A Film You Didn't Like

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 kinds of films are popular in your country?

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

   Band 6.5

   The 6.5 answer lists genres one after another with 'too' and 'as well', backed by one plain office example, and uses the basic connector 'because' to explain the streaming shift.

   Action and comedy films are usually the most popular here, along with romantic dramas, which have always been common in Vietnamese cinema. Horror films are popular too, especially ones based on Vietnamese folklore — there's usually a new horror film around Tet that everyone at my office talks about the next week. Hollywood films are still very popular as well, especially superhero movies. Streaming has changed things a bit too, because Korean dramas have become huge here, maybe even more popular than films themselves among my colleagues.

   Why this band

   • FC“Streaming has changed things a bit too, because” — A plain, mechanical way of adding a final point onto the list, using the basic connector 'because' straight after 'too'. A 7.0 or 7.5 answer would more likely use a softer transition like 'though' to make the shift feel like part of the same train of thought.
   • LR“Hollywood films are still very popular as well, especially superhero movies” — Plain, generic vocabulary ('very popular') repeated from earlier in the answer. A higher band would likely vary this with a more vivid verb, such as blockbusters that 'dominate the big screens' or 'hog the big screens'.
   • GRA“there's usually a new horror film around Tet that everyone at my office talks about the next week” — A relative clause tagged onto the main statement, safe and clear but standard. A 7.5 answer would be more likely to use a more active verb like 'dissecting' in the same slot for a sharper image.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer softens the opening with 'honestly' and upgrades the plain 'popular' to the more vivid 'dominate the big screens', linking the final point with 'though' instead of the flatter 'because' a 6.5 answer uses.

   Action and comedy films tend to do best here, honestly, along with romantic dramas, which have a long tradition in Vietnamese cinema. Horror is surprisingly popular too, especially films based on local folklore — there's usually a Vietnamese horror release around Tet that everyone at my office ends up discussing the following week. Hollywood blockbusters still dominate the big screens as well, particularly superhero franchises. Streaming has shifted things somewhat, though, since Korean dramas have become huge here, arguably more talked-about among my colleagues than films themselves these days.

   Why this band

   • FC“Streaming has shifted things somewhat, though, since Korean dramas have become huge here” — The connector 'though' ties the final point back to the rest of the answer more naturally than 6.5's flatter, more mechanical 'too, because', giving the transition a more conversational feel.
   • LR“Hollywood blockbusters still dominate the big screens as well” — The verb 'dominate' is a more vivid, precise choice than the plain 'are still very popular' a 6.5 answer repeats for the same point.
   • GRA“there's usually a Vietnamese horror release around Tet that everyone at my office ends up discussing the following week” — A relative clause similar in shape to the 6.5 version but with the more developed phrase 'ends up discussing', showing slightly more control over verb choice within a familiar structure.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer uses the vivid verbs 'dissecting' and 'hog the big screens', and closes with the compact generalisation 'homegrown horror and comedy jostling with imported spectacle for people's attention', a summarising move the plainer bands don't attempt.

   Action and comedy tend to dominate the box office here, alongside romantic dramas, which have deep roots in Vietnamese cinema. Horror does surprisingly well too, particularly films drawing on local folklore — a Vietnamese horror release seems to land around Tet every year, and my whole office ends up dissecting it the following week. Hollywood blockbusters, superhero franchises especially, still hog the big screens. Streaming has shaken things up somewhat, though, since Korean dramas have become such a fixture here that they're arguably more talked-about among my colleagues than films themselves these days. So it's really homegrown horror and comedy jostling with imported spectacle for people's attention.

   Why this band

   • FC“So it's really homegrown horror and comedy jostling with imported spectacle for people's attention.” — A closing generalisation that names the whole pattern the answer has been describing, rather than simply stopping after the last example the way the 6.5 and 7.0 answers do.
   • LR“my whole office ends up dissecting it the following week” — The verb 'dissecting' is far more vivid and precise than the plain 'talks about' a lower band would use, suggesting detailed, animated discussion rather than a general chat.
   • GRA“Hollywood blockbusters, superhero franchises especially, still hog the big screens” — An inserted appositive phrase ('superhero franchises especially') interrupts the main clause for emphasis, a more compact, flexible construction than the plain 'especially superhero movies' tacked on at the end in the lower bands.

2. 2. What are the differences between watching a film at the cinema and watching one at home?

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

   Band 6.5

   The 6.5 answer lists four differences one by one — atmosphere, flexibility, cost, social feel — each introduced plainly with 'though', 'too' or 'also', using short, direct sentences throughout.

   The main difference is atmosphere. A cinema has a huge screen, good sound and no distractions, which is great for big action films. Watching at home is more flexible though — I can pause to check a message or make coffee, which you can't do in a cinema. Cost is different too — a cinema ticket with snacks costs more than a streaming subscription shared by a family. Also, going to the cinema feels like a special event with friends, while watching at home is more relaxed, just something on in the background after work.

   Why this band

   • FC“Also, going to the cinema feels like a special event with friends” — A plain connector ('Also') used to add the final point in the list, typical of how a 6.5 answer strings ideas together one after another rather than weaving them into a single developed sentence.
   • LR“A cinema has a huge screen, good sound and no distractions” — Plain, generic adjectives ('good sound') describing the cinema experience. A higher band would likely choose a more vivid verb, describing a cinema that 'hands you' these things, giving the sentence more energy.
   • GRA“I can pause to check a message or make coffee, which you can't do in a cinema” — A relative clause added on to make the contrast explicit, clear but standard. A 7.5 answer would be more likely to use a semicolon to fuse the two ideas into one flowing sentence instead.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer uses a semicolon to link the flexibility point to its example ('far more flexible, though; I can pause...') and the natural collocation 'something of an event', rather than the four short, separate sentences of the 6.5 answer.

   The obvious difference is atmosphere — a cinema gives you a huge screen, proper sound and no distractions, which suits big action films especially well. Watching at home is far more flexible, though; I can pause to answer a message or make coffee, which you obviously can't do in a theatre. Cost is another factor — a cinema ticket plus snacks adds up fairly quickly compared to a streaming subscription shared across a household. Socially, cinemas also turn a film into something of an event, whereas watching at home tends to be more casual, just on in the background after a long day.

   Why this band

   • FC“Socially, cinemas also turn a film into something of an event, whereas watching at home tends to be more casual” — The sentence-initial 'Socially' signals the category of the point before making it, a more organised way of introducing a new angle than the plain 'Also' a 6.5 answer relies on.
   • LR“cinemas also turn a film into something of an event” — The phrase 'something of an event' is a more natural, slightly idiomatic collocation than 6.5's plain 'feels like a special event', softened and more native-sounding.
   • GRA“Watching at home is far more flexible, though; I can pause to answer a message or make coffee, which you obviously can't do in a theatre” — A semicolon links the claim to its supporting example in one flowing sentence, more developed than the em dash and separate short sentence a 6.5 answer uses for the same content.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer uses the vivid verb 'hands you' and the idiom 'get away with', closing on the contrast between a planned 'occasion' and home viewing as mere 'background noise'.

   The obvious difference is atmosphere — a cinema hands you a huge screen, proper sound and zero distractions, which suits big action films especially well. Watching at home is far more forgiving, though; I can pause to answer a work message or put the kettle on, neither of which you can get away with in a theatre. Cost is another factor, since a cinema ticket plus snacks adds up fast compared with a streaming subscription split across a household. Socially, too, cinemas turn a film into an occasion, something you plan an evening around with friends, whereas home viewing is usually just background noise after a long day at work.

   Why this band

   • FC“Socially, too, cinemas turn a film into an occasion, something you plan an evening around with friends, whereas home viewing is usually just background noise after a long day at work.” — The social point is extended with an appositive phrase ('something you plan an evening around with friends') that develops the idea further, rather than the shorter, single-clause version the lower bands offer for the same contrast.
   • LR“neither of which you can get away with in a theatre” — The idiom 'get away with' replaces the plain 'can't do' a lower band would use, adding a more natural, conversational register to the same point.
   • GRA“Watching at home is far more forgiving, though; I can pause to answer a work message or put the kettle on, neither of which you can get away with in a theatre” — The semicolon-linked sentence closes with a 'neither of which' construction rather than the plainer 'which you can't do' relative clause the lower bands use, a more compact and formal way of tying the two examples together.

3. 3. Why do some people think watching films is a waste of time?

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

   Band 6.5

   The 6.5 answer gives one clear cause of the view, a plain if-clause example, and a direct disagreement introduced with 'though', keeping the vocabulary simple throughout ('useful', 'wasted time').

   I think this view usually comes from comparing films to more 'useful' activities, like studying or exercising. If you watch something forgettable for two hours, it can feel like wasted time, especially if the film wasn't very good. Some people also think films are just entertainment with no real educational value, unlike books, which people often see as more serious. I don't fully agree though — a good film can help you deal with emotions or start a useful conversation, so it's not always wasted time. It probably depends more on what you watch.

   Why this band

   • FC“I don't fully agree though” — A short, direct disagreement placed at the start of a sentence with a basic trailing 'though'. A 7.0 or 7.5 answer would more likely open with a fuller phrase like 'I don't fully buy that', giving the disagreement more conversational texture.
   • LR“a good film can help you deal with emotions or start a useful conversation” — A plain verb choice ('help you deal with') describing the benefit of film. A higher band would likely use a more precise, slightly formal verb like film that can 'process emotions', which names the psychological function more exactly.
   • GRA“If you watch something forgettable for two hours, it can feel like wasted time, especially if the film wasn't very good” — An if-clause followed by a tagged-on 'especially if' clause, workable but slightly repetitive with 'if' appearing twice. A 7.5 answer would be more likely to vary the structure, using a participial phrase instead of the second if-clause.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer upgrades 'useful' to the more precise 'productive' and the vaguer 'help you deal with emotions' to the more exact 'process emotions', closing with the moderately complex comparison 'more on what you watch than on film as a medium'.

   I think that view usually comes from comparing films to more obviously 'productive' activities, like studying or exercising. Two hours spent on something forgettable can feel wasted in hindsight, especially if the film turns out to be poorly made. People who think this way often see film as purely entertainment with little educational value, unlike reading, which tends to be seen as more intellectually serious. I don't fully agree, though — a good film can process emotions or spark a genuinely useful conversation afterwards, which isn't really wasted time at all. It probably depends more on what you watch than on film as a medium.

   Why this band

   • FC“I don't fully agree, though — a good film can process emotions or spark a genuinely useful conversation afterwards” — The disagreement is expanded into a fuller counter-argument straight away rather than the shorter 'I don't fully agree though' followed by a separate sentence in the 6.5 answer, giving the pushback more immediate weight.
   • LR“a good film can process emotions or spark a genuinely useful conversation afterwards” — The verb 'process' is a more precise, slightly more formal choice than the plain 'help you deal with' a 6.5 answer uses for the same idea about emotions.
   • GRA“It probably depends more on what you watch than on film as a medium” — A 'more X than Y' comparative structure closes the answer, a more deliberately balanced sentence than the flatter final statement ('It probably depends more on what you watch') the 6.5 answer settles for.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer uses the less common verbs 'stems from' and 'squandered', and the idiom 'I don't fully buy that', closing with the more elaborate contrastive structure 'less to do with... and more with...'.

   I think that view usually stems from comparing films to more obviously 'productive' pursuits, like studying or exercising. Two hours spent on something forgettable can feel squandered in hindsight, especially if the film turns out to be poorly made. People who hold this view tend to see film as pure entertainment with little educational value, unlike reading, which somehow gets treated as the more intellectually serious pastime. I don't fully buy that, though — a good film can process emotions or spark a genuinely useful conversation afterwards, which is hardly wasted time. It probably has less to do with film as a medium and more with what you watch and how mindfully you watch it.

   Why this band

   • FC“I don't fully buy that, though” — The idiom 'buy that' (meaning 'accept it') is a more natural, conversational way of disagreeing than the literal 'I don't fully agree' the lower bands use for the same move.
   • LR“Two hours spent on something forgettable can feel squandered in hindsight” — The less common verb 'squandered' is more vivid and specific than the plain 'wasted' a lower band would use, suggesting a deliberate loss rather than just an unfortunate outcome.
   • GRA“It probably has less to do with film as a medium and more with what you watch and how mindfully you watch it” — A 'less to do with X and more with Y' construction closes the answer, a more elaborate parallel structure than the simpler 'more X than Y' comparison the 7.0 answer uses for a similar idea.

4. 4. Do you agree that people often watch films so they can forget about their everyday lives?

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

   Band 6.5

   The 6.5 answer opens with the direct hedge 'To some extent, yes' and gives one plain personal example, using 'but' and 'so' to move through agreement, counter-example and conclusion.

   To some extent, yes. After a stressful week at work, I sometimes just want something light on screen, not something that makes me think too hard, and some of my coworkers do the same on Friday nights. Films are an easy way to escape because you can get lost in someone else's story for a while without any real consequences. But not everyone watches films just to escape — some people choose serious dramas or documentaries because they want to think about real issues, not avoid them. So escapism is common, but not the only reason.

   Why this band

   • FC“So escapism is common, but not the only reason.” — A short, plain closing sentence that restates the answer's overall balance directly. A 7.0 or 7.5 answer would more likely extend this into a fuller final sentence with more precise wording rather than stopping at this flat summary.
   • LR“Films are an easy way to escape” — A plain, general noun phrase describing the appeal of films. A higher band would likely name this more precisely as 'an easy form of escapism', a slightly more formal, natural collocation.
   • GRA“I sometimes just want something light on screen, not something that makes me think too hard, and some of my coworkers do the same on Friday nights” — Two ideas joined with 'and' in a fairly plain coordinated sentence. A 7.5 answer would be more likely to compress the timing detail into a shorter phrase like 'come Friday night' rather than a full separate clause.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer adds the more specific detail 'a stressful week of client revisions' and upgrades 'an easy way to escape' to the natural collocation 'an easy form of escapism', with 'That said' replacing the plainer 'But' to introduce the counter-example.

   To some extent, yes. After a stressful week of client revisions at work, I sometimes just want something light and undemanding on screen rather than anything too thought-provoking, and I know a few of my coworkers do the same on a Friday night. Films offer an easy form of escapism, since you can lose yourself in someone else's story for a couple of hours without any real-world consequences. That said, not everyone watches films purely to escape — some people specifically choose serious dramas or documentaries because they want to engage more deeply with real issues, not avoid them. So escapism is common, but it isn't the only motivation.

   Why this band

   • FC“That said, not everyone watches films purely to escape” — The connector 'That said' introduces the counter-example more smoothly than 6.5's blunt 'But not everyone watches films just to escape', giving the shift a more natural, considered feel.
   • LR“Films offer an easy form of escapism” — The noun 'escapism' is a more precise, natural choice than the plain descriptive phrase 'an easy way to escape' a 6.5 answer uses for the same idea.
   • GRA“you can lose yourself in someone else's story for a couple of hours without any real-world consequences” — The phrase 'lose yourself in' plus the specific 'a couple of hours' gives more precise detail than the vaguer 'get lost in someone else's story for a while' a 6.5 answer manages in the same spot.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer uses the vivid verb 'crave' and the compressed time phrase 'come Friday night', closing with the idiomatic 'far from the whole story' instead of a flat restatement of the balance.

   To some extent, yes. After a stressful week of client revisions, I sometimes crave something light and undemanding on screen rather than anything that makes me think too hard, and I know several coworkers do exactly the same come Friday night. Films offer an easy form of escapism, since you can lose yourself in someone else's story for a couple of hours without any real-world consequences trailing after you. That said, not everyone reaches for film purely to switch off — some deliberately choose serious dramas or documentaries precisely because they want to engage more deeply with real issues, not sidestep them. So escapism explains a lot of viewing, but it's far from the whole story.

   Why this band

   • FC“So escapism explains a lot of viewing, but it's far from the whole story.” — The closing balance is phrased with the idiom 'far from the whole story', a more developed, natural-sounding conclusion than the flatter 'escapism is common, but not the only reason' the lower bands settle for.
   • LR“I sometimes crave something light and undemanding on screen” — The verb 'crave' is a more vivid, precise choice than the plain 'want' the lower bands use, suggesting a stronger, more physical desire.
   • GRA“I know several coworkers do exactly the same come Friday night” — The compressed time phrase 'come Friday night' (meaning 'when Friday night arrives') replaces the fuller prepositional phrase 'on Friday nights' the lower bands use, a more idiomatic, economical construction.

5. 5. Some people think it is important for films about real events to be completely true. What do you think?

   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 supported by one simple reason ('because they need drama'), then lists two more plain points with 'but', keeping the vocabulary modest throughout ('changes', 'problem').

   I don't think films need to be completely accurate, because they need drama to keep the audience interested. But there should be a limit to how much they change, especially with recent or sensitive events. Small changes to the timeline or dialogue feel okay to me, but changing facts in a way that gives people the wrong idea is more of a problem, especially if people only get their information from the film. I think filmmakers should show major changes somehow, maybe with a note at the start. Complete truth might not be possible, but honesty about what was changed matters.

   Why this band

   • FC“I think filmmakers should show major changes somehow, maybe with a note at the start.” — A plain, tentative recommendation using the vague hedge 'somehow'. A 7.0 or 7.5 answer would more likely state the recommendation more confidently, naming the specific tool (a disclaimer) rather than leaving it vague.
   • LR“changing facts in a way that gives people the wrong idea is more of a problem” — A plain, general phrase ('gives people the wrong idea'). A higher band would likely use the more precise verb 'misleads', which names the exact effect rather than a vague outcome.
   • GRA“I don't think films need to be completely accurate, because they need drama to keep the audience interested” — A single because-clause doing the explanatory work, plain and direct. A 7.5 answer would be more likely to use a noun phrase like 'a degree of dramatic shaping' instead of the verb-based 'need drama' construction.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer names the specific tool 'disclaimer' rather than the vague 'somehow' a 6.5 answer uses, and upgrades 'gives people the wrong idea' to the more precise verb 'misleads'.

   I'd say complete accuracy isn't always realistic, since films need some dramatic structure to hold an audience's attention. That said, there should be a limit to how far they stray from the truth, especially with recent or sensitive events. Small compressions of timeline or dialogue feel harmless enough to me, but changing facts in a way that misleads people about what actually happened is more concerning, particularly if viewers end up treating the film as their main source of information. I think filmmakers have some responsibility to flag major changes, maybe through a disclaimer, so audiences know roughly where the dramatisation begins.

   Why this band

   • FC“I think filmmakers have some responsibility to flag major changes, maybe through a disclaimer” — The recommendation names the specific tool ('a disclaimer') rather than the vague 'somehow' a 6.5 answer settles for, showing a more developed, concrete way of making the same point.
   • LR“changing facts in a way that misleads people about what actually happened” — The verb 'misleads' is more precise and slightly more formal than the plain 'gives people the wrong idea' a 6.5 answer uses for the same idea.
   • GRA“I'd say complete accuracy isn't always realistic, since films need some dramatic structure to hold an audience's attention” — A since-clause replaces the plain because-clause of the 6.5 answer, and the noun phrase 'dramatic structure' replaces the verb-based 'need drama', a slightly more nominal, formal style of phrasing.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer uses the nominal phrase 'a degree of dramatic shaping' and the less common word 'unattainable', closing on the compact, slightly aphoristic 'honesty about that gap is what actually matters'.

   Complete accuracy isn't always realistic, I'd say, since films need a degree of dramatic shaping to hold an audience's attention. There should still be a limit, though, to how far they stray from the truth, particularly with recent or sensitive events. Minor compressions of timeline or dialogue strike me as harmless enough, but bending facts in a way that misleads viewers about what actually happened is far more concerning, especially if the film becomes someone's only source of information on the subject. Filmmakers, I'd argue, bear some responsibility for flagging major changes, a disclaimer would do, so audiences know roughly where dramatisation takes over from fact. Complete truth may be unattainable, but honesty about that gap is what actually matters.

   Why this band

   • FC“Complete truth may be unattainable, but honesty about that gap is what actually matters.” — A tightly balanced closing sentence built on 'may be... but... is what actually matters', a more polished final structure than the plainer, additive closing sentences the lower bands rely on.
   • LR“Complete accuracy isn't always realistic, I'd say, since films need a degree of dramatic shaping” — The phrase 'a degree of dramatic shaping' is a more precise, less common nominal collocation than the plain verb phrase 'need drama' or 'need some dramatic structure' the lower bands use.
   • GRA“bending facts in a way that misleads viewers about what actually happened is far more concerning” — The participial phrase 'bending facts' replaces the plain gerund 'changing facts' the lower bands use, a slightly more vivid, figurative choice within a similar grammatical slot.

6. 6. Can films play an important role in teaching people about the real world?

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

   Band 6.5

   The 6.5 answer answers directly ('Definitely, yes') and gives one clear personal example about the documentary, using plain connectors like 'also', 'because' and 'but' to add each new point.

   Definitely, yes, especially documentaries and films based on real events, which show people situations they might never see otherwise. I watched a documentary about plastic pollution in the ocean a while ago, and it really changed how I think about packaging waste at home, more than any article had. Films also build empathy in a way statistics don't, because you follow one person's story closely instead of just reading numbers. But films simplify things for the story, so they shouldn't be your only source of information — they're a good starting point, but you usually need more research after.

   Why this band

   • FC“But films simplify things for the story, so they shouldn't be your only source of information” — A plain sentence joining two ideas with 'so', typical of how a 6.5 answer states cause and effect directly rather than weaving them together. A 7.0 or 7.5 answer would more likely use 'that said' to soften the transition into this caveat.
   • LR“it really changed how I think about packaging waste at home” — A plain verb choice ('changed'). A higher band would likely use a more vivid verb such as the documentary having 'reshaped' how the speaker thinks, adding more sense of a deep, lasting shift.
   • GRA“Films also build empathy in a way statistics don't, because you follow one person's story closely instead of just reading numbers” — A because-clause explaining the claim, safe and clear but plain. A 7.5 answer would be more likely to use 'since' and a more vivid contrast like 'skimming numbers on a page' instead of the plain 'reading numbers'.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer adds the more specific detail 'deep-sea plastic pollution' and uses 'That said' to introduce the caveat more smoothly than the plain 'But' a 6.5 answer relies on for the same shift.

   Definitely, yes, particularly documentaries and films based on real events, which can introduce people to situations they'd otherwise never encounter. I watched a documentary about deep-sea plastic pollution a while back, and it genuinely changed how I think about packaging waste at home, more than any article had managed to. Films also build empathy in a way statistics simply can't, because you follow one character's experience closely rather than just reading numbers. That said, films simplify things for the sake of storytelling, so they shouldn't be anyone's only source of information — they're a good starting point for interest, but real understanding usually needs more research.

   Why this band

   • FC“That said, films simplify things for the sake of storytelling” — The connector 'That said' introduces the caveat more naturally than 6.5's flatter 'But films simplify things for the story', giving the shift into the counterpoint a more considered feel.
   • LR“it genuinely changed how I think about packaging waste at home, more than any article had managed to” — The phrase 'more than any article had managed to' is a more developed comparison than 6.5's plain 'more than any article had', adding a touch more nuance to the same claim.
   • GRA“Films also build empathy in a way statistics simply can't, because you follow one character's experience closely rather than just reading numbers” — Similar in shape to the 6.5 version but with 'rather than' replacing 'instead of', a slightly more formal connector choice within an otherwise comparable structure.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer uses the vivid verb 'reshaped' and the idiom 'skimming numbers on a page', closing with the less common collocation 'demands digging further' instead of the plainer 'need more research'.

   Definitely, yes, particularly documentaries and films drawn from real events, which can drop people into situations they'd otherwise never encounter. I watched a documentary about deep-sea plastic pollution a while back, and it genuinely reshaped how I think about packaging waste at home, more than any article ever managed. Films also build empathy in a way raw statistics simply can't, since you're following one character's experience up close rather than skimming numbers on a page. That said, films inevitably simplify for the sake of storytelling, so they shouldn't be anyone's sole source of information — they're a decent spark for interest, but genuine understanding still demands digging further than the film itself.

   Why this band

   • FC“they're a decent spark for interest, but genuine understanding still demands digging further than the film itself” — A more developed, slightly figurative closing sentence ('a decent spark for interest') than the plainer 'a good starting point' the lower bands use, rounding off the answer with a bit more precision.
   • LR“since you're following one character's experience up close rather than skimming numbers on a page” — The idiom 'skimming numbers on a page' is far more vivid and specific than the plain 'just reading numbers' the lower bands use for the same contrast with statistics.
   • GRA“it genuinely reshaped how I think about packaging waste at home, more than any article ever managed” — The verb 'reshaped' replaces the plainer 'changed' the lower bands use, and 'ever managed' tightens the comparison slightly, both small but deliberate upgrades within the same sentence structure.

7. 7. Some people think films develop people's creativity better than reading books. What do you think?

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

   Band 6.5

   The 6.5 answer states a direct counter-opinion ('I actually think the opposite') and supports it with one plain personal reason connected to the speaker's job, using 'while' and 'so' to build simple contrasts.

   I actually think the opposite. Books make the reader imagine every scene and character themselves, which is a creative process, while films show you a finished visual version, so there's less for the viewer to imagine. But since I work in visual design, I'd say films can still inspire creativity in a different way — I often get colour or composition ideas from well-made films that I use in my own work. So it depends what kind of creativity we mean. Books probably build imagination better, while films spark visual ideas more directly.

   Why this band

   • FC“So it depends what kind of creativity we mean.” — A short, plain sentence introducing the final distinction. A 7.0 or 7.5 answer would more likely fold this straight into the concluding sentence with a semicolon rather than presenting it as a separate short statement.
   • LR“Books make the reader imagine every scene and character themselves” — A plain verb choice ('imagine'). A higher band would likely use a more vivid verb, such as readers having to 'conjure every scene and character from scratch', which conveys more creative effort.
   • GRA“films show you a finished visual version, so there's less for the viewer to imagine” — A short main clause with a so-clause attached, safe but plain. A 7.5 answer would be more likely to use 'leaving rather less for the viewer to construct' as a participial phrase instead.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer softens the counter-opinion with 'I'd actually lean the other way, honestly' and uses a semicolon to fuse the final distinction into the closing sentence, rather than the separate short sentence a 6.5 answer uses.

   I'd actually lean the other way, honestly. Books require the reader to build every scene and character in their own imagination, which is a genuinely creative exercise, whereas films present a finished visual version, so there's less left for the viewer to construct. That said, as someone who works in visual design, I'd say films can inspire creativity in a different sense — I often get colour palette or composition ideas from well-shot films that I then bring into my own work. So it depends what kind of creativity we're talking about; books probably build imaginative and narrative creativity better, while films spark visual ideas more directly.

   Why this band

   • FC“So it depends what kind of creativity we're talking about; books probably build imaginative and narrative creativity better” — A semicolon links the final distinction directly to its explanation in one flowing sentence, more developed than the short, separate 'So it depends what kind of creativity we mean' sentence the 6.5 answer uses.
   • LR“I often get colour palette or composition ideas from well-shot films” — The phrase 'colour palette' is a more precise, specialised collocation than the plain 'colour' a 6.5 answer uses, reflecting a slightly more developed professional vocabulary.
   • GRA“Books require the reader to build every scene and character in their own imagination, which is a genuinely creative exercise, whereas films present a finished visual version” — Uses 'whereas' to build one balanced contrasting sentence, rather than the 'while' used between two shorter clauses in the 6.5 answer.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer uses the vivid verb 'conjure...from scratch' and a fronted participial phrase ('working in visual design as I do'), closing on the fresh collocation 'fire up something more visual and aesthetic'.

   I'd actually lean the other way, honestly. Books require the reader to conjure every scene and character from scratch, which is a genuinely creative exercise, whereas films hand you a finished visual version, leaving rather less for the viewer to construct. That said, working in visual design as I do, I'd say films spark creativity of a different sort — I regularly lift colour-palette or composition ideas from well-shot films and carry them straight into my own work. So it really depends which kind of creativity is meant; books probably build imaginative and narrative muscle better, while films fire up something more visual and aesthetic instead.

   Why this band

   • FC“That said, working in visual design as I do, I'd say films spark creativity of a different sort” — A fronted participial phrase ('working in visual design as I do') organises the pivot to the counter-example more compactly than the plain 'as someone who works in visual design' clause the 7.0 answer uses for the same purpose.
   • LR“Books require the reader to conjure every scene and character from scratch” — The vivid verb phrase 'conjure...from scratch' is more precise and imaginative than the plain 'imagine' or 'build...in their own imagination' the lower bands use for the same idea.
   • GRA“films hand you a finished visual version, leaving rather less for the viewer to construct” — A participial phrase ('leaving rather less...') replaces the so-clause the lower bands use for the same consequence, a more compact, flexible construction.

8. 8. To what extent can films promote greater intercultural understanding?

   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 supported by one plain example about friends watching Korean and Japanese films, using 'of course' and 'but' to add the caveat and closing point.

   Quite a lot, I think, especially now that streaming makes foreign films much easier to watch than before. A film set in another country can show daily life, humour and values in a way that feels more human than a news report or a textbook. Watching Korean and Japanese films has changed how some of my friends here think about those cultures, beyond just the stereotypes they had before. Of course, one film only shows one point of view, and it can still support stereotypes if it's not made carefully. But overall, I think watching films builds more curiosity than distance.

   Why this band

   • FC“But overall, I think watching films builds more curiosity than distance.” — A plain, direct closing sentence beginning with 'But overall'. A 7.0 or 7.5 answer would more likely use a phrase like 'on balance' here, giving the conclusion a slightly more considered, weighed feel.
   • LR“it can still support stereotypes if it's not made carefully” — A plain verb choice ('support'). A higher band would likely use the more precise 'reinforce', which is the standard, more exact collocation for this idea in this context.
   • GRA“one film only shows one point of view, and it can still support stereotypes if it's not made carefully” — Two ideas joined with 'and', a fairly plain coordinated structure. A 7.5 answer would be more likely to use 'can just as easily' plus a compact closing phrase like 'the effect cuts both ways' instead.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer upgrades 'support stereotypes' to the more precise 'reinforce stereotypes' and adds the reflective aside 'so the effect isn't guaranteed', a step beyond the flatter caveat a 6.5 answer gives.

   Quite a lot, I think, especially now that streaming platforms make foreign films so much more accessible than they used to be. A film set in another country can show daily life, humour and values in a way that feels far more human than a news report or a textbook chapter. Watching Korean and Japanese films has genuinely changed how a few of my friends here think about those cultures, beyond just the stereotypes they'd picked up elsewhere. Of course, a single film only offers one perspective, and it can still reinforce stereotypes if handled carelessly, so the effect isn't guaranteed. But overall, exposure through film does seem to build more curiosity than distance.

   Why this band

   • FC“so the effect isn't guaranteed” — A short reflective aside added onto the caveat, showing the speaker qualifying their own point in real time, which is more developed than the flatter, single-clause caveat the 6.5 answer offers.
   • LR“it can still reinforce stereotypes if handled carelessly” — The verb 'reinforce' is the more precise, standard collocation for this idea, an upgrade on the plain 'support' a 6.5 answer uses for the same point.
   • GRA“streaming platforms make foreign films so much more accessible than they used to be” — The comparative 'so much more accessible than they used to be' is more developed than the plainer 'much easier to watch than before' the 6.5 answer uses for the same idea, showing a slightly more natural comparative structure.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer uses the vivid verbs 'convey' and 'reshaped', and the idiom 'the effect cuts both ways', closing on the less common verb 'breed' instead of the plainer 'build' a lower band would use.

   Quite a lot, I'd say, especially now that streaming has made foreign films so much more accessible than they used to be. A film set in another country can convey daily life, humour and values in a way that feels far more human than a news report or a textbook chapter ever could. Watching Korean and Japanese films has genuinely reshaped how a few of my friends here see those cultures, beyond the stereotypes they'd picked up elsewhere. Of course, any single film offers only one slice of a perspective, and can just as easily reinforce stereotypes if handled carelessly — the effect cuts both ways. But on balance, exposure through film seems to breed more curiosity than distance.

   Why this band

   • FC“any single film offers only one slice of a perspective, and can just as easily reinforce stereotypes if handled carelessly — the effect cuts both ways” — The caveat is capped with the idiom 'the effect cuts both ways', a compact summarising phrase that the plainer bands' caveats don't reach for, tying the whole point together in one image.
   • LR“exposure through film seems to breed more curiosity than distance” — The less common verb 'breed' replaces the plain 'build' the lower bands use for the same closing claim, giving the sentence a slightly more literary register.
   • GRA“A film set in another country can convey daily life, humour and values in a way that feels far more human than a news report or a textbook chapter ever could” — The comparative clause is extended with 'ever could' at the end, a more emphatic, compact addition than the plainer comparative the lower bands use for the same contrast.

9. 9. Could people's decreasing attention spans mean that films on serious topics won't be made in the future?

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

   Band 6.5

   The 6.5 answer states its main view directly, gives one plain personal observation about TikTok and concentration, and closes by restating the opinion almost word for word from the opening sentence.

   I don't think serious films will disappear completely, but they might change in format. Streaming platforms are already making shorter documentary series instead of one long film, breaking serious topics into smaller episodes, which shows there's still interest in depth, just presented differently. Short videos on apps like TikTok have clearly changed what people expect, and I notice my own concentration getting shorter during long films too. But there will probably always be a smaller audience for serious films, just like there still is for long novels. So the format might shrink, but I don't think it disappears completely.

   Why this band

   • FC“So the format might shrink, but I don't think it disappears completely.” — A closing sentence that repeats the opening claim ('I don't think serious films will disappear completely') almost exactly. A 7.0 or 7.5 answer would more likely vary the wording at the end, using a different verb like 'vanishes' or 'morphs' instead of repeating 'disappear completely'.
   • LR“I notice my own concentration getting shorter during long films too” — A plain, literal phrase ('getting shorter'). A higher band would likely use a more vivid verb, such as concentration 'fraying' or 'drifting', which conveys the sense of attention breaking down more precisely.
   • GRA“Streaming platforms are already making shorter documentary series instead of one long film, breaking serious topics into smaller episodes, which shows there's still interest in depth” — A participial phrase ('breaking serious topics into smaller episodes') is already used here, showing some structural ambition, though the final relative clause keeps the sentence fairly linear compared to a 7.5 answer's tighter phrasing.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer varies its closing verb to 'vanishes' instead of repeating 'disappear', and upgrades the plain 'getting shorter' to the more natural 'drifting faster than it used to' for describing concentration.

   I don't think serious films will disappear entirely, but they may need to adapt in format. Streaming platforms are already experimenting with shorter documentary series instead of single long films, breaking serious topics into more digestible episodes, which suggests the appetite for depth is still there, just packaged differently. Short-form video on apps like TikTok has clearly changed expectations, and I notice even my own concentration drifting faster than it used to during long films. Still, there will likely always be a smaller, dedicated audience for serious cinema, the way there still is for long novels. So the format may shrink or shift, but I doubt it vanishes completely.

   Why this band

   • FC“So the format may shrink or shift, but I doubt it vanishes completely.” — The closing sentence uses a different verb ('vanishes') from the opening ('disappear'), avoiding the repetition the 6.5 answer falls into and giving the conclusion a slightly more varied, controlled feel.
   • LR“I notice even my own concentration drifting faster than it used to during long films” — The verb 'drifting' is a more natural, image-based choice than the plain 'getting shorter' a 6.5 answer uses to describe the same declining concentration.
   • GRA“there will likely always be a smaller, dedicated audience for serious cinema, the way there still is for long novels” — The comparison is introduced with 'the way there still is for', a slightly more natural construction than the plainer 'just like there still is for' the 6.5 answer uses for the same comparison.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer uses the vivid verbs 'slicing', 'reshaped' and 'fraying', and the less common closing verb 'morph', avoiding any repeated wording between the opening and closing sentences.

   I don't think serious films will vanish entirely, but they'll likely have to adapt in format. Streaming platforms are already experimenting with shorter documentary series in place of single long features, slicing serious topics into more digestible episodes — a sign the appetite for depth hasn't gone, just been repackaged. Short-form video on apps like TikTok has visibly reshaped expectations, and I notice even my own concentration fraying faster than it used to during long films. Even so, there will probably always be a smaller, dedicated audience for serious cinema, much as there still is for long novels. So the format may shrink or morph, but I doubt it disappears altogether.

   Why this band

   • FC“a sign the appetite for depth hasn't gone, just been repackaged” — A compact appositive phrase that interprets the streaming trend rather than just describing it, giving the point more analytical weight than the plainer 'which shows there's still interest in depth' the 6.5 answer offers.
   • LR“I notice even my own concentration fraying faster than it used to during long films” — The less common verb 'fraying' is more vivid and precise than the plainer 'getting shorter' or 'drifting' the lower bands use to describe the same declining attention.
   • GRA“Streaming platforms are already experimenting with shorter documentary series in place of single long features, slicing serious topics into more digestible episodes” — The participial phrase 'slicing serious topics into...' replaces the fuller 'breaking serious topics into...which shows' construction the lower bands use, a more compact way of packing in the same information.

10. 10. What are the differences between watching movies at home and in a cinema?

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

    Band 6.5

    This answer joins short, plain sentences with 'but' and 'so' to give a direct comparison, a personal example, and a simple final summary, all in everyday vocabulary.

    I think the main difference is the atmosphere. When I watch a film in a cinema, like when I saw Dune with my colleague Thảo at Lotte Cinema in November, the sound and the huge screen really pull you into the story. The pictures look much more impressive, especially during the desert scenes. But it can feel a bit too much, and you cannot pause or talk, which I actually miss sometimes. At home, I usually watch films on my laptop in the living room with a cup of cà phê sữa đá, and I can stop whenever I want if I get a message or want to check my phone. So the cinema feels more exciting, but home is more comfortable and flexible, especially if I am not sure I will like the film.

    Why this band

    • FC“But it can feel a bit too much, and you cannot pause or talk, which I actually miss sometimes.” — This point is added with the plain connector 'But' at the start of a fresh sentence. A band 7 answer would more likely soften this shift with a phrase like 'But it can be a bit overwhelming', integrating a more evaluative word directly into the same clause.
    • LR“The pictures look much more impressive” — 'Pictures' is a general, everyday word for what appears on screen. A higher band answer would likely use the more precise, genre-appropriate term 'visuals', which fits the context of discussing cinema more naturally.
    • GRA“At home, I usually watch films on my laptop in the living room with a cup of cà phê sữa đá, and I can stop whenever I want if I get a message or want to check my phone.” — This long sentence chains several details together with commas and 'and', which is accurate but fairly linear. A 7.5 answer would likely break this into two shorter linked clauses, separating the setting from the flexibility point with a comma-based aside instead of a single long chain.

    Band 7.0

    The opener 'Honestly' and the aside 'I guess' give this answer natural spoken reflection beyond a 6.5 response's flatter statements, while the dash-set aside about watching Dune shows a more flexible way of inserting the personal example.

    Honestly, the main difference for me is the atmosphere. When you go to a cinema — like when I watched Dune with my colleague Thảo at Lotte Cinema last November — the sound and the giant screen just pull you in. The visuals are so much more impressive, especially during those desert scenes. But it can be a bit overwhelming, and you can't really pause or talk, which I actually miss sometimes. At home, I usually watch movies on my laptop in my living room, with a cup of cà phê sữa đá, and I can stop whenever I want if I get a message on Zalo or want to check something. I guess the cinema feels more immersive, but home is definitely more comfortable and flexible, especially if you're not sure you'll like the film.

    Why this band

    • FC“But it can be a bit overwhelming, and you can't really pause or talk, which I actually miss sometimes.” — The precise evaluative word 'overwhelming' captures the feeling more exactly than a 6.5 answer's vaguer 'a bit too much', showing developing control over expressing a nuanced reaction. This more specific word choice is typical of band 7 lexical range.
    • LR“The visuals are so much more impressive” — 'Visuals' is a more precise, genre-appropriate term than the plainer 'pictures' a 6.5 answer would use, fitting naturally with film-related vocabulary. It shows developing lexical precision.
    • GRA“like when I watched Dune with my colleague Thảo at Lotte Cinema last November” — The dash sets off this personal example as an aside directly inside the main sentence, rather than being placed as its own separate clause as a 6.5 answer does. This shows more flexible, embedded sentence-building.

    Band 7.5

    The verbless fronted phrase 'laptop in the living room, cà phê sữa đá in hand' and the vivid verb 'swallowed us whole' give this answer compressed, idiomatic grammar typical of band 7.5.

    Honestly, the main difference for me is the atmosphere — watching Dune with my colleague Thảo at Lotte Cinema last November, the sound and the giant screen just swallowed us whole. The visuals are so much more impressive, especially through those desert scenes. But it can tip into overwhelming, and you can't really pause or talk, which I genuinely miss sometimes. At home, laptop in the living room, cà phê sữa đá in hand, I can stop whenever I like if a Zalo message comes in or something catches my eye. Cinema feels more immersive, I'd say, but home wins on comfort and flexibility, especially when you're not sure you'll even like the film.

    Why this band

    • FC“especially when you're not sure you'll even like the film” — The intensifier 'even' adds a subtle extra layer of emphasis to the closing qualification, sharpening the point about uncertainty. A 6.5 or 7.0 answer would more likely end this same clause without the added 'even', stating the condition more flatly.
    • LR“the sound and the giant screen just swallowed us whole” — 'Swallowed us whole' is a genuinely vivid, idiomatic metaphor for total immersion, far more image-rich than the plainer 'pull you in' a lower band would use. It shows confident, natural figurative language.
    • GRA“At home, laptop in the living room, cà phê sữa đá in hand, I can stop whenever I like” — This fronted, verbless list of details ('laptop in the living room, cà phê sữa đá in hand') replaces a full descriptive clause with a compressed, almost cinematic scene-setting structure. This kind of verbless fronting is characteristic of the grammatical range expected at 7.5.

11. 11. Why do some people like going to the cinema?

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

    Band 6.5

    This answer uses short, plainly connected sentences with 'because' and 'but' to give a direct claim, a personal example, and a simple final concession, in everyday vocabulary.

    I think a lot of people enjoy the cinema because it is a whole experience, not just the movie. For example, last month my colleague Quân invited a group of us to Lotte Cinema at Indochina Riverside Mall to watch a new action film. The excitement started before the film even began, because we bought popcorn, talked about the trailer, and joked about which scenes might make us jump. Honestly, the film itself was not even that great, but sitting in a dark theatre with huge speakers and a massive screen really pulled us into the story. Some people might prefer streaming at home, but I think the atmosphere and the chance to hang out make cinemas popular for a lot of people.

    Why this band

    • FC“The excitement started before the film even began, because we bought popcorn, talked about the trailer, and joked about which scenes might make us jump.” — This sentence lists three actions with the same repeated past-tense verb pattern ('bought', 'talked', 'joked'), joined with commas and 'and'. A band 7 answer would more likely vary this rhythm slightly, replacing one item with a shorter phrase for a punchier list.
    • LR“sitting in a dark theatre with huge speakers and a massive screen really pulled us into the story” — This is fairly literal, descriptive vocabulary. A higher band answer would likely use a more vivid verb for this feeling, describing the theatre as having 'huge speakers and that massive screen', adding the emphatic 'that' for a more natural, spoken tone.
    • GRA“Some people might prefer streaming at home, but I think the atmosphere and the chance to hang out make cinemas popular for a lot of people.” — This closing sentence links a concession and a conclusion with the plain connector 'but'. A 7.5 answer would likely soften the concession with a phrase like 'to be fair', folding it more naturally into the flow of the final judgement.

    Band 7.0

    The dash before the popcorn list and the tag 'To be fair' give this answer more flexible punctuation and natural spoken concession than a 6.5 response's plainer, more mechanical structure.

    I think a lot of people enjoy going to the cinema because it's a whole experience, not just about the movie itself. For example, last month my colleague Quân invited a group of us to the Lotte Cinema at Indochina Riverside Mall to catch a new action film. The excitement started way before the show — we grabbed some popcorn, chatted about the trailer, and joked about which scenes might make us jump. Honestly, the movie wasn't even that great, but sitting in a dark theater with huge speakers and that massive screen really pulled us into the story. To be fair, some folks might prefer streaming at home, but I think the atmosphere and the chance to hang out make cinemas appealing to a lot of people.

    Why this band

    • FC“To be fair, some folks might prefer streaming at home” — The concessive opener 'To be fair' softens this counterpoint naturally within the flow of the argument, rather than joining it with the plain connector 'but' as a 6.5 answer does. This kind of natural hedging is typical of band 7 fluency.
    • LR“with huge speakers and that massive screen” — The demonstrative 'that' before 'massive screen' gives the phrase a more natural, spoken, almost shared-experience feel than the plainer 'a massive screen' a 6.5 answer uses. It's a small but genuine marker of natural conversational register.
    • GRA“The excitement started way before the show — we grabbed some popcorn, chatted about the trailer, and joked about which scenes might make us jump.” — The dash launches directly into the list of actions rather than using the fuller connector 'because' a 6.5 answer relies on. This shows a more flexible, punctuation-based way of attaching supporting detail to the main claim.

    Band 7.5

    The verbless participle list 'grabbing popcorn, dissecting the trailer, joking about which scenes' replaces a fuller past-tense chain, and the vivid verb 'roped... into' gives this answer compact, idiomatic phrasing typical of band 7.5.

    A lot of people enjoy the cinema, I'd say, because it's a whole experience, not just the movie itself. Last month, for instance, my colleague Quân roped a group of us into the Lotte Cinema at Indochina Riverside Mall for a new action film. The excitement started way before the show — grabbing popcorn, dissecting the trailer, joking about which scenes might make us jump. Honestly, the movie itself wasn't even that great, but sitting in a dark theatre with huge speakers and that massive screen dragged us straight into the story. To be fair, some folks would rather stream at home, but the atmosphere and the excuse to hang out seem to make cinemas appealing to plenty of people.

    Why this band

    • LR“my colleague Quân roped a group of us into the Lotte Cinema” — 'Roped us into' is a genuinely idiomatic phrasal verb for persuading someone into an activity, more vivid and natural than the plainer 'invited a group of us' a lower band would use. It suggests a light-hearted sense of being drawn along.
    • GRA“grabbing popcorn, dissecting the trailer, joking about which scenes might make us jump” — This list drops the repeated subject and past-tense verb structure, using three parallel gerund phrases instead. A 6.5 or 7.0 answer would more likely keep the fuller 'we grabbed... we chatted... we joked' pattern rather than this more compressed, verbless list.
    • FC“sitting in a dark theatre with huge speakers and that massive screen dragged us straight into the story” — The verb 'dragged' is more forceful and vivid than the plainer 'pulled' a lower band would use, suggesting an almost irresistible pull into the story. This kind of precise, evaluative verb choice shows genuine coherence in how the sentence builds toward its point.

12. 12. Why do some people think watching movies is a waste of time?

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

    Band 6.5

    This answer connects ideas with plain connectors like 'because' and 'but' in short, separate sentences, giving a direct claim, a personal example, and a simple final reflection, in everyday vocabulary.

    I think some people see watching movies as a waste of time because they feel it does not add much practical value, especially if the film is not educational. For example, last year my friend Minh made me watch a romantic comedy on Netflix with him one lazy Sunday afternoon. Honestly, the plot was very predictable, and I caught myself checking my phone halfway through. Minh later admitted he just wanted something light, but for me, it felt like those two hours disappeared without anything meaningful to show for it. I think it really depends on what someone is looking for, because sometimes people just want to relax, while others want to learn something.

    Why this band

    • FC“Honestly, the plot was very predictable, and I caught myself checking my phone halfway through.” — This sentence uses the basic intensifier 'very' before the adjective 'predictable'. A band 7 answer would more likely choose a stronger, single word for the same idea, describing the plot as 'incredibly predictable', giving the criticism more natural emphasis.
    • LR“it felt like those two hours disappeared without anything meaningful to show for it” — This is clear but fairly plain phrasing. A higher band answer would likely tighten this into a more compact, idiomatic phrase, such as saying the two hours 'just disappeared' rather than the fuller, slightly repetitive version here.
    • GRA“I think it really depends on what someone is looking for, because sometimes people just want to relax, while others want to learn something.” — This sentence joins a general claim to its explanation with 'because' and then contrasts two groups with 'while', which is accurate but fairly linear. A 7.5 answer would likely use a dash instead of 'because', creating a punchier connection between the claim and its explanation.

    Band 7.0

    The intensifier 'incredibly' before 'predictable' shows a stronger, more natural evaluative choice than a 6.5 answer's plainer 'very', while the closing tag 'That being said' adds natural spoken concession.

    I think some people see watching movies as a waste of time because they feel it doesn't add much practical value, especially if the film isn't educational or thought-provoking. For example, last year my friend Minh insisted we watch a romantic comedy on Netflix one lazy Sunday afternoon. Honestly, the plot was incredibly predictable and I caught myself checking my phone halfway through. Minh later admitted he just wanted something light, but for me, it felt like those two hours just disappeared without anything meaningful to show for it. That being said, I think it really depends on what someone is looking for — sometimes, people just want to relax, while others want to learn or be inspired by what they watch.

    Why this band

    • FC“That being said, I think it really depends on what someone is looking for” — The concessive phrase 'That being said' introduces the final nuance more naturally than the plainer 'because' a 6.5 answer uses to link the same idea, giving the closing reflection a more considered, spoken quality.
    • LR“it felt like those two hours just disappeared” — Dropping the fuller phrase 'without anything meaningful to show for it' in favour of the more compact 'just disappeared' gives a punchier, more idiomatic feel, though the fuller idea is still present later. This shows a slightly more economical way of expressing frustration.
    • GRA“Honestly, the plot was incredibly predictable and I caught myself checking my phone halfway through.” — This sentence drops the comma before 'and', joining the two clauses more tightly than the 6.5 answer's version, which shows a slightly more fluent, less mechanically punctuated style. It is not yet as compressed as a 7.5 answer's dash-based structures.

    Band 7.5

    The vivid verb 'evaporated' and the phrasal expression 'write movies off' give this answer precise, idiomatic vocabulary, while the dash and colon replace fuller connectors for the compressed grammar typical of band 7.5.

    I think some people write movies off as a waste of time because they feel it adds little practical value, especially when the film isn't educational or thought-provoking. Last year, for instance, my friend Minh insisted we watch a romantic comedy on Netflix one lazy Sunday afternoon — the plot was so predictable I caught myself checking my phone halfway through. Minh later admitted he'd just wanted something light, but for me those two hours simply evaporated without anything meaningful to show for them. That said, I think it really depends on what someone's after: sometimes people just want to unwind, while others want to learn or be inspired by what they watch.

    Why this band

    • LR“I think some people write movies off as a waste of time” — 'Write movies off' is a genuinely idiomatic phrasal verb for dismissing something as worthless, more natural and precise than the plainer 'see watching movies as a waste of time' a lower band would use. It gives the opening a more native-like texture.
    • GRA“the plot was so predictable I caught myself checking my phone halfway through” — This clause drops the connecting word 'and' that a 6.5 or 7.0 answer would use, instead linking cause and effect directly through 'so... [that]', with the 'that' itself dropped for extra economy. This kind of compressed result-clause structure is characteristic of the grammar expected at 7.5.
    • FC“for me those two hours simply evaporated without anything meaningful to show for them” — 'Evaporated' is a genuinely vivid, figurative verb for time passing unproductively, more precise and image-rich than the plainer 'disappeared' a lower band would use. It reflects confident, natural figurative language.

13. 13. What kinds of movies are the most popular in your country?

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

    Band 6.5

    This answer uses short, plainly connected sentences with 'and' and 'but' to give a direct claim, a personal example, and a simple final contrast, in everyday vocabulary.

    I think action films are still the most popular here, especially the big-budget ones with lots of special effects. Every time a new Fast & Furious or Marvel film comes out, you can see huge crowds at Lotte Cinema or CGV in Vincom Da Nang. For example, last summer my friend Phuong got a group of us tickets for the opening night of the latest Mission Impossible. The theatre was completely full, and people were cheering during the chase scenes. Honestly, even people who usually prefer dramas or comedies seem to go along just for the spectacle. Romantic comedies also have a steady following, but they do not really create the same excitement as these big action films.

    Why this band

    • FC“The theatre was completely full, and people were cheering during the chase scenes.” — This sentence joins two facts with the plain connector 'and'. A band 7 answer would more likely open with the more vivid, active verb phrase 'The theatre was packed', giving the description a punchier, more natural spoken feel.
    • LR“even people who usually prefer dramas or comedies seem to go along just for the spectacle” — This is clear but fairly plain phrasing. A higher band answer would likely tighten 'go along just for' into the more natural, compact 'go along for', removing the slightly redundant 'just'.
    • GRA“Romantic comedies also have a steady following, but they do not really create the same excitement as these big action films.” — This sentence joins a concession and a contrast with the plain connector 'but'. A 7.5 answer would likely open this same idea with 'That being said', folding the concession more naturally into the flow of the final comparison.

    Band 7.0

    The verb phrase 'was packed' and the tag 'That being said' give this answer more vivid, natural phrasing and spoken concession than a 6.5 answer's plainer 'was completely full' and bare 'but'.

    I think action films are still the most popular here, especially the big-budget ones with lots of special effects. Every time a new Fast & Furious or Marvel movie comes out, you can see huge crowds at Lotte Cinema or CGV in Vincom Da Nang. For example, last summer, my friend Phuong convinced a group of us to get tickets for the opening night of the latest Mission Impossible. The theatre was packed, and people were cheering during the chase scenes. Honestly, even people who usually prefer dramas or comedies seem to go along for the spectacle. That being said, romantic comedies also have a steady following, but they don't really create the same excitement or buzz as these major action blockbusters.

    Why this band

    • LR“The theatre was packed, and people were cheering during the chase scenes.” — 'Packed' is a more vivid, compact adjective than the fuller 'completely full' a 6.5 answer would use, conveying the same idea with a single, more natural word. This shows developing lexical economy.
    • FC“That being said, romantic comedies also have a steady following” — The concessive opener 'That being said' introduces the final contrast more naturally than joining it with the plain connector 'but' as a 6.5 answer does, giving the closing point a more considered, spoken quality.
    • GRA“they don't really create the same excitement or buzz as these major action blockbusters” — Adding 'or buzz' alongside 'excitement' extends the description with a slightly more idiomatic word for popular attention, and 'major action blockbusters' is more specific than the plainer 'big action films' a 6.5 answer uses. This shows more developed noun-phrase structure.

    Band 7.5

    The idiomatic opener 'Action films are still king here' and the dash-set fragment 'people cheering through every chase scene' show the compressed, vivid phrasing typical of band 7.5.

    Action films are still king here, I'd say, especially the big-budget ones loaded with special effects. Every time a new Fast & Furious or Marvel movie lands, you'll see huge crowds queueing at Lotte Cinema or CGV in Vincom Da Nang. Last summer, for instance, my friend Phuong talked a group of us into tickets for the opening night of the latest Mission Impossible — the theatre was packed, people cheering through every chase scene. Even people who usually gravitate toward dramas or comedies seem to turn up for the spectacle. That said, romantic comedies still hold a steady following, but they never quite generate the same buzz as these major action blockbusters.

    Why this band

    • LR“Action films are still king here, I'd say” — Calling action films 'king' is a genuinely idiomatic, figurative way of claiming dominance, more vivid and confident than the plainer 'still the most popular' a lower band would use. It sets a natural, opinionated tone from the very first sentence.
    • GRA“the theatre was packed, people cheering through every chase scene” — This clause drops the connecting 'and' plus the verb 'were', pairing two observations with just a comma, a more compressed structure than a 6.5 or 7.0 answer's fuller 'and people were cheering'. This kind of verbless participial addition is characteristic of the grammar expected at 7.5.
    • FC“they never quite generate the same buzz as these major action blockbusters” — The phrase 'never quite generate' adds a subtle, confident nuance beyond a flatter 'don't create', suggesting a persistent, almost inherent gap rather than a simple absence. This is the kind of precise, evaluative phrasing that ties the whole comparison together coherently.

14. 14. Why are some movies much longer than others?

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

    Band 6.5

    This answer uses short, plainly connected sentences with 'because' and 'but' to present a direct claim, a personal example, and a simple final contrast, in everyday vocabulary.

    I think some films end up much longer than others mainly because the filmmakers want to tell a more complex story or explore several characters deeply. For example, last year I went to see an epic historical drama with my friend Phương at Lotte Cinema, and the film lasted almost three hours. It followed several different families over decades, so there were a lot of storylines to follow. Honestly, about halfway through, I started losing focus, because some scenes felt stretched out just to build atmosphere. I guess for some people that makes the experience richer, but for me it felt a bit exhausting. Comedies or thrillers, on the other hand, tend to be much tighter, because they usually stick to one main plot.

    Why this band

    • FC“Honestly, about halfway through, I started losing focus, because some scenes felt stretched out just to build atmosphere.” — This point is stated in a fairly plain sentence using the basic connector 'because'. A band 7 answer would more likely phrase the cause with a more precise verb, describing scenes as 'stretched out' but linking it more efficiently with 'since', avoiding the slightly heavier 'because some scenes felt'.
    • LR“It followed several different families over decades, so there were a lot of storylines to follow.” — This sentence repeats the verb 'follow' in two different forms close together ('followed', 'to follow'), which is a little repetitive. A higher band answer would likely vary this, using a different verb such as 'juggle' for the second instance to avoid the repetition.
    • GRA“I guess for some people that makes the experience richer, but for me it felt a bit exhausting.” — This sentence contrasts two reactions with the plain connector 'but', using fairly simple adjectives ('richer', 'exhausting'). A 7.5 answer would likely keep this same contrast but tighten the framing, removing 'I guess' in favour of a more confident 'for some, that makes the experience richer'.

    Band 7.0

    The varied verb 'juggle' replaces a repeated 'follow', showing more range than a 6.5 answer, while the connector 'since' links cause and effect more smoothly than the fuller 'because' a lower band relies on.

    I think some movies end up much longer than others mainly because the filmmakers want to tell a more complex story or explore multiple characters in depth. For example, last year I went to see an epic historical drama with my friend Phương at Lotte Cinema, and the film lasted almost three hours. It followed several different families over decades, so there were a lot of storylines to juggle. Honestly, about halfway through, I started losing focus since some scenes felt stretched out just to build atmosphere. I guess for some people, that makes the experience richer, but for me, it felt a bit exhausting. In contrast, comedies or thrillers tend to be much tighter, since they usually stick to one main plot.

    Why this band

    • LR“so there were a lot of storylines to juggle” — 'Juggle' is a more vivid, figurative verb than the repeated, plainer 'follow' a 6.5 answer uses twice in the same sentence, avoiding that repetition while adding a sense of the film's difficulty in managing several plots at once.
    • FC“In contrast, comedies or thrillers tend to be much tighter, since they usually stick to one main plot.” — The opener 'In contrast' signals the final comparison more precisely than the plainer 'on the other hand' a 6.5 answer uses, and 'since' links the reason more smoothly than 'because'. This shows a more natural, varied set of connecting devices.
    • GRA“Honestly, about halfway through, I started losing focus since some scenes felt stretched out just to build atmosphere.” — This sentence uses 'since' instead of the heavier 'because' a 6.5 answer uses, giving the clause a lighter, more natural connective flow. It shows a small but genuine step toward the more flexible connectors typical of band 7.

    Band 7.5

    The participial phrase 'following several families across decades' compresses a full clause, and the semicolon in 'that richness is the whole appeal; for me it tipped into exhausting' shows the tight, parallel contrast typical of band 7.5.

    Some movies end up much longer than others mainly because filmmakers want to tell a more complex story or explore multiple characters in depth. Last year, for instance, I saw a nearly three-hour epic historical drama with my friend Phương at Lotte Cinema, following several families across decades, with a lot of storylines to juggle. Honestly, about halfway through, I started losing focus, since some scenes felt stretched out purely to build atmosphere. For some, I imagine, that richness is the whole appeal; for me it tipped into exhausting. Comedies and thrillers, by contrast, tend to stay much tighter, since they usually stick to one main plot.

    Why this band

    • GRA“For some, I imagine, that richness is the whole appeal; for me it tipped into exhausting.” — The semicolon joins two directly contrasted personal reactions into one compact sentence without a connecting word like 'but', relying on the parallel structure alone. This kind of connector-free, punctuation-based contrast is characteristic of the grammatical range expected at 7.5.
    • LR“for me it tipped into exhausting” — 'Tipped into' is a genuinely more precise, figurative phrase than the plainer 'felt a bit exhausting' a lower band would use, suggesting a gradual shift past a threshold rather than a simple static feeling. It reflects confident, natural figurative language.
    • FC“following several families across decades, with a lot of storylines to juggle” — This participial phrase attaches directly to the previous clause without a separate connecting word like 'and it followed', compressing what a lower band would express as its own full sentence. This kind of participial attachment shows the coherent, flowing structure typical of the top band.

15. 15. Are movies more likely to help people become more creative than books?

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

    Band 6.5

    This answer uses short, plain sentences joined with 'but' and 'so' to give a balanced opinion, a personal example, and a simple final contrast, in everyday vocabulary.

    I would say movies can spark creativity, but honestly I still find books a bit more effective overall. With a book, your mind has to imagine every detail, which exercises your creativity more directly. That said, films definitely have their moments. For example, I remember watching an experimental short film at a small indie screening near the Han River with my friend Vy a few months ago. The visuals were very abstract, with almost no dialogue, just colours and shapes moving on the screen. I left with several new ideas for app layouts that I would never have thought of from a novel. Still, I think movies do a lot of the visual work for you, so you are less likely to come up with your own unique ideas compared to when you read.

    Why this band

    • FC“The visuals were very abstract, with almost no dialogue, just colours and shapes moving on the screen.” — This sentence uses the basic intensifier 'very' before 'abstract'. A band 7 answer would more likely use a stronger, more natural intensifying phrase, describing the visuals as 'super abstract', which sounds more like genuine spoken emphasis.
    • LR“I left with several new ideas for app layouts that I would never have thought of from a novel” — This is clear but fairly plain phrasing. A higher band answer would likely use a more compact, idiomatic phrase for the quantity of ideas, such as describing them as 'a bunch of new ideas', which sounds more natural in spoken English.
    • GRA“Still, I think movies do a lot of the visual work for you, so you are less likely to come up with your own unique ideas compared to when you read.” — This closing sentence links a claim and its consequence with the plain connector 'so'. A 7.5 answer would likely tighten this into a more compact comparative structure, removing 'compared to when you read' in favour of a shorter, more economical phrase.

    Band 7.0

    The phrase 'your creativity muscle' adds a natural, idiomatic touch beyond a 6.5 answer's plainer version, and the dash before the visuals description shows more flexible punctuation.

    I'd say movies can spark creativity, but honestly, I still find books a bit more effective overall. With a book, your mind has to imagine every detail, which kind of exercises your creativity muscle more directly. That said, films definitely have their moments. For example, I remember watching an experimental short film at a small indie screening near the Han River with my friend Vy a few months ago. The visuals were super abstract — there was almost no dialogue, just colours and shapes shifting on the screen. I left with a bunch of new ideas for app layouts that I never would've thought of from a novel. Still, I think movies do a lot of the visual work for you, so you're less likely to come up with your own unique interpretations compared to when you read.

    Why this band

    • LR“which kind of exercises your creativity muscle more directly” — 'Your creativity muscle' is a moderately idiomatic metaphor treating creativity as something physical that can be exercised, more vivid than the plainer 'exercises your creativity more directly' a 6.5 answer uses. It shows developing figurative range.
    • FC“The visuals were super abstract — there was almost no dialogue, just colours and shapes shifting on the screen.” — The dash launches directly into the supporting detail rather than joining it with 'with' as a 6.5 answer does, and 'super abstract' sounds more like natural spoken emphasis than the plainer 'very abstract'. This shows more fluent, natural discourse management.
    • GRA“I left with a bunch of new ideas for app layouts that I never would've thought of from a novel” — 'A bunch of' is a more natural, idiomatic quantifier than the plainer 'several' a 6.5 answer would use, giving the sentence a more conversational register. This shows a modest step toward more natural spoken phrasing.

    Band 7.5

    The compressed clause 'visuals so abstract there was almost no dialogue' drops connecting words for a punchier rhythm, and the verb 'stumbled on' gives this answer natural, idiomatic precision typical of band 7.5.

    Movies can spark creativity, I'd say, but honestly I still find books the more effective muscle-builder overall. With a book, your mind has to conjure every detail itself, which exercises creativity far more directly than a screen ever could. That said, films have their moments. I remember, for instance, catching an experimental short film at a small indie screening near the Han River with my friend Vy a few months back — visuals so abstract there was almost no dialogue, just colours and shapes shifting across the screen. I walked away with a bunch of new ideas for app layouts I'd never have stumbled on from a novel. Still, movies do a lot of the visual work for you, so you're less likely to arrive at your own unique interpretations the way reading forces you to.

    Why this band

    • LR“your mind has to conjure every detail itself, which exercises creativity far more directly than a screen ever could” — 'Conjure' is a genuinely more vivid, less common verb than the plainer 'imagine' a lower band would use, and the intensifying phrase 'ever could' adds emphatic confidence to the comparison. Together they show precise, evaluative lexical choice.
    • GRA“visuals so abstract there was almost no dialogue, just colours and shapes shifting across the screen” — This clause drops the connecting word 'that' after 'so abstract', linking cause and result directly, and continues with a bare appositive list rather than a separate sentence. This kind of compressed result-clause structure is characteristic of the grammar expected at 7.5.
    • FC“I walked away with a bunch of new ideas for app layouts I'd never have stumbled on from a novel” — This sentence flows directly from the previous description without restating the setting, showing tight, economical progression from example to consequence. This kind of seamless idea-to-idea movement is characteristic of the coherence expected at the top band.

16. 16. Can movies help people better understand the cultural background of a country?

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

    Band 6.5

    This answer uses short, plainly connected sentences with 'but' and 'so' to give a direct opinion, a specific film example, and a simple final concession, in everyday vocabulary.

    Yes, I think movies can really open a window into a country's culture, but it depends on the film. For example, last autumn I watched a historical drama called Song Lang with my friend Nam at his apartment. It is about cải lương, which is a traditional Southern Vietnamese opera, and honestly I did not know much about that art form before. The film showed not just the music and costumes, but also the social atmosphere of Saigon in the 1980s, like street food stalls and family rituals. Even though I did not love the slow plot, I came away understanding more about regional traditions and values that I do not experience in daily life in Da Nang. Of course, some movies can be exaggerated or stereotypical, so they are not a replacement for real experience, but they can definitely widen your view.

    Why this band

    • FC“The film showed not just the music and costumes, but also the social atmosphere of Saigon in the 1980s, like street food stalls and family rituals.” — This sentence uses the fairly plain paired structure 'not just... but also...' with a general list introduced by 'like'. A band 7 answer would more likely add small, specific detail words such as 'little things like street food stalls', making the same list feel more vivid and observed.
    • LR“I came away understanding more about regional traditions and values” — 'Regional traditions and values' is fairly general, abstract vocabulary. A higher band answer would likely pair this with a more concrete framing, such as contrasting it directly with 'daily life in Da Nang', to make the abstraction feel more grounded and specific.
    • GRA“Of course, some movies can be exaggerated or stereotypical, so they are not a replacement for real experience, but they can definitely widen your view.” — This closing sentence chains three ideas together with 'so' and 'but', which is accurate but somewhat linear. A 7.5 answer would likely break this into two shorter, sharper sentences, giving the final concession and the final claim more individual weight.

    Band 7.0

    The dash before 'little things like street food stalls' adds a more vivid, specific list than a 6.5 answer's plainer version, and 'broaden your perspective' is a more natural closing phrase than 'widen your view'.

    Yes, I do think movies can really open a window into a country's culture, but it depends on the film. For example, last autumn I watched a historical drama called Song Lang with my friend Nam at his apartment. It centers on cải lương, which is a traditional Southern Vietnamese opera, and honestly, I didn't know much about that art form before. The film showed not just the music and costumes but also the social atmosphere of Saigon in the 1980s — little things like street food stalls and family rituals. Even though I didn't love the slow plot, I came away understanding more about regional traditions and values that I don't encounter in daily life in Da Nang. Of course, some movies can be exaggerated or stereotypical, so they're not a substitute for real experience, but they can definitely broaden your perspective.

    Why this band

    • FC“little things like street food stalls and family rituals” — Adding the framing phrase 'little things' before the list makes the observation feel more specific and personally noticed, rather than a general statement as in a 6.5 answer's plainer version. This shows a more evaluative, precise way of presenting detail.
    • LR“they can definitely broaden your perspective” — 'Broaden your perspective' is a more natural, idiomatic closing collocation than the plainer 'widen your view' a 6.5 answer uses, sounding more like an authentic spoken conclusion. It shows developing lexical precision.
    • GRA“that I don't encounter in daily life in Da Nang” — 'Encounter' is a slightly more precise verb than the plainer 'experience' a 6.5 answer uses in the same position, fitting more naturally with describing an absence of something in everyday life. This is a small but genuine step toward more careful grammar and word pairing.

    Band 7.5

    The participial phrase 'centred on cải lương' compresses a relative clause, and the dash-set list 'street food stalls, family rituals, the small rhythms of daily life' shows the compact, evaluative grammar typical of band 7.5.

    Yes, movies can genuinely open a window into a country's culture, though it depends on the film. Last autumn, for instance, I watched a historical drama called Song Lang with my friend Nam at his apartment, centred on cải lương, a traditional Southern Vietnamese opera I honestly knew very little about beforehand. The film captured not just the music and costumes but the whole social texture of 1980s Saigon — street food stalls, family rituals, the small rhythms of daily life. Even though the slow plot didn't fully grip me, I came away understanding regional traditions and values I simply don't encounter in daily life in Da Nang. Some movies do lean on exaggeration or stereotype, of course, so they're no substitute for real experience, but done well, they can genuinely broaden your perspective.

    Why this band

    • LR“The film captured not just the music and costumes but the whole social texture of 1980s Saigon” — 'Social texture' is a genuinely more abstract, precise phrase than the plainer 'social atmosphere' a lower band would use, treating culture almost as something with a tangible, woven quality. It reflects wide, precise lexical resource.
    • GRA“centred on cải lương, a traditional Southern Vietnamese opera I honestly knew very little about beforehand” — This participial phrase attaches directly to the previous clause without a separate connecting verb like 'It centers on', compressing what a lower band would express as its own full sentence. This kind of participial compression is characteristic of the grammatical range expected at 7.5.
    • FC“but done well, they can genuinely broaden your perspective” — The compact conditional fragment 'done well' replaces a fuller clause like 'when they are done well', tightening the final concession before the closing claim. This kind of economical, confident closing structure ties the whole answer together with genuine coherence.

17. 17. Are movies a good way to learn about other cultures?

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

    Band 6.5

    This answer joins short, plain sentences with 'but' and 'so' to give a direct claim, a personal example, and a simple final concession, in everyday vocabulary.

    Yes, I think movies can be a very good way to learn about different cultures, especially when they are made by people who actually live in those places. For example, earlier this year I watched a Swedish film called Sami Blood at a small film festival at the Da Nang Fine Arts Museum. It was about an Indigenous girl growing up in northern Sweden, and honestly I learned more about that community's struggles and traditions from two hours of film than from any article I had read before. Of course, some films do rely on stereotypes, so you have to be a little bit careful, but when they are done well, films can definitely open your eyes to new perspectives.

    Why this band

    • FC“I think movies can be a very good way to learn about different cultures” — The intensifier 'very good' is common, simple phrasing. A band 7 answer would more likely rephrase this as 'a really effective way', choosing a more specific adjective that sounds more like natural spoken emphasis.
    • LR“I learned more about that community's struggles and traditions from two hours of film than from any article I had read before” — This is clear but fairly plain comparative phrasing. A higher band answer would likely tighten this comparison slightly, dropping 'I had read' in favour of the more natural, compact 'I'd read', matching how the idea would actually be spoken.
    • GRA“Of course, some films do rely on stereotypes, so you have to be a little bit careful, but when they are done well, films can definitely open your eyes to new perspectives.” — This long closing sentence chains three ideas with 'so' and 'but', which is accurate but somewhat linear. A 7.5 answer would likely split this into two sentences, giving the concession and the final claim more individual emphasis.

    Band 7.0

    The phrase 'really effective way' shows a more precise, natural intensifying choice than a 6.5 answer's 'very good way', and the contraction 'I'd read' sounds more like natural spoken comparison.

    Yes, I think movies can be a really effective way to learn about different cultures, especially when they're made by people who actually live in those places. For example, earlier this year I watched a Swedish film called Sami Blood at a small film festival held at the Da Nang Fine Arts Museum. It was about an Indigenous girl growing up in northern Sweden, and honestly, I learned more about that community's struggles and traditions from two hours of film than from any article I'd read before. Of course, some movies do rely on stereotypes, so you have to be a bit critical, but when they're done well, films can definitely open your eyes to new perspectives.

    Why this band

    • LR“I think movies can be a really effective way to learn about different cultures” — 'Really effective' is a more precise, natural-sounding intensifying pair than the more generic 'very good' a 6.5 answer would use, sounding closer to genuine spoken evaluation. This shows developing lexical precision.
    • FC“than from any article I'd read before” — The contraction 'I'd read' rather than the fuller 'I had read' a 6.5 answer uses reflects more natural spoken rhythm, sounding less formally written and more like authentic speech. This is the kind of small, consistent contraction use associated with fluent spoken English.
    • GRA“so you have to be a bit critical, but when they're done well, films can definitely open your eyes to new perspectives” — Choosing 'critical' instead of the fuller, vaguer 'careful' a 6.5 answer uses gives the caution a sharper, more precise meaning specific to media literacy. This small lexical shift also supports a slightly tighter grammatical link between the concession and the final claim.

    Band 7.5

    The compressed appositive 'about an Indigenous girl growing up in northern Sweden' attaches without a separate clause, and the closing phrase 'perspectives you'd never otherwise encounter' shows the evaluative, compact grammar typical of band 7.5.

    Yes, movies can be a genuinely effective way to learn about other cultures, especially when they're made by people who actually live in those places. Earlier this year, for instance, I caught a Swedish film called Sami Blood at a small festival held at the Da Nang Fine Arts Museum, about an Indigenous girl growing up in northern Sweden — and honestly, I learned more about that community's struggles and traditions from two hours of film than from any article I'd ever read. Some movies do lean on stereotypes, of course, so a bit of critical distance helps, but done well, films can genuinely open your eyes to perspectives you'd never otherwise encounter.

    Why this band

    • LR“so a bit of critical distance helps” — 'Critical distance' is a genuinely more precise, almost academic phrase than the plainer 'be a bit critical' a lower band would use, naming the exact mental stance needed rather than a general attitude. It shows confident, precise lexical resource.
    • GRA“about an Indigenous girl growing up in northern Sweden — and honestly, I learned more about that community's struggles and traditions from two hours of film than from any article I'd ever read” — This appositive phrase attaches directly to the film title without a separate 'It was about' clause, and the dash then launches straight into the reflection. This kind of compressed apposition plus punctuation-based continuation is characteristic of the grammar expected at 7.5.
    • FC“but done well, films can genuinely open your eyes to perspectives you'd never otherwise encounter” — The trailing relative clause 'you'd never otherwise encounter' extends the closing claim with an extra, evaluative layer, rounding off the whole answer on a more considered note. A 6.5 or 7.0 answer would more likely stop at 'open your eyes to new perspectives' without this additional reflective extension.

18. 18. Do people’s movie preferences change as they get older?

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

    Band 6.5

    This answer uses short, plainly connected sentences with 'but' and 'and' to give a direct opinion, a personal comparison, and a simple final acknowledgment of exceptions, in everyday vocabulary.

    Yes, I do think people's taste in movies changes as they get older. For example, when I was at university in Hanoi, I used to love watching action-packed superhero films with my friends, things like the Avengers, just for the excitement and the visual effects. These days, though, I find myself getting bored halfway through those kinds of movies. Now, I am much more interested in films that explore real-life stories or complicated relationships. I remember watching a quiet family drama on Netflix last month, and it moved at a slower pace, but I actually enjoyed how it made me reflect on my own relationships. Maybe as people experience more in life, they want to see that reflected in what they watch. Still, everyone is different, and some of my friends are still huge Marvel fans.

    Why this band

    • FC“These days, though, I find myself getting bored halfway through those kinds of movies.” — This transitional sentence uses the fairly plain connector phrase 'These days, though'. A band 7 answer would more likely open with the more natural spoken contrast 'These days, though, I find myself...', matching authentic conversational rhythm even more closely with a slight pause built in.
    • LR“Now, I am much more interested in films that explore real-life stories or complicated relationships.” — This is clear but fairly plain phrasing. A higher band answer would likely use a more vivid verb than 'interested in', describing the shift as being 'much more into' such films, which sounds more like natural, informal spoken register.
    • GRA“I remember watching a quiet family drama on Netflix last month, and it moved at a slower pace, but I actually enjoyed how it made me reflect on my own relationships.” — This long sentence chains three clauses together with 'and' and 'but', which is accurate but somewhat linear. A 7.5 answer would likely break the middle clause off with a dash, creating a punchier aside rather than a fully joined clause.

    Band 7.0

    The phrase 'much more into' shows a more natural, informal register than a 6.5 answer's 'much more interested in', and the dash-set aside about the Avengers gives this answer more flexible structure.

    Yeah, I do think people's taste in movies shifts as they get older. For example, when I was in university in Hanoi, I used to love watching action-packed superhero films with my friends — stuff like the Avengers — just for the excitement and visual effects. These days, though, I find myself getting bored halfway through those kinds of movies. Now, I'm much more into films that dive into real-life stories or explore complicated relationships. I remember catching this quiet family drama on Netflix last month — it moved at a slower pace, but I actually enjoyed how it made me reflect on my own relationships. Maybe as people experience more in life, they want to see that reflected in what they watch. Still, everyone's different — some of my friends are still die-hard Marvel fans.

    Why this band

    • LR“Now, I'm much more into films that dive into real-life stories or explore complicated relationships.” — 'Much more into' is a more natural, informal collocation than the plainer 'much more interested in' a 6.5 answer uses, matching authentic spoken register. It shows developing lexical naturalness.
    • FC“I used to love watching action-packed superhero films with my friends — stuff like the Avengers — just for the excitement and visual effects” — The dash-set aside 'stuff like the Avengers' is inserted directly into the sentence, rather than as a separately joined clause as in a 6.5 answer's version. This shows a more flexible, natural way of adding a quick example mid-sentence.
    • GRA“some of my friends are still die-hard Marvel fans” — 'Die-hard' is a moderately idiomatic intensifying adjective for describing committed fans, more vivid than the plainer 'huge' a 6.5 answer would use. It shows a modest step toward more natural, idiomatic phrasing.

    Band 7.5

    The parallel structure 'the more life you've lived, the more you want to see it reflected back at you' and the vivid phrase 'wired differently' give this answer compact, idiomatic grammar typical of band 7.5.

    Yeah, I do think people's taste in movies shifts as they get older. When I was at university in Hanoi, for instance, I used to love action-packed superhero films with my friends — stuff like the Avengers — purely for the excitement and the visual effects. These days, though, I find myself losing interest halfway through those kinds of movies. I'm much more drawn now to films that dig into real-life stories or tangled relationships. I remember catching a quiet family drama on Netflix last month — slower-paced, but it genuinely got me reflecting on my own relationships. Maybe the more life you've lived, the more you want to see it reflected back at you. Still, everyone's wired differently — some of my friends remain die-hard Marvel fans to this day.

    Why this band

    • GRA“Maybe the more life you've lived, the more you want to see it reflected back at you.” — This 'the more... the more...' correlative structure compresses a cause-and-effect relationship into one tight, parallel sentence, rather than the fuller 'Maybe as people experience more in life, they want to see that reflected' a lower band would use. This kind of correlative construction is characteristic of the grammatical range expected at 7.5.
    • LR“some of my friends remain die-hard Marvel fans to this day” — The phrase 'to this day' adds a genuinely idiomatic sense of enduring continuity beyond the plainer 'are still' a lower band would use, giving the closing observation a slightly more vivid, natural finish. It reflects confident, precise lexical choice.
    • FC“slower-paced, but it genuinely got me reflecting on my own relationships” — Dropping the subject and verb from 'it moved at a slower pace' to the compact 'slower-paced' shows tighter, more confident sentence-building, letting the description flow directly into the reflection that follows. This kind of seamless compression supports the coherent, well-paced feel of the whole closing section.