A Childhood Friend Who You Remember Well

Part 3 follow-up questions

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

1. 1. Where can young children make new friends?

   Sep–Dec 2026
   Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question

   Band 6.5

   The 6.5 answer gives a direct opinion and one plain example, joined by simple connectors like 'but', 'because' and 'so', with no attempt at hedged or reflective language.

   I think children can make friends in a lot of places, but school is the main one. They also make friends in places like the playground, because they play together without adults telling them what to do. For example, near my apartment, I often see kids sharing a scooter for a few minutes and then they act like old friends. So I'd say children make friends more easily when there's an activity to do together, not just when adults put them in the same room.

   Why this band

   • FC“So I'd say” — A short, plain connector used to signal the concluding opinion. It keeps the answer moving forward but does it in the most basic way; a 7.0 or 7.5 answer would likely use a softer, more spoken opener like 'Honestly' or 'To be fair' instead of jumping straight to 'so'.
   • LR“act like old friends” — A modest, everyday collocation that gets the meaning across without any real precision. A higher band would reach for something more specific and idiomatic, such as behaving 'as if they've known each other for years', which paints a clearer picture of the same idea.
   • GRA“because they play together without adults telling them what to do” — A single because-clause doing all the explanatory work, with no further subordination. A 7.5 answer would likely compress this into a participial or relative clause instead, packing more information into fewer words rather than stacking short clauses end to end.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer opens with the natural spoken hedge 'Honestly, I'd say' and adds a mild qualifying remark ('To be fair, I don't think the exact place matters that much'), while building one longer sentence around a relative clause to connect the playground example to the wider point.

   Honestly, I'd say it happens wherever kids are left alone together for long enough. School is the obvious answer, but the friendships that form fastest tend to be in places without much structure, like the playground below my building, where two children can share a scooter for ten minutes and then behave as if they've known each other for years. Extracurricular classes work well too, because there's an activity to focus on instead of just talking. To be fair, I don't think the exact place matters that much — what matters is that no adult is managing the interaction.

   Why this band

   • FC“To be fair, I don't think the exact place matters that much” — A natural spoken qualifier that gently revises the answer's own claim mid-flow. This kind of self-correcting reflection is typical of band 7.0 — a 6.5 answer would simply state its opinion once and move on, while a 7.5 answer would usually fold the same idea into the main sentence rather than flagging it separately.
   • LR“behave as if they've known each other for years” — A more developed, natural-sounding collocation than the plain 'act like old friends' a 6.5 answer might use, showing a step up in phrasing without reaching for anything unusual. A 7.5 answer would likely go further still, choosing a less common word somewhere in the sentence for extra precision.
   • GRA“where two children can share a scooter for ten minutes and then behave as if they've known each other for years” — A relative clause ('where...') carrying a further subordinate 'as if' clause inside it, which is more structurally ambitious than the short, separate sentences typical of 6.5. It still reads as one manageable idea, though, rather than the more compressed, fronted constructions a 7.5 answer tends to use.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer opens with the idiomatic 'left to their own devices' and closes with a compact, almost aphoristic line — 'Children, in other words, make friends over something, rather than with someone' — showing a flexibility of phrasing and structure the plainer bands don't attempt.

   Mostly wherever they're left to their own devices long enough, I'd say. School is the obvious setting, but the friendships I notice forming fastest happen somewhere unstructured — the playground beneath my apartment block, say, where two kids will share a scooter for ten minutes and then behave as though they've known each other for years. Extracurricular classes work too, whether it's swimming or a drawing club, since there's a shared activity to hide behind. What matters less, I suspect, is the venue itself, and more the absence of an adult steering things. Children, in other words, make friends over something, rather than with someone.

   Why this band

   • FC“What matters less, I suspect, is the venue itself, and more the absence of an adult steering things.” — A fronted, cleft-like construction that organises the whole argument around a single contrast, rather than adding a separate qualifying sentence the way a 7.0 answer does. It shows the speaker shaping the discourse rather than just adding ideas one after another, which is characteristic of the top band.
   • LR“left to their own devices” — An idiomatic phrase used naturally and accurately, well beyond the plain vocabulary of the lower bands. A 6.5 or 7.0 answer would more likely use a literal phrase such as 'left alone together', which says the same thing with far less precision or colour.
   • GRA“Children, in other words, make friends over something, rather than with someone.” — A compressed, parallel construction built around 'rather than' that lands as a deliberate closing point. Lower bands tend to end on a plain restatement of the opinion instead of this kind of tightly balanced, slightly aphoristic sentence.

2. 2. Is it easy for children to make new friends?

   Sep–Dec 2026
   Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question

   Band 6.5

   The 6.5 answer gives a direct yes/no opinion up front and supports it with one simple, chronological anecdote about Vy, using plain connectors like 'and', 'so' and 'but' throughout.

   Yes, I think it's quite easy for most children, easier than for adults. My younger sister Vy changed schools when she was nine, and by the end of her first week she already had a best friend. They both had the same kind of pencil case, and that was enough. Children don't worry about looking silly, so they make friends fast. But it's not the same for every child — shy children can find it harder, I think.

   Why this band

   • FC“Yes, I think it's quite easy for most children” — A direct, unhedged opening answer typical of 6.5 — the position is stated immediately with no softening. A 7.0 or 7.5 answer would likely delay or qualify this slightly, for instance by adding 'honestly' or comparing it to adults within the same breath rather than as a separate clause.
   • LR“don't worry about looking silly” — Plain, everyday vocabulary that conveys the idea clearly but without any specific or idiomatic flavour. A higher band would likely replace this with a more precise expression such as 'no fear of looking desperate', which names the exact feeling rather than a general one.
   • GRA“and by the end of her first week she already had a best friend” — A simple coordinated clause added on with 'and', keeping the grammar safe and linear. A 7.5 answer would be more likely to compress this into a single flowing sentence using a participle or an inserted clause, rather than adding fact after fact with basic conjunctions.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer adds the reflective aside 'honestly, far easier than for adults' and a mild qualifier ('That said, it isn't universal'), while using one moderately complex sentence that links the parents' worry to the surprising speed of the friendship with 'but'.

   For most children, yes — honestly, far easier than for adults. My younger sister Vy switched schools at nine, and my parents were worried about it for weeks, but by the Friday of her first week she'd already found a best friend, apparently on the strength of a matching pencil case. Kids don't really run the same risk assessments we do as adults, so there's less fear of looking desperate. That said, it isn't universal — shy children, or ones who've moved between very different environments, can genuinely struggle.

   Why this band

   • FC“That said, it isn't universal” — A natural spoken qualifier that pulls back from the general claim just made, showing the kind of self-aware reflection typical of 7.0. A 6.5 answer usually states its exception as a separate, blunter sentence ('But it's not the same for every child'), while a 7.5 answer tends to weave the same caveat more tightly into the surrounding sentence.
   • LR“on the strength of a matching pencil case” — A moderately idiomatic collocation ('on the strength of') that upgrades the plain '...and that was enough' phrasing a 6.5 answer might use. It's a noticeable step toward more natural, less literal vocabulary, though not as unusual as the phrasing a 7.5 answer would reach for.
   • GRA“my parents were worried about it for weeks, but by the Friday of her first week she'd already found a best friend, apparently on the strength of a matching pencil case” — A longer sentence joining two contrasting ideas with 'but' and adding a trailing modifying phrase at the end. This is more ambitious than the short, separate sentences of 6.5, though it still relies on a fairly ordinary coordinating structure rather than the fronted or compressed forms a 7.5 answer favours.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer uses the less common verb 'fretted' and the vivid 'landed a best friend', and closes with an evaluative observation about adults noticing only the sociable kids, giving the answer a reflective edge the plainer bands don't reach for.

   For most children, remarkably easy — far easier than it ever is for adults. My sister Vy switched schools at nine, and while my parents fretted about it for weeks, she'd landed a best friend by the Friday of her first week, picked, as far as I can tell, on the basis of a matching pencil case. Kids simply don't run the risk assessments adults do; there's no fear of coming across as desperate. That isn't universal, though — shy children, or those shunted between very different environments, can find it genuinely hard, and I think adults underestimate that because it's the loud, sociable kids who get noticed.

   Why this band

   • FC“That isn't universal, though — shy children, or those shunted between very different environments, can find it genuinely hard, and I think adults underestimate that because it's the loud, sociable kids who get noticed.” — The caveat isn't just added on but extended into a small argument of its own, ending on an observation about why adults miss it. A 6.5 answer would state the exception in a single short sentence and stop there, without this extra layer of reasoning.
   • LR“fretted about it for weeks” — A less common, more expressive verb choice than the plain 'worried' a 6.5 or 7.0 answer would use in the same spot. It signals a wider active vocabulary without sounding forced.
   • GRA“Kids simply don't run the risk assessments adults do; there's no fear of coming across as desperate.” — A semicolon links two closely related independent clauses into one flowing unit instead of two separate sentences, a more flexible construction than the plainer bands attempt. Lower bands would more likely split this into 'Kids don't do this. So there's no fear of...' with a basic connector.

3. 3. Is it important for children to have a best friend?

   Sep–Dec 2026
   Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question

   Band 6.5

   The 6.5 answer gives a direct opinion ('I think it's important, but not necessary for every child') and supports it with one plain counter-example, using the simple connector 'but' to introduce the exception.

   I think it's important, but not necessary for every child. A best friend gives a child someone to trust and someone to argue with and make up with, which is a useful skill. But I know a colleague whose daughter doesn't have one single best friend — she has four or five close friends instead — and she's still very confident. So maybe what matters is having at least one close friend, not exactly one 'best' friend.

   Why this band

   • FC“So maybe what matters is” — A plain, direct way of signalling the final point, using the basic hedge 'maybe'. A 7.0 or 7.5 answer would more likely use a softer, more natural hedge such as 'I'd say' or 'I suspect' placed earlier in the sentence rather than tacked on with 'maybe'.
   • LR“someone to argue with and make up with” — A plain, literal description of the function of a best friend. A higher band would likely name this more precisely with a word like 'practise', turning the idea into a skill being learned rather than just a list of things a friend does.
   • GRA“she has four or five close friends instead — and she's still very confident” — Two short clauses joined loosely with 'and', kept grammatically simple. A 7.5 answer would be more likely to fold this into a single non-finite clause, such as 'cycling instead through a loose circle', to say the same thing more compactly.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer softens the opinion with 'I'd say, but maybe not essential' and adds the reflective aside about why parents can't teach the same lesson, using a since-clause to link two ideas in one longer sentence.

   Important, I'd say, but maybe not essential. A best friend gives a child a safe space to practise things like trust and making up after an argument, which is hard to learn from parents, since parents more or less have to forgive you anyway. On the other hand, a colleague of mine has a daughter who's never had one single best friend — just a rotating circle of four or five — and she's one of the more socially confident kids I know. So I think what really matters is having at least one bond where the child feels chosen.

   Why this band

   • FC“Important, I'd say, but maybe not essential.” — A hedged opening that states a position while immediately softening it, a step up from the flatter 'I think it's important' a 6.5 answer would use. It signals a speaker weighing the claim rather than simply announcing it.
   • LR“a rotating circle of four or five” — A more natural collocation than the plain 'four or five close friends instead' phrasing a 6.5 answer might use, giving the same idea a slightly more vivid shape without becoming unusual.
   • GRA“which is hard to learn from parents, since parents more or less have to forgive you anyway” — A relative clause followed by a since-clause, stacking two layers of explanation into one sentence rather than presenting them as separate short statements. This is more structurally developed than 6.5's simple coordination, though still a fairly standard combination.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer reaches for the vivid collocation 'a safe testing ground' and compresses the counter-example into a participial phrase ('cycling instead through a loose circle of four or five'), rather than the separate clauses a lower band would use for the same idea.

   Important, yes, though I wouldn't call it essential. A best friend gives a child a safe testing ground for things like trust, arguing and making up — lessons that are hard to learn from parents, who more or less have to forgive you. Then again, a colleague's daughter has never settled on a single best friend, cycling instead through a loose circle of four or five, and she's one of the most socially confident kids I've met. So what seems to matter is having at least one close bond in which a child feels genuinely chosen, whether that comes from one person or a small group probably just depends on temperament.

   Why this band

   • FC“Then again, a colleague's daughter has never settled on a single best friend” — A natural spoken pivot ('Then again') that turns the argument in a new direction, doing more discourse work than the plainer 'But' a 6.5 answer relies on for the same shift. It signals genuine back-and-forth reasoning rather than a simple list of points.
   • LR“a safe testing ground for things like trust, arguing and making up” — A vivid, slightly less common collocation ('testing ground') standing in for the plain 'a place to practise' a lower band would likely use, adding precision and a touch of imagery to an abstract idea.
   • GRA“cycling instead through a loose circle of four or five” — A participial phrase compressing what a 6.5 answer would state as a full separate clause ('she has four or five close friends instead'). This kind of non-finite construction packs more information into fewer words, which is characteristic of the most flexible band.

4. 4. What are the advantages of having friends who are older than you?

   Sep–Dec 2026
   Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question

   Band 6.5

   The 6.5 answer states one clear reason up front, backs it up with a single plain anecdote about Quân, and adds one more simple point using 'also', keeping every sentence short and direct.

   The main advantage is that older friends have already made the mistakes you're about to make. When I finished university, a friend called Quân, who is three years older than me, helped me practise for my first job interview in a café in Da Nang. He asked me questions I would never have thought of myself. Older friends are also usually calmer about things that feel big to you. The only problem is that it can start to feel more like a teacher and student than real friendship.

   Why this band

   • FC“The main advantage is that” — A plain, formulaic opener that announces the point directly, typical of how a 6.5 answer organises ideas — one clear statement, then an example. A 7.0 or 7.5 answer would more likely fold the same idea straight into the first sentence without this labelling phrase.
   • LR“helped me practise for my first job interview” — A plain, functional verb phrase that names the action without much colour. A higher band would likely use a more vivid verb like 'rehearsed' or 'talked me through it', which suggests more effort and detail than the neutral 'helped me practise'.
   • GRA“a friend called Quân, who is three years older than me, helped me practise for my first job interview in a café in Da Nang” — A relative clause ('who is three years older than me') inserted into an otherwise simple sentence — a safe, standard way of adding extra information. A 7.5 answer would be more likely to reorder this as an appositive noun phrase for a more compact effect.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer drops straight into the answer with 'Mainly that...' instead of a full framing sentence, and adds the natural aside 'which is oddly reassuring', while using an if-clause to state the one downside as a conditional rather than a flat fact.

   Mainly that they've already made the mistakes you're about to. When I was finishing university, a friend three years older than me, Quân, sat me down in a Da Nang café and basically talked me through my first job interview, including questions I'd never have thought to prepare for. You can't really get that from someone your own age. Older friends also tend to stay calmer about things that feel enormous to you at the time, which is oddly reassuring. The only downside, I'd say, is that the relationship can tip into mentoring rather than friendship if you're not careful.

   Why this band

   • FC“You can't really get that from someone your own age.” — A short, punchy follow-up sentence that reinforces the point through contrast rather than just adding a new fact, giving the answer a more conversational rhythm than the straightforward listing style of 6.5.
   • LR“sat me down in a Da Nang café and basically talked me through my first job interview” — A more natural, idiomatic way of describing the same event as 6.5's plain 'helped me practise', with 'sat me down' and 'talked me through' both carrying more vivid, spoken-register colour.
   • GRA“the relationship can tip into mentoring rather than friendship if you're not careful” — A conditional structure (if-clause) used to frame the one downside, which is more grammatically varied than the flat statement ('The only problem is that...') a 6.5 answer would use for the same idea.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer opens with the participial phrase 'Finishing university,' instead of a full subordinate clause, and uses the less common word 'unruffled', closing with a practical evaluative point about needing 'something to offer back'.

   Mainly that they've already made the mistakes you're about to make. Finishing university, I had a friend three years my senior, Quân, sit me down in a Da Nang café and essentially rehearse my first job interview with me, questions I'd never have thought to prepare for included. That's not something you get from someone your own age. Older friends also tend to stay unruffled about things that feel enormous to you at the time, which is oddly steadying. The one catch is that the relationship can tip into mentoring rather than friendship if you're not careful, so it works best when you've got something to offer back.

   Why this band

   • FC“The one catch is that the relationship can tip into mentoring rather than friendship if you're not careful, so it works best when you've got something to offer back.” — The downside isn't just named but immediately resolved with a practical follow-up clause, giving the answer a sense of closure. A 6.5 answer would state the problem and simply stop, without this extra layer connecting it back to a working solution.
   • LR“stay unruffled about things that feel enormous to you” — A less common, more precise adjective than the plain 'calmer' a lower band would choose, giving the sentence a more distinctive register while still sounding natural.
   • GRA“Finishing university, I had a friend three years my senior, Quân, sit me down in a Da Nang café” — A participial phrase ('Finishing university,') opens the sentence instead of a full clause like 'When I was finishing university', a more compact and flexible construction than the plainer bands use for the same information.

5. 5. As people get older, do they argue less with their friends?

   Sep–Dec 2026
   Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question

   Band 6.5

   The 6.5 answer makes its point directly ('I think they argue less often, but about bigger things') and supports it with one plain observation about the parents' friendship, using 'but' and 'so' to link the ideas.

   I think they argue less often, but about bigger things. My parents have a couple they've known for thirty years in Hue, and I've noticed they don't argue about small things anymore, like where to eat. But when something serious comes up, like money, the arguments are quieter but they take longer to solve. So I don't think people get more patient exactly. I think they just learn which arguments are worth having.

   Why this band

   • FC“So I don't think people get more patient exactly.” — A plain restating sentence that repeats the point in slightly different words rather than developing it further. A 7.0 or 7.5 answer would more likely fold this correction into the same sentence as the reasoning behind it, instead of stating it as a separate short line.
   • LR“the arguments are quieter but they take longer to solve” — A plain, literal description using ordinary words like 'quieter' and 'longer'. A higher band would likely replace 'take longer to solve' with something more vivid, such as arguments that 'take months to resolve', which is more specific and natural.
   • GRA“I've noticed they don't argue about small things anymore, like where to eat” — A simple main clause with an added example tagged on using 'like'. A 7.5 answer would be more likely to compress the observation and example into a single flowing clause rather than adding the example as an afterthought.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer opens with a participial clause ('Watching my parents...') instead of a plain statement, and reframes the conclusion as a natural spoken contrast ('it's not exactly... it's more that...') rather than a flat correction.

   I'd say less often, but about more serious things. Watching my parents with a couple they've known for thirty years in Hue, you notice the small disagreements just get dropped — nobody has the energy to argue about where to eat anymore. But when something real comes up, like money or caring for an ageing parent, the arguments get quieter and heavier, and can take months to work through. So it's not exactly that people become more patient — it's more that they've learned which battles are worth the friendship.

   Why this band

   • FC“it's not exactly that people become more patient — it's more that they've learned which battles are worth the friendship” — A balanced 'not exactly... it's more that...' construction that reshapes the idea rather than simply restating it, giving the ending a more considered, spoken feel than 6.5's flatter 'I don't think... I think...' pattern.
   • LR“nobody has the energy to argue about where to eat anymore” — A natural, idiomatic way of expressing the idea, more vivid than 6.5's plain 'don't argue about small things anymore'. The phrase 'has the energy to' adds a sense of tiredness that the plainer version lacks.
   • GRA“Watching my parents with a couple they've known for thirty years in Hue, you notice the small disagreements just get dropped” — A participial phrase ('Watching my parents...') opens the sentence, a more flexible structure than the plain subject-first sentence a 6.5 answer would use to introduce the same observation.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer uses the less common word 'weightier' and closes with the compact, slightly aphoristic 'and most, it turns out, simply aren't', a compressed evaluative ending the plainer bands don't attempt.

   Less often, I'd say, but over noticeably weightier things. Watching my parents with a couple they've known for thirty years in Hue, you notice the small disagreements simply get dropped — nobody has the energy left to fight over where to eat anymore. But when something real surfaces, like money or how to care for an ageing parent, the arguments turn quieter and heavier, sometimes taking months to resolve rather than an evening. So it isn't exactly patience that people gain with age; it's more that they've worked out which battles are worth the friendship, and most, it turns out, simply aren't.

   Why this band

   • FC“and most, it turns out, simply aren't” — A short, self-contained closing clause that lands as a deliberate final judgement rather than just trailing off. This kind of compact, almost throwaway ending is more sophisticated discourse management than the plainer bands' tendency to end on a full restated sentence.
   • LR“over noticeably weightier things” — A less common comparative adjective ('weightier') used precisely where a lower band would default to the plain 'bigger' or 'more serious'. It shows a wider, more deliberate vocabulary choice without sounding unnatural.
   • GRA“So it isn't exactly patience that people gain with age; it's more that they've worked out which battles are worth the friendship, and most, it turns out, simply aren't.” — A semicolon joins two closely related clauses into one flowing sentence, and an inserted phrase ('it turns out') interrupts the final clause for effect — a more flexible, compact construction than the separated short sentences a 6.5 answer would produce for the same content.

6. 6. Why don't people always keep the same friends as they get older?

   Sep–Dec 2026
   Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question

   Band 6.5

   The 6.5 answer states one clear reason ('friendship needs regular contact') and supports it with a plain personal example about university friends, adding a second point with 'also' and closing on a simple, direct final sentence.

   I think it's because friendship needs regular contact, and life often takes that away. My closest friends at university in Hanoi were people I saw every day, but after we graduated and moved to different cities, we didn't see each other much anymore. A group chat isn't really the same as meeting in person. Also, people change — one friend now has two kids, and another still goes out three nights a week, so they don't have much in common anymore. I don't think it's anyone's fault, really.

   Why this band

   • FC“Also, people change” — A basic connector used to introduce a second, separate reason, typical of how a 6.5 answer organises points — one after another rather than woven together. A 7.0 or 7.5 answer would more likely link this idea directly to the first with a more natural transition.
   • LR“A group chat isn't really the same as meeting in person.” — A plain, literal comparison using ordinary words. A higher band would likely replace this with a more vivid image, such as a group chat failing to replace the 'daily glue' of seeing someone in person, which captures the same idea more memorably.
   • GRA“one friend now has two kids, and another still goes out three nights a week, so they don't have much in common anymore” — Three short clauses joined with 'and' and 'so' in a simple chain. A 7.5 answer would be more likely to compress the two contrasting examples into a single parallel structure without needing three separate coordinated clauses.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer softens the framing with 'Mainly because...' and 'honestly', and uses the natural collocation 'that daily glue disappeared' to describe what changes after graduation, rather than the plain comparison a 6.5 answer relies on.

   Mainly because friendship depends on regular contact, and life has a way of removing that. My closest friends at university in Hanoi were the people I sat next to every day, but once we graduated and scattered to Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City and further afield, that daily glue disappeared, and a group chat honestly can't replace it. People also grow in different directions — one friend has two kids now, while another is still going out three nights a week, so they don't have that much to say to each other anymore. I don't think it's really anyone's fault.

   Why this band

   • FC“I don't think it's really anyone's fault.” — A brief closing reflection that sums up the emotional tone of the answer, similar in function to 6.5's ending but placed after a more developed explanation, giving the whole response a slightly more considered shape.
   • LR“that daily glue disappeared” — A natural, moderately vivid collocation used metaphorically to describe lost regular contact, a step up from 6.5's literal 'isn't really the same as meeting in person'. It's accessible but noticeably more figurative.
   • GRA“once we graduated and scattered to Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City and further afield, that daily glue disappeared, and a group chat honestly can't replace it” — A longer sentence built around a once-clause followed by two coordinated results, more structurally developed than the short, separate sentences of 6.5, though still relying on fairly standard coordination rather than compression.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer uses the idiom 'has a habit of' and the less common word 'sturdiest', closing with a compact generalisation ('most friendships are built around a shared situation, and once that ends, only the sturdiest survive') rather than a simple personal statement.

   Mainly because friendship runs on regular contact, and life has a habit of taking that away. My closest friends at university in Hanoi were simply the people I sat beside every day; once we graduated and scattered to Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City and further afield, that daily glue vanished, and a group chat can't really stand in for it. People also drift in different directions — one friend now has two kids, another is still out three nights a week — and there's less and less common ground left to talk about. None of it is really anyone's fault, I think; most friendships are built around a shared situation, and once that ends, only the sturdiest survive.

   Why this band

   • FC“None of it is really anyone's fault, I think; most friendships are built around a shared situation, and once that ends, only the sturdiest survive.” — The closing reflection is extended into a small general rule rather than a single short sentence, showing the speaker drawing a wider conclusion from personal experience — a more ambitious move than the plainer bands' habit of simply restating the opinion.
   • LR“one friend now has two kids, another is still out three nights a week — and there's less and less common ground left” — A vivid, natural phrase ('less and less common ground') replacing the plainer 'they don't have much in common anymore' a lower band would use, adding a slightly more idiomatic feel.
   • GRA“My closest friends at university in Hanoi were simply the people I sat beside every day; once we graduated and scattered to Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City and further afield, that daily glue vanished” — A semicolon links two closely related clauses into one flowing sentence instead of splitting them, a more compact and flexible construction than the separate sentences a 6.5 answer would use for the same content.

7. 7. To what extent does friendship contribute to people's well-being?

   Sep–Dec 2026
   Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question

   Band 6.5

   The 6.5 answer states its opinion directly and backs it up with one clear personal story about moving to Da Nang, using plain connectors like 'but', 'after' and 'so' to move through the points in order.

   I think friendship is very important for well-being, maybe more than people realise. When I first moved to Da Nang, I had a good job and a nice flat, but no friends, and I felt sad without really knowing why. After I joined a running group at My Khe Beach, nothing else changed, but I felt much happier. I've also read that being lonely can be as bad for your health as smoking. So I think it's not about how many friends you have, but how close they are.

   Why this band

   • FC“I've also read that” — A plain way of introducing outside evidence, tacked on after the personal story with 'also'. A 7.0 or 7.5 answer would more likely present the same fact more fluently, folding it into the flow of the argument rather than flagging it as a separate added point.
   • LR“I felt sad without really knowing why” — A plain, direct description of an emotional state. A higher band would likely choose a more precise phrase like being 'quietly miserable in a way I couldn't explain', which captures the same feeling with more nuance.
   • GRA“I had a good job and a nice flat, but no friends, and I felt sad without really knowing why” — A chain of short clauses joined with 'but' and 'and', which is grammatically safe but repetitive. A 7.5 answer would be more likely to vary the connectors and compress the list into a tighter structure.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer opens with the emphatic 'Enormously, honestly' and adds the reflective aside 'probably more than most of us like to admit', while the once-clause about the running group builds a more natural, moderately complex sentence than a flat chronological retelling.

   Enormously, honestly — probably more than most of us like to admit. In my first few months in Da Nang, I had a good job and a nice flat but no friends yet, and I was quietly miserable in a way I couldn't really explain. Once I joined a small running group on My Khe Beach, nothing else in my life changed, but everything somehow felt lighter. There's actual research behind this too, apparently loneliness affects health about as much as smoking does. I'd just add that it's the quality that counts, not the number of friends you have.

   Why this band

   • FC“probably more than most of us like to admit” — A reflective aside inserted right into the opening sentence, showing the speaker commenting on the claim as they make it. This kind of immediate self-aware reflection is typical of 7.0, whereas a 6.5 answer would more likely state the opinion plainly and add any reflection, if at all, as a separate later sentence.
   • LR“quietly miserable in a way I couldn't really explain” — A more precise, natural phrase than 6.5's plain 'felt sad without really knowing why', with 'quietly miserable' capturing a specific shade of feeling rather than a general one.
   • GRA“Once I joined a small running group on My Khe Beach, nothing else in my life changed, but everything somehow felt lighter” — A once-clause frames the turning point before the main contrast is introduced with 'but', a more deliberately shaped sentence than the plain after-clause a 6.5 answer uses for the same event.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer uses the idiom 'put my finger on' and the punchy collocation 'quality trumps quantity', closing on a vivid, slightly witty contrast between calling someone at midnight and people who 'simply like your photos'.

   Enormously — probably more than most of us openly admit. In my first few months in Da Nang I had a decent job and a nice flat but no friends yet, and I was quietly miserable in a way I couldn't quite put my finger on. Joining a small running group on My Khe Beach changed nothing else about my life, yet everything felt lighter almost overnight. There's solid research behind this too; loneliness, apparently, does about as much damage to health as smoking. I'd only add that quality trumps quantity here — two people you'd call at midnight do more for your well-being than two hundred who simply like your photos.

   Why this band

   • FC“I'd only add that quality trumps quantity here — two people you'd call at midnight do more for your well-being than two hundred who simply like your photos.” — The closing point isn't just stated but illustrated with a vivid contrast, giving the answer a memorable final image. A 6.5 answer ends on the same idea but as a flat, abstract statement ('it's not about how many friends you have, but how close they are'), without this concrete illustration.
   • LR“couldn't quite put my finger on” — An idiomatic expression used naturally in place of the plainer 'couldn't really explain' a lower band would use, adding colour without sounding forced.
   • GRA“Joining a small running group on My Khe Beach changed nothing else about my life, yet everything felt lighter almost overnight.” — A gerund phrase ('Joining a small running group...') opens the sentence as the grammatical subject, a more compact and flexible construction than the plain 'Once I joined...' clause a lower band would use for the same idea.

8. 8. Should people value friendship above other types of relationships?

   Sep–Dec 2026
   Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question

   Band 6.5

   The 6.5 answer gives a direct position ('shouldn't be above... but just as important') and one plain family example, using 'but' three times to build simple contrasts throughout.

   I don't think friendship should be above other relationships, but it is just as important. Family gives you support you didn't choose, but friends are people who choose to be with you, which is special in a different way. For example, my grandmother's children visit her at the weekend, but it's her friends from the market who see her every day and notice if she's unwell. So I don't think we should rank relationships — different ones do different things for us.

   Why this band

   • FC“For example, my grandmother's children visit her at the weekend, but it's her friends from the market who see her every day” — A plain, labelled example introduced with 'For example', a very direct way of moving from claim to evidence. A 7.0 or 7.5 answer would more likely fold the example straight into the argument without this explicit signpost.
   • LR“which is special in a different way” — A vague, general phrase that names the idea without much precision. A higher band would likely be more specific about what exactly makes the relationship valuable, using a word like 'purely' or 'genuinely' attached to a more exact claim.
   • GRA“Family gives you support you didn't choose, but friends are people who choose to be with you” — A simple contrast built with 'but' linking two short independent clauses. A 7.5 answer would be more likely to use a semicolon or 'whereas' to fuse the contrast into a single, more compact sentence.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer reframes the question with the crisp 'Not above, I'd say, but alongside' and uses 'whereas' instead of 'but' to link family and friendship in a single sentence, adding the reflective aside 'That said, ranking relationships at all feels like the wrong way to think about it'.

   Not above, I'd say, but alongside. Family gives you a safety net you didn't choose, whereas friendship is really the one relationship that exists purely because both people want it to, which makes it valuable in its own way. My grandmother in Hue is a good example — her children visit at weekends, but it's her three friends from the market who see her every single morning and notice when she's unwell. That said, ranking relationships at all feels like the wrong way to think about it, since different ones seem to do different jobs in a person's life.

   Why this band

   • FC“That said, ranking relationships at all feels like the wrong way to think about it” — A natural spoken pivot that steps back from the question itself, questioning its framing rather than just answering it. This kind of reflective move is more developed than 6.5's straightforward closing statement about not ranking relationships.
   • LR“a safety net you didn't choose” — A natural, moderately vivid collocation replacing the plainer 'support you didn't choose' a 6.5 answer would use, giving the abstract idea of family a more concrete image.
   • GRA“Family gives you a safety net you didn't choose, whereas friendship is really the one relationship that exists purely because both people want it to” — Uses 'whereas' to build a single balanced sentence out of the contrast, rather than the repeated 'but' structure a 6.5 answer relies on for the same idea.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer uses semicolons to fuse contrasting clauses ('Family hands you a safety net you never chose; friendship, by contrast...') and closes with the vivid collocation 'propped up entirely on one type', ending on the evaluative word 'fragile'.

   Not above, I'd say, but alongside. Family hands you a safety net you never chose; friendship, by contrast, is the one relationship that exists purely because both people want it to, and there's something worth valuing in that alone. My grandmother in Hue makes the point well — her children visit at weekends, yet it's her three friends from the market who drop by every single morning and notice the moment she's unwell. Ranking relationships at all, though, feels like the wrong instinct; different ones simply do different jobs, and a life propped up entirely on one type, whichever it is, tends to end up fragile.

   Why this band

   • FC“Ranking relationships at all, though, feels like the wrong instinct; different ones simply do different jobs, and a life propped up entirely on one type, whichever it is, tends to end up fragile.” — The closing reflection is extended into a fuller argument with its own supporting clause and a final evaluative image, rather than the single short closing sentence a 6.5 answer offers on the same idea.
   • LR“a life propped up entirely on one type, whichever it is, tends to end up fragile” — A vivid, slightly less common collocation ('propped up') used metaphorically, well beyond the plain 'different ones do different things for us' a lower band would use to close the same point.
   • GRA“Family hands you a safety net you never chose; friendship, by contrast, is the one relationship that exists purely because both people want it to” — A semicolon fuses two independent clauses into one flowing sentence, with 'by contrast' doing the linking work — a more compact structure than the repeated 'but'-joined clauses a 6.5 answer would use.

9. 9. How might society change in the future if friendship and other social bonds were stronger?

   Sep–Dec 2026
   Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question

   Band 6.5

   The 6.5 answer states its main idea plainly and builds a simple if-clause around the apartment example, listing two benefits with 'and' before adding one plain downside with 'but'.

   I think a lot of problems would become smaller. In my apartment building, there are about two hundred households, but I only know four of them by name. If people knew each other better, older residents might not need to pay someone to check on them, and parents could help each other with childcare. Small arguments could also be solved by talking, instead of going to the management office. But there is a downside too — close communities can sometimes be unfriendly to outsiders.

   Why this band

   • FC“But there is a downside too” — A plain, direct way of signalling the shift to a counterpoint. A 7.0 or 7.5 answer would more likely use a more natural phrase like 'The flip side is' to make the same turn feel less mechanical.
   • LR“close communities can sometimes be unfriendly to outsiders” — A plain, general description using ordinary words like 'unfriendly'. A higher band would likely choose more specific, less common words such as 'suspicious of outsiders' or 'insular', which describe the same idea with sharper precision.
   • GRA“If people knew each other better, older residents might not need to pay someone to check on them, and parents could help each other with childcare” — A single if-clause followed by two results joined with 'and', a safe and clear but fairly basic structure. A 7.5 answer would be more likely to use a colon to introduce a tighter list of consequences instead.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer opens with the reflective 'I suspect' and the natural collocation 'pay institutions to solve', then adds the mild qualifier 'That said, tight-knit communities can also turn inward' instead of the flatter 'But there is a downside too' a 6.5 answer would use.

   I suspect quite a few problems we currently pay institutions to solve would shrink. Take my apartment tower in Da Nang — two hundred households, and I know maybe four of them by name. If those bonds were stronger, elderly residents wouldn't need a paid service checking on them, parents could share childcare more easily, and small disputes might get settled over coffee rather than through the management office. Mental health services would probably feel less stretched too. That said, tight-knit communities can also turn inward, becoming suspicious of outsiders and harder on people who don't quite fit.

   Why this band

   • FC“That said, tight-knit communities can also turn inward” — A natural spoken qualifier that introduces the downside more smoothly than 6.5's blunt 'But there is a downside too', showing the speaker weighing both sides of the idea rather than just listing them.
   • LR“problems we currently pay institutions to solve would shrink” — A more natural, precise collocation than 6.5's plain 'a lot of problems would become smaller', with 'pay institutions to solve' giving a concrete economic angle to an otherwise abstract idea.
   • GRA“If those bonds were stronger, elderly residents wouldn't need a paid service checking on them, parents could share childcare more easily, and small disputes might get settled over coffee rather than through the management office” — A single if-clause governs three parallel results in a row, a more ambitious list structure than the two-item 'and'-joined pair a 6.5 answer manages for the same content.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer uses a colon to introduce the apartment example and a gerund-led list ('elderly residents no longer needing...', 'parents sharing...') instead of finite clauses, closing on the compact antithesis 'warmer, but not necessarily fairer'.

   I suspect a fair number of problems we currently pay institutions to solve would simply shrink. Take my own apartment tower in Da Nang: two hundred households, of which I could name maybe four. Stronger bonds would mean elderly residents no longer needing a paid service to check on them, parents sharing childcare informally, and petty disputes settled over coffee rather than routed through the management office. Mental health services would likely feel less stretched, too. The flip side is that tight-knit communities can just as easily turn insular, wary of outsiders and unforgiving toward anyone who doesn't quite fit — so stronger bonds would make society warmer, but not necessarily fairer.

   Why this band

   • FC“so stronger bonds would make society warmer, but not necessarily fairer” — A tightly balanced closing antithesis that sums up the whole answer's tension in one short clause, rather than the more general closing statement a 6.5 answer would offer ('close communities can sometimes be unfriendly to outsiders').
   • LR“tight-knit communities can just as easily turn insular, wary of outsiders and unforgiving toward anyone who doesn't quite fit” — Less common, more precise words ('insular', 'unforgiving') replace the plain 'unfriendly to outsiders' a lower band would use, giving the downside sharper, more specific edges.
   • GRA“Stronger bonds would mean elderly residents no longer needing a paid service to check on them, parents sharing childcare informally, and petty disputes settled over coffee” — A gerund-based parallel list ('needing...', 'sharing...', 'settled...') compresses three consequences into one flowing sentence without repeating a full clause structure each time, more compact than the if-clause-plus-modals a 6.5 or 7.0 answer would use.