero exhaust' used at 7.0. A 6.5 answer manages only the basic negative description 'did not produce any smoke'.
   • GRA“Swapping my motorbike for a shared electric scooter on a trip to a cafe on Nguyen Van Linh street last month, I was struck by how quiet” — This sentence opens with a fronted participial clause replacing a full 'When I rode...' construction, showing flexible, compact grammar. A 7.0 answer would keep the plainer structure 'last month I rode a shared electric scooter... and it felt', and a 6.5 answer would use an even simpler 'For example, last month I used...' opening.