A Change You Made in Your Daily Life That Saved You Time

Part 3 follow-up questions

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

1. 1. What are some ways that people try to save time in daily life?

   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, plain sentences and the simple closing contrast 'Some people still like cooking from nothing, but this change makes my weekdays easier'.

   I think people try many small tricks to save time these days. For example, I started using a meal kit delivery service about eight months ago. Instead of shopping and deciding what to cook, I just look at the week's menu on the app and choose a few dishes. The food comes pre-measured, so cooking only takes about twenty minutes. This saves me a lot of stress in the evening, and I have more free time for running or drawing. Some people still like cooking from nothing, but this change makes my weekdays easier.

   Why this band

   • FC“Some people still like cooking from nothing, but this change makes my weekdays easier.” — This closing sentence uses the plain connector 'but' to state a simple contrast with no reflective hedge. A 7.0 answer would soften this with 'Of course, some people still prefer...', and a 7.5 answer would replace the whole idea with a more evaluative closing remark.
   • LR“small tricks” — This is a basic, generic noun phrase describing time-saving methods, without any more vivid or idiomatic alternative. A 7.5 answer would replace this with the more distinctive phrase 'endless little hacks', while a 7.0 answer manages the slightly fuller 'all sorts of little tricks'.
   • GRA“I just look at the week's menu on the app and choose a few dishes.” — This sentence coordinates two simple present-tense actions with 'and' in a plain structure. A 7.0 answer would use the more natural verb 'scan' instead of 'look at', and a 7.5 answer would compress the idea using a participial phrase describing the ingredients.

   Band 7.0

   This is a 7.0 answer because of the natural spoken tag 'tops' at the end of a sentence and the reflective opener 'Honestly' before describing the benefit.

   I think people try all sorts of little tricks to save time nowadays, especially when everyone seems so busy. For example, I started using a meal kit delivery service about eight months ago. Instead of shopping for groceries and figuring out what to cook after work, I just scan the week's menu on the app and pick a few simple dishes. The ingredients arrive pre-measured, so dinner prep takes maybe twenty minutes, tops. Honestly, it cuts down evening stress quite a bit and frees up my evenings for a run or some sketching. Of course, some people still prefer cooking from scratch, but for me, it makes weekdays much smoother.

   Why this band

   • FC“Of course, some people still prefer cooking from scratch, but for me, it makes weekdays much smoother.” — This closing concession opens with the natural hedge 'Of course' before returning to the personal opinion, a more fluent move than a bare 'but' clause. A 6.5 answer would state the same idea with just 'but' and no opening hedge, while a 7.5 answer might replace this with 'still has its devotees, of course'.
   • LR“cuts down evening stress” — This phrase is a moderately more natural collocation than the plain 'saves me a lot of stress' used at 6.5. A 7.5 answer would push further with the more vivid 'taken a surprising amount of evening stress off my plate'.
   • GRA“The ingredients arrive pre-measured, so dinner prep takes maybe twenty minutes, tops” — This sentence combines a result clause introduced by 'so' with the informal trailing tag 'tops', showing natural spoken rhythm within one sentence. A 6.5 answer would split this into two short separate sentences with no such tag, and a 7.5 answer would use an absolute construction instead of the 'so' clause.

   Band 7.5

   This reaches 7.5 through the vivid opening collocation 'clawing back time' and the absolute construction 'the ingredients arriving pre-measured', which replaces a full clause with a compact participial structure.

   People seem to have found endless little hacks for clawing back time these days, and mine, for the past eight months, has been a meal kit delivery service. Rather than trudging round the shop wondering what to cook, I simply scroll the week's menu on an app and pick a handful of dishes, the ingredients arriving pre-measured so that dinner prep rarely stretches past twenty minutes. It's taken a surprising amount of evening stress off my plate, freeing up time for a run or some sketching instead. Cooking from scratch still has its devotees, of course, but for me, this small switch has smoothed out the whole week considerably.

   Why this band

   • FC“Cooking from scratch still has its devotees, of course, but for me, this small switch has smoothed out the whole week considerably.” — This closing sentence personifies the alternative habit with 'devotees' and closes with the evaluative phrase 'smoothed out the whole week considerably', going beyond a flat restatement. A 7.0 answer would close more plainly with 'it makes weekdays much smoother', and a 6.5 answer would end even more simply.
   • LR“clawing back time” — This is a vivid, idiomatic collocation for saving time, considerably more distinctive than the plainer phrases used at lower bands. A 6.5 answer manages only the generic 'small tricks to save time'.
   • GRA“the ingredients arriving pre-measured so that dinner prep rarely stretches past twenty minutes” — This is an absolute construction (a noun plus a participle, 'the ingredients arriving...') standing in for a full finite clause, showing compact and flexible grammar. A 7.0 answer would use the finite clause 'the ingredients arrive pre-measured, so dinner prep takes...' instead, and a 6.5 answer would use two short separate sentences.

2. 2. Do people today have the right to expect things to be done instantly?

   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 sentences and the simple concluding sentence 'So, it is normal to want things quickly, but we also need to be realistic'.

   I think most people expect things to happen very fast now, but it is a bit complicated. Apps like Grab and Shopee make us used to quick results. For example, last week I ordered a blender from a shop near my apartment, and it arrived in under an hour. But not everything can be instant. When I needed some stickers printed for a project, the shop said it would take two days, no matter how much I wanted it faster. So, it is normal to want things quickly, but we also need to be realistic.

   Why this band

   • FC“So, it is normal to want things quickly, but we also need to be realistic.” — This closing sentence uses the plain connector 'So' to give a flat, generic summary. A 7.0 answer would replace this with the more balanced 'So while it's natural to want things fast, I think we need to balance that against what's actually possible', and a 7.5 answer would phrase the whole idea more idiomatically.
   • LR“quick results” — This is a basic noun phrase describing the effect of fast delivery apps, without any more distinctive wording. A 7.5 answer would replace it with the more vivid 'quietly rewired our patience'.
   • GRA“it arrived in under an hour” — This is a short, simple past-tense clause with no embedding. A 7.0 answer would extend this into a fuller sentence describing the delivery experience, and a 7.5 answer would compress the idea using a more idiomatic phrase like 'on my doorstep within the hour'.

   Band 7.0

   This is a 7.0 answer because of the natural reflective aside 'but whether we have the right to expect that is a bit complicated' and the concessive clause 'no matter how impatient I felt'.

   I think most people nowadays do expect things to happen almost instantly, but whether we have the right to expect that is a bit complicated. Apps like Grab or Shopee have definitely made us used to quick results. For example, last week I ordered a blender from an electronics shop near my apartment, and it was delivered in under an hour. That kind of convenience really does shape our expectations. But honestly, not everything can be immediate. When I needed some custom stickers printed for a side project, the shop told me it would take two days, no matter how impatient I felt. So while it's natural to want things fast, I think we need to balance that against what's actually possible.

   Why this band

   • FC“So while it's natural to want things fast, I think we need to balance that against what's actually possible.” — This closing sentence uses a subordinate 'while' clause combined with the personal framing 'I think we need to', giving a more balanced final judgement than a flat statement. A 6.5 answer would close with the simpler 'it is normal to want things quickly, but we also need to be realistic', and a 7.5 answer might replace the whole sentence with a more idiomatic contrast.
   • LR“shape our expectations” — This phrase is a moderately natural collocation describing the psychological effect of convenience, more distinctive than the plain 'quick results' used at 6.5. A 7.5 answer would push further with the vivid 'quietly rewired our patience'.
   • GRA“the shop told me it would take two days, no matter how impatient I felt” — This sentence uses a concessive clause introduced by 'no matter how', a moderately advanced construction beyond a simple 'but' contrast. A 6.5 answer would state the same idea as two separate short sentences, and a 7.5 answer would extend this into a longer, more compressed multi-clause sentence.

   Band 7.5

   This reaches 7.5 through the vivid personification 'quietly rewired our patience' and the closing personified verb 'production time doesn't negotiate', both showing idiomatic, image-based language.

   Most people, I'd say, have grown to expect near-instant results, though whether that expectation is actually justified is another matter entirely. Services like Grab and Shopee have quietly rewired our patience — last week, for instance, I ordered a blender from a shop near my apartment and had it on my doorstep within the hour. That sort of convenience shapes expectations in ways we barely notice. Not everything bends to speed, though: custom stickers I needed for a side project simply took two days to print, however impatient I felt about it, because production time doesn't negotiate. So while craving instant results is entirely natural, tempering that against what's genuinely feasible seems wiser.

   Why this band

   • FC“Not everything bends to speed, though:” — This short sentence, closed with a colon leading into an example, is a compact and confident transitional device rather than a full explanatory sentence. A 7.0 answer would use the fuller 'But honestly, not everything can be immediate' instead, and a 6.5 answer would state this even more plainly as 'But not everything can be instant'.
   • LR“quietly rewired our patience” — This is a vivid, idiomatic personification describing how technology has changed expectations, well beyond the plain 'made us used to quick results' used at lower bands. A 6.5 answer manages only the basic phrase 'quick results'.
   • GRA“because production time doesn't negotiate” — This clause personifies an abstract concept, 'production time', giving it agency in a compact causal clause, a more sophisticated construction than a literal explanation. A 7.0 answer would use the more literal concessive clause 'no matter how impatient I felt', and a 6.5 answer would state the fact plainly with 'no matter how much I wanted it faster'.

3. 3. Will time or money be more valuable to people in the future?

   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, blunt final sentence, 'Lost time is gone forever', which states the point plainly without any elaboration.

   I think time will become more valuable than money in the future. Life is already very fast, especially in cities, and it will get faster. For example, last month I set up automatic bill payments on my banking app for rent, electricity, and internet. It took about thirty minutes, but now I never need to queue at the shop or worry about late fees. That extra free time in the evening feels very valuable to me. Money is important, but you can earn more money. Lost time is gone forever.

   Why this band

   • FC“Lost time is gone forever.” — This is a very short, simple closing sentence with no connector or elaboration, typical of the 6.5 band's plain style. A 7.0 answer would extend this into a comparison joined by 'whereas', and a 7.5 answer would use a semicolon to link a more balanced two-part reflection.
   • LR“very valuable” — This is a basic intensifier-plus-adjective combination, repeating the same simple vocabulary used earlier in the answer. A 7.0 answer would use the more distinctive word 'priceless' instead, and a 7.5 answer might push even further to 'genuinely priceless'.
   • GRA“Money is important, but you can earn more money.” — This sentence repeats the word 'money' rather than varying it, joined by the simple connector 'but'. A 7.0 answer would avoid the repetition with 'you can often earn more of it', and a 7.5 answer would restructure this into a semicolon-linked contrastive sentence.

   Band 7.0

   This is a 7.0 answer because of the reflective opener 'Personally, I think' and the closing sentence built around the natural contrastive connector 'whereas', rather than two short separate sentences.

   Personally, I think time is only going to become more valuable to people in the future. Life already feels so fast-paced, especially in cities, and as technology keeps speeding things up, people will probably care even more about how they spend every minute. For example, just last month, I decided to automate my monthly bill payments using my banking app, rent, electricity, internet, all in one go. It took maybe half an hour to set up, but now I never need to queue at the convenience store or worry about late fees. That extra bit of free time in the evening honestly feels priceless. Money is important, but you can often earn more of it, whereas lost time is just gone.

   Why this band

   • FC“Personally, I think time is only going to become more valuable to people in the future.” — The opener 'Personally, I think' is a natural spoken framing device rather than a bare direct statement. A 6.5 answer would simply begin with 'I think time will become more valuable...' with no such framing, and a 7.5 answer might replace this with the stronger 'I'd argue'.
   • LR“honestly feels priceless” — This phrase uses the more distinctive adjective 'priceless' together with the spoken intensifier 'honestly', a step up from the plain 'feels very valuable' at 6.5. A 7.5 answer would intensify this further with 'genuinely priceless'.
   • GRA“Money is important, but you can often earn more of it, whereas lost time is just gone.” — This sentence uses the subordinating connector 'whereas' to build a single balanced contrastive sentence instead of two short separate ones. A 6.5 answer would split this into 'Money is important, but you can earn more money' and 'Lost time is gone forever' as two sentences, and a 7.5 answer would use a semicolon instead of 'whereas' for even tighter compression.

   Band 7.5

   This reaches 7.5 through the vivid opening verb 'eclipse' and the closing semicolon-linked aphorism 'Money, after all, can usually be earned back; time, once spent, simply vanishes', a compact, balanced structure rather than a simple sentence.

   Time, I'd argue, is set to eclipse money in value as the future unfolds. Life already moves at a relentless pace in cities like this one, and as technology accelerates things further, people are bound to grow more protective of every spare minute. Last month, for instance, I finally automated my monthly bill payments through my banking app, rent, electricity, internet, the lot, in one half-hour sitting, and I've not queued at a convenience store or fretted over a late fee since. That reclaimed sliver of evening feels genuinely priceless. Money, after all, can usually be earned back; time, once spent, simply vanishes.

   Why this band

   • FC“Money, after all, can usually be earned back; time, once spent, simply vanishes.” — This closing sentence uses a semicolon to join two balanced, mirrored clauses with a parenthetical insertion in each, producing an aphoristic, memorable structure. A 7.0 answer would join the same idea with the connector 'whereas' instead of a semicolon, and a 6.5 answer would use two entirely separate short sentences.
   • LR“eclipse money in value” — This is a vivid, less-common verb choice ('eclipse') used metaphorically, far more distinctive than the plain 'become more valuable than' used at 6.5. A 7.0 answer manages the more moderate 'is only going to become more valuable'.
   • GRA“rent, electricity, internet, the lot, in one half-hour sitting” — This is an asyndetic list (no connecting words) capped with the idiomatic tag 'the lot', followed by a compressed noun phrase 'in one half-hour sitting' rather than a separate clause about timing. A 7.0 answer would use the fuller phrase 'It took maybe half an hour to set up' as a separate sentence, and a 6.5 answer would state the timing even more plainly.

4. 4. Are people who learn to manage time efficiently more successful in life?

   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 plain descriptive sentences and the simple concluding remark 'I think good time management really helps', with no further nuance added.

   Yes, I think people who manage their time well are usually more successful. For example, last year a new developer named Phuong joined our studio, and she was very good at time-blocking. She used Google Calendar to plan meetings, work time, and even breaks. In a few months, she could handle two big projects while the rest of us struggled with just one. She never seemed stressed and always finished her work early. Of course, success also depends on skill and luck, but I think good time management really helps.

   Why this band

   • FC“Of course, success also depends on skill and luck, but I think good time management really helps.” — This closing sentence uses the basic hedge 'Of course' before a plain restatement joined by 'but'. A 7.0 answer would extend this with the more natural closing phrase 'gives people a real edge', and a 7.5 answer would compress the whole idea into a sharper final claim.
   • LR“very good at” — This is a basic adjective-plus-preposition phrase describing skill, without any more vivid or idiomatic alternative. A 7.0 answer would use the stronger 'incredible at', and a 7.5 answer might push further to the more original 'turned time-blocking into an art form'.
   • GRA“she could handle two big projects while the rest of us struggled with just one” — This sentence joins two clauses with the simple contrastive connector 'while' in a plain structure. A 7.0 answer would use the past continuous 'was handling' for a more natural narrative feel, and a 7.5 answer would add the further contrastive detail 'apiece' at the end for extra compactness.

   Band 7.0

   This is a 7.0 answer because of the qualifying phrase 'at least in terms of reaching their goals' right after the opening claim, softening an otherwise strong statement.

   I do think people who learn to manage their time well tend to be more successful, at least in terms of reaching their goals. For example, last year our studio brought in a new developer named Phuong who was incredible at time-blocking. She used Google Calendar to schedule not just meetings, but focused work sessions and even short breaks. Within a few months, she was handling two major client projects while the rest of us sometimes struggled with just one. I noticed she rarely seemed stressed, and she always delivered her work early. Of course, success depends on other factors too, like skill and luck, but honestly, good time management gives people a real edge.

   Why this band

   • FC“at least in terms of reaching their goals” — This qualifying phrase, inserted right after the main claim, narrows and softens the opinion in a natural, spoken way. A 6.5 answer would state the opinion without any such narrowing, while a 7.5 answer might replace this with a sharper, more confident framing like 'Phuong is the clearest example I've seen'.
   • LR“incredible at time-blocking” — This phrase uses the stronger adjective 'incredible' rather than the plainer 'very good at' used at 6.5. A 7.5 answer would push further still with the more original metaphor 'turned time-blocking into an art form'.
   • GRA“she was handling two major client projects while the rest of us sometimes struggled with just one” — This sentence uses the past continuous 'was handling' combined with a contrastive 'while' clause, giving a more natural narrative texture than the simple past used at 6.5. A 6.5 answer would use the plainer 'she could handle', and a 7.5 answer would add an extra contrastive detail like 'apiece' at the end for tighter compression.

   Band 7.5

   This reaches 7.5 through the compressed opening fragment 'Successful, on the whole, yes' and the inverted clause 'rarely, if ever, did she seem rattled by it', both showing flexible, non-standard sentence construction.

   Successful, on the whole, yes, and Phuong is the clearest example I've seen. A developer who joined our studio last year, she practically turned time-blocking into an art form, using Google Calendar to schedule not just meetings but focused work sessions, walks, even deliberate downtime. Within months, she was juggling two major client projects while the rest of us were still wrestling with one apiece, and rarely, if ever, did she seem rattled by it. Skill and luck obviously play their part too, but there's no denying that disciplined time management hands people a genuine edge, especially in a fast-moving field like design.

   Why this band

   • FC“rarely, if ever, did she seem rattled by it” — This sentence uses inversion after the negative adverbial 'rarely', a more advanced grammatical structure than a plain 'she rarely seemed stressed'. A 7.0 answer would use that plainer word order instead, and a 6.5 answer would state it even more simply as 'She never seemed stressed'.
   • LR“turned time-blocking into an art form” — This is a vivid, idiomatic metaphor describing skill, considerably more distinctive than the plainer 'incredible at time-blocking' used at 7.0. A 6.5 answer manages only the basic phrase 'very good at'.
   • GRA“she was juggling two major client projects while the rest of us were still wrestling with one apiece” — This sentence uses the vivid verbs 'juggling' and 'wrestling with' instead of neutral verbs, plus the trailing precise word 'apiece' for compression. A 7.0 answer would use the more neutral 'was handling... struggled with just one', and a 6.5 answer would use the simplest form, 'could handle... struggled with just one'.

5. 5. Do people waste a lot of time nowadays?

   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 plain narrative sentences and the flat closing remark 'knowing about the problem helps a lot', with no deeper reflection.

   Yes, I think people waste a lot of time nowadays, mostly because of phones. For example, last year I often spent more than an hour scrolling on TikTok every evening after work. It felt relaxing at first, but then I would look up and it was almost midnight, and I had not done anything useful. Now, I set a timer and put my phone across the room when I get home. This helps me focus on things like cooking dinner or sketching. Sometimes I still go back to old habits, but knowing about the problem helps a lot.

   Why this band

   • FC“Sometimes I still go back to old habits, but knowing about the problem helps a lot.” — This closing sentence uses the simple connector 'but' to state a plain conclusion. A 7.0 answer would extend this with the fuller 'it's easy to slip back into old habits, but just being aware of it makes a big difference', and a 7.5 answer would compress the idea into a shorter, more evaluative closing line.
   • LR“felt relaxing” — This is a basic adjective used to describe the experience, without any further nuance or vivid contrast. A 7.0 answer would extend this with 'oddly relaxing' paired with a fuller description of the aftermath, and a 7.5 answer might use the phrase 'oddly relaxing in the moment' for extra precision.
   • GRA“I would look up and it was almost midnight, and I had not done anything useful” — This sentence coordinates three clauses with 'and' in a repetitive, plain structure. A 7.0 answer would vary this with the phrase 'realize it was already close to midnight', and a 7.5 answer would compress the whole idea into a single vivid image using 'surface to find midnight had crept up on me'.

   Band 7.0

   This is a 7.0 answer because of the natural spoken tag 'honestly' before the reflective clause and the closing balanced sentence about slipping back into habits versus staying aware.

   Yes, I do think people waste quite a bit of time these days, mostly because we have so many distractions, especially from our phones. For example, there was a period last year when I found myself spending over an hour just scrolling through random videos on TikTok every evening after work. It felt relaxing at first, but honestly, I'd look up and realize it was already close to midnight and I hadn't done anything productive or even unwound properly. Nowadays, I set a timer and put my phone across the room once I get home, which really helps me focus on things like preparing dinner or sketching ideas. Of course, it's easy to slip back into old habits, but just being aware of it makes a big difference.

   Why this band

   • FC“Of course, it's easy to slip back into old habits, but just being aware of it makes a big difference.” — This closing sentence opens with the hedge 'Of course' and balances two ideas joined by 'but', a more fluent structure than a flat final statement. A 6.5 answer would state this more simply with 'Sometimes I still go back to old habits, but knowing about the problem helps a lot', and a 7.5 answer might compress this into a shorter, punchier closing line.
   • LR“unwound properly” — This phrase adds a second, more specific outcome beyond just 'productive', showing a slightly wider vocabulary range than the plain description at 6.5. A 6.5 answer manages only 'I had not done anything useful' without this extra nuance.
   • GRA“I'd look up and realize it was already close to midnight and I hadn't done anything productive or even unwound properly” — This sentence coordinates several clauses using contracted forms ('I'd', 'hadn't') and adds a second complement joined by 'or even', showing more natural spoken rhythm than the plainer version at 6.5. A 6.5 answer would use uncontracted forms and a simpler three-part list joined by 'and'.

   Band 7.5

   This reaches 7.5 through the vivid inanimate subject 'an hour would vanish' and the compact closing sentence 'Old habits still tug occasionally, but simply noticing the pattern has made a genuine difference', which replaces a flatter statement with livelier imagery.

   Yes, and phones, I'd wager, are the main culprit. There was a stretch last year when an hour would vanish most evenings into aimless TikTok scrolling, oddly relaxing in the moment until I'd surface to find midnight had crept up on me, with nothing to show for the time but a faint sense of unease. These days I set a timer and banish the phone to the other side of the room the moment I get home, which frees me up to actually cook or sketch. Old habits still tug occasionally, but simply noticing the pattern has made a genuine difference.

   Why this band

   • FC“Yes, and phones, I'd wager, are the main culprit.” — This opening uses the parenthetical hedge 'I'd wager' inserted mid-sentence, plus the evaluative noun 'the main culprit', a more confident and idiomatic opening than a plain direct statement. A 7.0 answer would open more simply with 'Yes, I do think people waste quite a bit of time these days', and a 6.5 answer would begin even more plainly.
   • LR“the main culprit” — This is a vivid, slightly idiomatic noun phrase personifying phones as the cause of wasted time, more distinctive than the plain 'mostly because of phones' used at 6.5.
   • GRA“an hour would vanish most evenings into aimless TikTok scrolling, oddly relaxing in the moment until I'd surface to find midnight had crept up on me” — This sentence uses an inanimate subject ('an hour would vanish') with a vivid verb, followed by a participial phrase and a compressed temporal clause, showing flexible, literary grammar. A 7.0 answer would use the more standard personal subject 'I found myself spending over an hour', and a 6.5 answer would use the plainest structure, 'I often spent more than an hour'.

6. 6. Are younger people or older people better at saving time?

   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 plain comparative structure and the simple closing concession 'But older people can also be efficient, especially with routines they have done for many years'.

   I think younger people are usually a bit better at saving time because they like using new technology. For example, my younger sister studies in Ho Chi Minh City, and she uses apps for almost everything, like ordering groceries on Grab, paying bills, and setting reminders for deadlines. When I visited her last semester, I noticed she wasted very little time, unlike my grandmother in Hue, who still does everything by hand. But older people can also be efficient, especially with routines they have done for many years.

   Why this band

   • FC“But older people can also be efficient, especially with routines they have done for many years.” — This closing sentence uses the basic connector 'But' to introduce a plain concession with no further nuance. A 7.0 answer would extend this with the added observation that it 'just looks different, more based on habit than shortcuts', and a 7.5 answer would reframe the whole idea as a reflection on differing routes to efficiency.
   • LR“wasted very little time” — This is a plain, literal description using basic vocabulary. A 7.0 answer would use the more natural idiom 'barely wasted a minute', and a 7.5 answer might push further with 'barely saw her waste a moment'.
   • GRA“she uses apps for almost everything, like ordering groceries on Grab, paying bills, and setting reminders for deadlines” — This sentence lists three examples joined by commas and 'and' using the neutral verb 'uses apps for', in a plain structure. A 7.0 answer would replace this with parallel gerund phrases describing automation, and a 7.5 answer would compress the whole idea using the more vivid verb 'outsourced'.

   Band 7.0

   This is a 7.0 answer because of the natural hedge 'in general' right after the opening opinion and the closing observation that efficiency 'just looks different, more based on habit than shortcuts'.

   I think, in general, younger people might be a bit better at saving time, mostly because they're more open to adopting new tools and technology. For example, my younger sister studies in Ho Chi Minh City, and she pretty much automates her whole daily routine with apps, ordering groceries on Grab, paying bills with her banking app, and even using reminders for class deadlines. When I visited her last semester, I noticed she barely wasted a minute, compared to my grandmother in Hue, who still prefers doing everything manually. That said, older people can be very efficient too, especially with routines they've practiced for decades, it just looks different, more based on habit than shortcuts.

   Why this band

   • FC“That said, older people can be very efficient too, especially with routines they've practiced for decades” — This closing concession opens with the natural spoken hedge 'That said' before qualifying the main claim, more fluent than a bare 'But' clause. A 6.5 answer would state this same idea with just 'But', and a 7.5 answer might replace it with the more reflective 'each has simply found its own route there'.
   • LR“automates her whole daily routine” — This phrase uses the more precise, technology-related verb 'automates' rather than the plain 'uses apps for' used at 6.5. A 7.5 answer would push further with the more vivid 'outsourced her daily routine to apps'.
   • GRA“she pretty much automates her whole daily routine with apps, ordering groceries on Grab, paying bills with her banking app, and even using reminders for class deadlines” — This sentence uses parallel gerund phrases ('ordering', 'paying', 'using') attached to a main clause, a more advanced list structure than the plain verb list at 6.5. A 6.5 answer would use the neutral verb 'uses apps for' with a simpler list, and a 7.5 answer would drop the main verb altogether for an even more compressed asyndetic list.

   Band 7.5

   This reaches 7.5 through the vivid metaphor 'outsourced her daily routine to apps' and the closing reflective sentence reframing the whole comparison, 'each has simply found its own route there'.

   Younger people, I'd say, edge it slightly, largely because they're quicker to embrace whatever tool promises to shave off a few minutes. My sister, studying in Ho Chi Minh City, has essentially outsourced her daily routine to apps, groceries via Grab, bills through her banking app, deadlines flagged by automatic reminders, and visiting her last semester, I barely saw her waste a moment. My grandmother in Hue, by contrast, does everything by hand and somehow loses nothing either, her efficiency built on decades of practiced habit rather than shortcuts. So perhaps it's less that one generation manages time better and more that each has simply found its own route there.

   Why this band

   • FC“So perhaps it's less that one generation manages time better and more that each has simply found its own route there.” — This closing sentence uses a balanced 'less...and more that' construction to offer a genuinely reflective reframing of the whole comparison, rather than a flat conclusion. A 7.0 answer would close more plainly with 'it just looks different, more based on habit than shortcuts', and a 6.5 answer would end with an even simpler concession.
   • LR“outsourced her daily routine to apps” — This is a vivid, business-inflected metaphor for automation, more distinctive than the plainer verb 'automates' used at 7.0. A 6.5 answer manages only the basic phrase 'uses apps for almost everything'.
   • GRA“groceries via Grab, bills through her banking app, deadlines flagged by automatic reminders” — This is an asyndetic list of three parallel noun phrases with varied structures (via, through, flagged by), replacing a finite verb list entirely. A 7.0 answer would use parallel gerund phrases attached to a main verb instead, and a 6.5 answer would use a plain verb-plus-list structure.

7. 7. Does using technology always make it easier to manage time?

   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 flat closing statement 'I think it depends on how disciplined you are', with no further elaboration.

   No, I don't think technology always makes time management easier. It can help, but it also has problems. For example, I started using a calendar app on my phone to organize meetings and deadlines at work. At first, it saved a lot of time because I got reminders and could see my week clearly. But after a while, there were too many notifications, and sometimes I wasted time just changing settings. So apps like Google Calendar can help, but it is easy to get distracted by them. I think it depends on how disciplined you are.

   Why this band

   • FC“So apps like Google Calendar can help, but it is easy to get distracted by them.” — This sentence uses the simple connector 'So' followed by a plain 'but' contrast, without any softer hedge. A 7.0 answer would rephrase this with 'while tools like Google Calendar or Notion can help structure your day, it's easy to fall into the trap of overcomplicating things', and a 7.5 answer might use the more vivid metaphor 'a double-edged sword'.
   • LR“saved a lot of time” — This is a basic, generic verb phrase describing the initial benefit, without any more vivid or specific wording. A 7.0 answer would use the fuller phrase 'a real time-saver', and a 7.5 answer might extend this to 'a genuine time-saver' paired with more vivid detail.
   • GRA“I got reminders and could see my week clearly” — This sentence joins two simple clauses with 'and' in a basic coordinated structure. A 7.0 answer would use the idiom 'see my week at a glance' instead of 'clearly', and a 7.5 answer would compress this into an absolute construction without a repeated subject.

   Band 7.0

   This is a 7.0 answer because of the natural idiom 'see my week at a glance' and the reflective closing hedge 'I guess it really depends on how disciplined you are with the tech you use'.

   I don't think using technology always makes time management easier, it's helpful, but there are definitely limits. For example, I started using a calendar app on my phone to organize meetings and project deadlines at work. At first, it was a real time-saver because I got reminders and could see my week at a glance. But honestly, after a while, the sheer number of notifications got overwhelming, and sometimes I'd waste time just adjusting settings or checking unnecessary reminders. So while tools like Google Calendar or Notion can help structure your day, it's easy to fall into the trap of overcomplicating things. I guess it really depends on how disciplined you are with the tech you use.

   Why this band

   • FC“But honestly, after a while, the sheer number of notifications got overwhelming” — This sentence opens with the spoken marker 'honestly' inserted between two connectors, giving a natural conversational rhythm. A 6.5 answer would state the same idea more flatly as 'But after a while, there were too many notifications', and a 7.5 answer might restructure this using the metaphor 'became its own drain'.
   • LR“see my week at a glance” — This is a natural, moderately idiomatic collocation, more distinctive than the plain 'see my week clearly' used at 6.5. A 7.5 answer keeps a similar phrase but frames it within a more literary sentence, 'my whole week laid out at a glance'.
   • GRA“it was a real time-saver because I got reminders and could see my week at a glance” — This sentence combines a causal clause with a compound predicate joined by 'and', showing a moderately complex single sentence. A 6.5 answer would split this into 'it saved a lot of time' and 'I got reminders and could see my week clearly' as two separate ideas, and a 7.5 answer would use a double absolute construction instead of finite verbs.

   Band 7.5

   This reaches 7.5 through the vivid metaphor 'a double-edged sword' and the closing aphoristic sentence 'it comes down to the discipline of the person wielding the tool, not the tool itself'.

   Not always, no, technology is a double-edged sword when it comes to managing time. I started relying on a calendar app to organise meetings and deadlines at work, and initially it was a genuine time-saver, reminders popping up exactly when needed, my whole week laid out at a glance. Before long, though, the sheer volume of notifications became its own drain, and I'd catch myself tweaking settings or dismissing irrelevant alerts rather than actually working. So while tools like Google Calendar or Notion can undeniably sharpen your day, they carry a built-in temptation to overcomplicate things. In the end, it comes down to the discipline of the person wielding the tool, not the tool itself.

   Why this band

   • FC“In the end, it comes down to the discipline of the person wielding the tool, not the tool itself.” — This closing sentence uses the evaluative phrase 'wielding the tool' and a contrastive repetition of 'the tool' for rhetorical emphasis, a more polished closing than a plain statement. A 7.0 answer would close more simply with 'it really depends on how disciplined you are with the tech you use', and a 6.5 answer would end even more plainly.
   • LR“a double-edged sword” — This is a vivid, well-known idiom used precisely to capture the mixed nature of technology, more distinctive than the plainer 'it can help, but it also has problems' used at 6.5.
   • GRA“reminders popping up exactly when needed, my whole week laid out at a glance” — This sentence uses two consecutive absolute constructions (noun plus participle) with no repeated subject or finite verb, a compact and flexible grammatical structure. A 7.0 answer would use the finite clause 'I got reminders and could see my week at a glance' instead, and a 6.5 answer would use the plainest version of the same idea.

8. 8. Should schools teach children to manage their time?

   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 plain narrative sentences and the flat closing comparison 'I still remember these lessons more than some textbook theory'.

   Yes, I definitely think schools should teach time management. It is a useful skill for life, not just for exams. For example, in secondary school, our teacher Mr. Phong gave us a week-long group project. We had to make a schedule, agree on deadlines, and change plans if someone was late. At first, I struggled because I always left my part until the last minute. But learning to break the work into small parts made me less stressed and gave us better results. I still remember these lessons more than some textbook theory.

   Why this band

   • FC“I still remember these lessons more than some textbook theory.” — This closing sentence states the comparison plainly with the basic verb 'remember', without any reflective framing. A 7.0 answer would extend this with 'Looking back, those lessons have stuck with me far more than some of the textbook theory', and a 7.5 answer might add a further evaluative comment about where real learning happens.
   • LR“less stressed” — This is a basic adjective phrase describing the outcome, without any more vivid or idiomatic wording. A 7.5 answer would replace this with the more distinctive phrase 'oddly liberating', showing a more original response to the same idea.
   • GRA“We had to make a schedule, agree on deadlines, and change plans if someone was late.” — This sentence lists three actions joined by commas and 'and' using varied but simple verb phrases. A 7.0 answer would use the more precise verb 'adjust' instead of 'change plans', and a 7.5 answer would compress the list into gerund phrases without a repeated 'We had to'.

   Band 7.0

   This is a 7.0 answer because of the natural closing frame 'Looking back' and the slightly idiomatic phrase 'put off my part until the last minute', going beyond the plainer wording used at 6.5.

   Yes, I definitely think schools should teach time management. It's a practical skill that's useful way beyond just exams or homework. For example, in secondary school, I remember our computer teacher, Mr. Phong, set up a week-long project where each of us had to plan a group presentation step by step. We had to create a schedule, agree on deadlines, and adjust when someone missed a task. Honestly, I struggled at first, I'd always put off my part until the last minute. But learning to break things down into smaller chunks made me less stressed and actually gave us better results. Looking back, those lessons have stuck with me far more than some of the textbook theory.

   Why this band

   • FC“Looking back, those lessons have stuck with me far more than some of the textbook theory.” — This closing sentence opens with the reflective frame 'Looking back' before making the comparison, a more natural structure than a flat statement. A 6.5 answer would state the comparison directly with 'I still remember these lessons more than some textbook theory', and a 7.5 answer might add a further evaluative remark about where real learning happens.
   • LR“put off my part until the last minute” — This is a natural, moderately idiomatic phrasal verb construction, more distinctive than the plainer 'left my part until the last minute' used at 6.5.
   • GRA“We had to create a schedule, agree on deadlines, and adjust when someone missed a task.” — This sentence uses three parallel verb phrases, including the more precise 'adjust when someone missed a task' rather than the vaguer 'change plans if someone was late' at 6.5. A 7.5 answer would compress this list into gerund phrases without repeating 'We had to'.

   Band 7.5

   This reaches 7.5 through the idiomatic self-description 'a chronic last-minute merchant' and the closing reflective clause 'which says something about where real learning actually happens', a genuinely evaluative addition.

   Absolutely, and it's a skill schools too often leave to chance. In secondary school, our teacher Mr. Phong ran a week-long group presentation project that forced us to plan step by step, drawing up a schedule, agreeing deadlines, adjusting whenever someone dropped the ball. I was, admittedly, a chronic last-minute merchant at first, but breaking the work into manageable chunks proved oddly liberating, easing the stress and, in the end, producing far better results. Looking back, those lessons have outlasted most of the textbook theory I sat through, which says something about where real learning actually happens.

   Why this band

   • FC“which says something about where real learning actually happens.” — This trailing relative clause adds a genuinely reflective, evaluative comment onto the end of the sentence, rather than simply stopping at the comparison itself. A 7.0 answer would end at the comparison, 'those lessons have stuck with me far more than some of the textbook theory', without this further reflection, and a 6.5 answer would end even more plainly.
   • LR“a chronic last-minute merchant” — This is a vivid, idiomatic self-deprecating phrase, considerably more distinctive than the plain description 'I struggled because I always left my part until the last minute' used at 6.5.
   • GRA“drawing up a schedule, agreeing deadlines, adjusting whenever someone dropped the ball” — This is an asyndetic list of gerund phrases with no repeated subject or connecting 'and' between the first two items, a compact structure. A 7.0 answer would use the fuller finite-verb list 'We had to create a schedule, agree on deadlines, and adjust when someone missed a task', and a 6.5 answer would use the simplest version of this list.

9. 9. How do people's attitudes to time change at different ages?

   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 plain chronological structure moving from teenager to now, and the flat closing sentence 'So overall, I think people become more careful with time as they get older'.

   I think people's attitude to time changes a lot as they get older. When I was a teenager in Hue, I did not think much about planning my day. If I missed a bus or talked with friends for hours, it did not feel important. But now, in my late twenties, with a full-time job and other projects, time feels much more valuable. For example, last month my younger cousin Ha, who is sixteen, spent a whole Saturday watching TV dramas. I cannot imagine doing that now. My grandmother, though, likes to slow down and enjoy her daily routine. So overall, I think people become more careful with time as they get older.

   Why this band

   • FC“So overall, I think people become more careful with time as they get older.” — This closing sentence uses the basic phrase 'So overall' to summarise plainly, without acknowledging any complexity or exception. A 7.0 answer would add the nuance 'so it's not always about speeding up' before this summary, and a 7.5 answer would reframe the whole ending as a more reflective observation.
   • LR“much more valuable” — This is a basic intensifier-plus-adjective phrase, repeating simple vocabulary used elsewhere in the answer. A 7.0 answer would use the more precise 'much more precious', and a 7.5 answer might push further with 'every hour feels accounted for'.
   • GRA“If I missed a bus or talked with friends for hours, it did not feel important.” — This sentence uses a simple conditional clause joined to a plain result clause. A 7.0 answer would restructure this with 'it didn't feel like a big deal', and a 7.5 answer would compress the whole idea into a more abstract noun phrase like 'barely registered as a cost worth counting'.

   Band 7.0

   This is a 7.0 answer because of the added qualifying observation 'so it's not always about speeding up', which shows a mild reflective nuance before the final summary.

   I think people definitely change the way they see time as they get older. When I was a teenager back in Hue, honestly, I hardly thought about planning my day, if I missed a bus or spent hours chatting with friends, it didn't feel like a big deal. But now, in my late twenties, juggling a full-time job and personal projects, time feels much more precious. For example, last month, my younger cousin Ha turned sixteen and spent a whole Saturday binge-watching dramas. I couldn't imagine doing that anymore, I usually have to schedule even a quick café visit with friends. Of course, some older adults, like my grandmother, actually slow down and savour daily routines, so it's not always about speeding up. But overall, I think people become more conscious of how they use time as they age.

   Why this band

   • FC“so it's not always about speeding up.” — This qualifying clause, inserted before the final summary, adds a nuance acknowledging an exception rather than presenting a single flat conclusion. A 6.5 answer would omit this and move straight to 'So overall, I think people become more careful with time', while a 7.5 answer might expand this nuance into the fuller closing reflection about 'a widening range of relationships with time'.
   • LR“much more precious” — This phrase uses the more evocative adjective 'precious' rather than the plainer 'valuable' used at 6.5. A 7.5 answer would push further with the more vivid 'every hour feels accounted for'.
   • GRA“juggling a full-time job and personal projects, time feels much more precious” — This sentence opens with a participial phrase ('juggling...') attached to the main clause instead of a separate 'with' phrase, showing more flexible grammar. A 6.5 answer would use the plainer prepositional phrase 'with a full-time job and other projects', and a 7.5 answer would restructure this into an even more compressed sentence.

   Band 7.5

   This reaches 7.5 through the abstract opening framing 'People's relationship with time... shifts quite dramatically across a life' and the closing reflective contrast 'less a straight line toward urgency and more a widening range of relationships with time'.

   People's relationship with time, I've noticed, shifts quite dramatically across a life. As a teenager in Hue, missing a bus or losing an afternoon to friends barely registered as a cost worth counting. These days, though, juggling a full-time job with personal projects in my late twenties, every hour feels accounted for before it's spent. My cousin Ha, turning sixteen last month, happily lost an entire Saturday to binge-watching dramas, something I genuinely can't picture doing anymore, scheduling even a casual café visit has become second nature. My grandmother, interestingly, moves the opposite direction, slowing down to savour her routines rather than rushing them. So it's less a straight line toward urgency and more a widening range of relationships with time.

   Why this band

   • FC“So it's less a straight line toward urgency and more a widening range of relationships with time.” — This closing sentence uses a balanced 'less...and more' construction with an abstract metaphor, 'a straight line toward urgency', to genuinely reframe the whole discussion rather than just summarising it. A 7.0 answer would close more simply with 'people become more conscious of how they use time as they age', and a 6.5 answer would end with the plainest possible summary.
   • LR“barely registered as a cost worth counting” — This is a vivid, abstract metaphor treating time as a currency, considerably more distinctive than the plain 'it did not feel important' used at 6.5.
   • GRA“My grandmother, interestingly, moves the opposite direction, slowing down to savour her routines rather than rushing them” — This sentence uses a parenthetical adverb ('interestingly') inserted mid-clause and a parallel infinitive contrast ('to savour... rather than rushing'), showing compact, flexible grammar. A 7.0 answer would use the simpler coordinated clause 'actually slow down and savour daily routines', and a 6.5 answer would state this even more plainly.