How long should my answer to this Part 2 cue card be?

Speak for 1 to 2 minutes. The examiner will stop you at 2 minutes, so aim for roughly 220-300 words that cover every bullet on the card and end with how you feel about it.

What Part 3 questions follow this cue card?

After "A Person Who You Think Is Good at Planning Things", examiners have asked 9 follow-up discussion questions, listed above. They move from your personal story to general opinions on the same theme.

Is this cue card still being used?

It was most recently reported by test-takers in May–Aug 2026. Cue cards rotate every four months, and many topics return in later seasons with slightly different wording.

IELTS Speaking Part 2

A Person Who You Think Is Good at Planning Things

Most recently asked in May–Aug 2026

The cue card

Describe a person who you think is good at planning things (e.g. trips, weddings)

You should say:

How you know this person
What kinds of things this person plans
What this person does to plan things
And explain why you think this person is good at planning things

Sample answers: Band 6.5, 7.0 & 7.5

Three versions of the same answer, each written to sit genuinely at that band — compare them to see exactly what separates the scores.

Band 6.5

The 6.5 answer explains Trang's method in simple, direct steps ('She makes a checklist on her phone for everything') and gives one clear example (the backup restaurant), typical of the plain, accurate style of Band 6.5.

The person I think is good at planning is my colleague Trang, who works in the same studio as me. I have known her for about three years, since we both joined the company around the same time.

Trang mainly plans our team trips and small office events, like birthday parties and year-end parties. Last year, she planned a two-day weekend trip to Hoi An for our whole team, about fifteen people.

What she does is quite simple but very organized. She makes a checklist on her phone for everything, from transport and hotel rooms to a rough schedule for each day, and she always has a backup plan in case something goes wrong, like bad weather. For the Hoi An trip, she booked an indoor restaurant as a backup because rain was forecast, and in the end we actually needed it.

I think she is good at planning because she thinks about problems before they happen, not after. Most of us just book things and hope for the best, but Trang always asks "what if" questions first. Because of her, our trips and events always run smoothly, and everyone in the office trusts her to organize things now, even bigger events like our company anniversary party.

207 words · about 2 minutes

Why this band

LR“very organized” — The plain, high-frequency adjective 'very organized' describes the method simply, without reaching for more precise or varied vocabulary, fitting Band 6.5.
FC“What she does is quite simple but very organized.” — This short sentence states the main evaluative claim — simple but organised — in one plain 'what X does is Y' pattern, immediately before the following sentences unpack what that actually looks like (checklists, backup plans). A 7.0 answer would likely fold a brief supporting detail into this same sentence; a 7.5 answer might phrase the claim with a more pointed contrast. Here the claim is stated clearly and directly, then followed by one clear supporting example, the modest but functional development pattern that defines Band 6.5 fluency and coherence.
GRA“because she thinks about problems before they happen, not after” — The because-clause is extended with a simple two-word contrast, 'before... not after,' rather than a fuller contrastive clause or a more varied structure, giving the reason a small amount of extra shape without adding real subordination. A 7.0 answer would likely build this contrast into a fuller sentence, perhaps with 'while most people...' embedded directly; a 7.5 answer might use a more idiomatic contrastive phrase. This basic-plus-simple-contrast pattern is accurate and clear, typical of Band 6.5, while still capturing the precise quality — proactive rather than reactive thinking — that makes Trang good at planning.

Band 7.0

The 7.0 answer builds a fuller picture with the wedding scenario, adds one vivid concrete detail (the red-pen grid in a school notebook) and closes with a personal reflection, while staying grammatically comfortable rather than highly varied.

The person I'd describe is my mother, and the best proof of that is my cousin's wedding two years ago. There were about three hundred guests, and the ceremony took place in a courtyard in Hue in September, right at the start of the rainy season. About a month before the big day, my aunt - the bride's mother - started panicking and basically handed the whole thing over to my mum.

In general, my mum plans almost everything in the family - trips, Tết celebrations, hospital visits for my grandmother, even the schedule for the rice harvest at my uncle's farm. But the wedding was really her biggest achievement. She didn't use any app or spreadsheet; instead, she used an old school notebook and drew a simple grid, with the days across the top and the tasks down the side, ticking off boxes with a red pen every evening. She called every supplier twice - once to book them, and again a week before, just to be completely sure they still existed. She even arranged the seating chart carefully to keep two family members who don't get along at opposite ends of the room.

What really convinced me that she's genuinely good at planning, not just organised, was the weather. She'd booked a marquee 'just in case', which some relatives thought was a waste of money, and then at four o'clock on the day itself, it suddenly started pouring with rain. The marquee went up within twenty minutes because she'd already had it delivered and folded away near the kitchen. Nobody got wet, and my aunt ended up crying with relief instead of stress.

I think what makes her so good at this is that she always plans for what could go wrong, not just what should go right - and honestly, as someone who designs apps for a living, I still haven't fully learned that lesson from her.

320 words · about 2 minutes

Why this band

FC“What really convinced me that she's genuinely good at planning, not just organised, was the weather.” — This sentence uses a cleft-like structure, 'What really convinced me... was the weather,' to build suspense before revealing the specific evidence, and it explicitly distinguishes between two related but different qualities — being organised versus being genuinely good at planning for contingencies. A 6.5 answer would likely list facts about the mother's planning without this distinguishing claim; a 7.5 answer might make the contrast even sharper. This turning-point structure, rather than a flat list of facts, is the fuller development 7.0 specifically rewards, setting up the marquee anecdote as proof rather than just another example.
LR“ticking off boxes with a red pen every evening” — 'Ticking off boxes' is a natural collocation for the physical act of marking a checklist, made more vivid by the added detail 'with a red pen every evening,' rather than a flatter phrase like 'checking her list.' A 6.5 answer would likely use just 'checking her list' without the visual specificity; a 7.5 answer might push the image even further. This flexible, image-rich phrase goes slightly beyond the plainest vocabulary while staying entirely natural, matching the 7.0 lexical target, and makes the mother's meticulous habit feel concrete rather than abstract.
GRA“which some relatives thought was a waste of money” — The non-defining relative clause 'which some relatives thought was a waste of money' is attached smoothly to the fact about booking a marquee 'just in case,' adding a second perspective — sceptical relatives — that creates dramatic tension before the payoff when the rainstorm proves the marquee necessary. A 6.5 answer would likely state the relatives' scepticism as a separate, plainer sentence; a 7.5 answer might use a more marked structure to heighten the contrast. This smoothly embedded relative clause is accurate, comfortable complexity typical of 7.0, essential to the story's dramatic irony.

Band 7.5

The 7.5 answer includes the precise, understated detail 'my aunt cried, for slightly different reasons than expected' and a final self-aware comparison to the writer's own profession, the kind of nuanced, reflective closing typical of Band 7.5.

The person I'd describe is my mother, and the evidence is my cousin's wedding two years ago. Three hundred guests, a courtyard ceremony in Hue in September, which is the start of the rainy season — and my aunt, the bride's mother, panicked about a month before and handed the whole thing to my mum.

What she plans, generally, is everything. Family trips, Tết, hospital visits for my grandmother, the schedule for the rice harvest at my uncle's farm. But the wedding was her masterpiece. She didn't use an app or a spreadsheet; she used a school notebook, and she drew a grid — days across the top, tasks down the side — and every evening she ticked boxes with a red pen. She called every supplier twice, once to book and once, a week before, to make sure they still existed. She had a seating chart that separated two feuding branches of the family with surgical precision.

The thing that convinced me she's genuinely good at this, rather than just organised, was the rain. She'd booked a marquee 'just in case', which everyone thought was a waste of money, and at four o'clock on the day the sky opened. The marquee went up in twenty minutes because she'd already had it delivered and folded behind the kitchen. Nobody got wet. My aunt cried, for slightly different reasons than expected.

I think what makes her good is that she plans for what will go wrong, not just what should go right. She assumes the supplier will be late and the uncle will be drunk, and she builds around it. I design apps for a living and I still haven't fully learnt that lesson from her.

285 words · about 2 minutes

Why this band

LR“with surgical precision” — "With surgical precision" borrows a specialist collocation from medicine to describe a seating chart, which is a genuinely figurative, less-common phrase rather than a literal description like "very carefully" — precisely the "one figurative or idiomatic touch" the 7.5 tier singles out. A 7.0 answer would be more likely to describe the seating arrangement plainly, e.g. "she made sure the two families were seated separately." The metaphor also earns its place because it's proportionate to the comic seriousness of the family feud being managed, rather than being dropped in at random.
GRA“She'd booked a marquee 'just in case', which everyone thought was a waste of money, and at four o'clock on the day the sky opened.” — This single sentence chains a past perfect main clause, an embedded relative clause commenting on other people's opinion ("which everyone thought was a waste of money"), and a coordinated final clause describing the storm — three grammatical moves fused together while staying completely accurate. That density of controlled subordination and coordination in one sentence is what the 7.5 tier means by "wider grammatical range"; a 7.0 answer would likely break this into two or three shorter sentences. The structure also mirrors the story's own build-up, letting the sentence itself accumulate tension right up to the punchline of the rain.
FC“My aunt cried, for slightly different reasons than expected.” — The short, understated closing line adds a reflective, slightly humorous twist rather than plain description, typical of Band 7.5 fluency and coherence.

How this card was asked, by exam period

Describe a person who you think is good at planning things (e.g. trips, weddings)May–Aug 2026

Part 3 follow-up questions

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

1. What types of plans do people often make with friends and family?
May–Aug 2026
Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question
Band 6.5
Lists plan types plainly and closes with a simple relative clause, using safe, common phrasing throughout.
I think people mostly make plans for trips, meals, and special occasions with friends and family. My studio's group chat, for example, once spent three weeks planning a two-night trip to Hội An, even though it's only forty minutes away, which shows how much people enjoy the planning itself. With family, it's more about things like Tet, weddings, or who's hosting a death anniversary. People also make longer plans, like saving for a house, but these are usually just talked about rather than really planned. And then there's the vague kind, like 'we should do this sometime', which most friends have but rarely act on.
Why this band
FC“I think people mostly make plans for trips, meals, and special occasions with friends and family.” — A plain listed opening, less playful than 7.5's 'logistics of togetherness dressed up as excitement'.
LR“which shows how much people enjoy the planning itself” — Plain phrasing, compared to 7.5's 'tells you plainly that the planning is at least half the pleasure'.
GRA“And then there's the vague kind, like 'we should do this sometime', which most friends have but rarely act on.” — A simple relative clause sentence, less layered than 7.5's colon-led closing sentence.
Band 7.0
Fronts the list with the hedge 'I'd say' and adds a dash-led list for slightly more natural structure.
Mostly trips, meals and occasions, I'd say - the small logistics of being together. My studio's group chat once spent three weeks planning a two-night trip to Hội An that was only forty minutes away, which honestly tells you the planning is half the fun. With family it's more about the calendar events - Tet, weddings, ancestors' death anniversaries, who's hosting and who's bringing what. Longer-term plans get made too, like saving for a house, though those tend to be discussed rather than properly planned. And then there's the vague category of 'we should do this sometime', which most friends have a long list of.
Why this band
FC“Mostly trips, meals and occasions, I'd say - the small logistics of being together.” — A fronted, list-first structure with the hedge 'I'd say', more natural than 6.5's flat opening, though still simpler than 7.5's ironic 'dressed up as excitement' framing.
LR“which honestly tells you the planning is half the fun” — Adds 'honestly' for a more natural spoken tone than 6.5, though less precise than 7.5's 'at least half the pleasure'.
GRA“With family it's more about the calendar events - Tet, weddings, ancestors' death anniversaries, who's hosting and who's bringing what.” — A dash-led list, more structurally varied than 6.5's simpler sentence, though less elaborated than 7.5's 'fixed calendar' framing with embedded clause.
Band 7.5
Opens with the ironic 'dressed up as excitement' and closes with a dash-interrupted concessive sentence about the 'realm of conversation'.
Mostly it's the logistics of togetherness dressed up as excitement - trips, meals, occasions. My studio's group chat once spent three weeks planning a two-night trip to Hội An, a town forty minutes away, which tells you plainly that the planning is at least half the pleasure. With family, it's the fixed calendar: Tet, weddings, the death anniversaries where everyone quietly negotiates who's hosting and who's bringing what. There are longer, heavier plans too - saving for a house, when to have children, who eventually looks after ageing parents - though those tend to stay in the realm of conversation rather than anything resembling an actual plan. And then there's the catch-all category everyone keeps but rarely opens: 'we should do this sometime'.
Why this band
FC“Mostly it's the logistics of togetherness dressed up as excitement - trips, meals, occasions.” — An ironic, compact opening framing ('dressed up as excitement') that inverts the usual order of explanation, well beyond the plain listing at 6.5 and 7.0.
LR“the death anniversaries where everyone quietly negotiates who's hosting and who's bringing what” — A vivid verb choice ('negotiates') more evocative than the plainer listing at the lower bands.
GRA“There are longer, heavier plans too - saving for a house, when to have children, who eventually looks after ageing parents - though those tend to stay in the realm of conversation rather than anything resembling an actual plan.” — A dash-interrupted list embedded in a longer concessive sentence, more structurally ambitious than the simpler sentences at 6.5 and 7.0.
2. Is it important for people to plan special events, such as weddings?
May–Aug 2026
Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question
Band 6.5
States the opinion plainly and closes with a simple imperative-style sentence, using common phrasing throughout.
For big events like weddings, I think planning is important, because you can't just improvise with hundreds of guests. But more planning doesn't always mean more fun. A friend of mine threw a birthday party on her rooftop with almost no preparation, ran out of chairs by nine o'clock, and it turned into the best party of that year. Planning helps avoid disasters, which matters for a wedding, since you only get one chance. But it can also remove the surprise, and events planned to the minute can feel too controlled. I'd say plan the things that could go badly wrong, and leave the rest alone.
Why this band
FC“For big events like weddings, I think planning is important, because you can't just improvise with hundreds of guests.” — A plain direct claim, less confident than 7.5's blunt 'undeniably'.
LR“ran out of chairs by nine o'clock, and it turned into the best party of that year” — Plain description, compared to 7.5's 'it became, precisely because nobody was managing it, the best party of that year'.
GRA“I'd say plan the things that could go badly wrong, and leave the rest alone.” — A simple imperative-style closing, less layered than 7.5's colon-led final sentence.
Band 7.0
Adds the hedge 'I'd say' and a causal 'precisely because' clause for slightly more developed reasoning.
For big events, yes, I'd say planning is important - you can't really improvise with three hundred guests. But I've noticed the amount of planning doesn't necessarily predict how much fun people have. A friend of mine threw a birthday on her rooftop with almost no preparation, ran out of chairs by nine, and it turned into the best party of that year, precisely because nobody was stressing over managing it. Planning removes disasters, which matters enormously for a wedding, since you don't get a second attempt. But it can also remove the surprise, and events planned down to the minute sometimes feel like watching a schedule happen.
Why this band
FC“For big events, yes, I'd say planning is important - you can't really improvise with three hundred guests.” — Adds the hedge 'I'd say' and a specific number ('three hundred') for more precision than 6.5, though still less confident than 7.5's one-word 'undeniably'.
LR“it turned into the best party of that year, precisely because nobody was stressing over managing it” — Adds the causal clause 'precisely because' beyond 6.5's simpler 'but', though less compact than 7.5's embedded version of the same idea.
GRA“Planning removes disasters, which matters enormously for a wedding, since you don't get a second attempt.” — A longer sentence with an embedded relative clause and a 'since' clause, more developed than 6.5's shorter version.
Band 7.5
Opens with the confident one-word 'undeniably' and closes with a 'less X, more Y' sentence built on the verb 'execute'.
For big events, undeniably - three hundred people can't be improvised into a coherent evening. But I've noticed the amount of planning has almost no relationship to the amount of joy produced. A friend threw a birthday on her rooftop with next to no preparation, ran out of chairs by nine, and it became, precisely because nobody was managing it, the best party of that year. Planning's real job is disaster prevention, which matters enormously when there's no second attempt, as with a wedding. But it also tends to squeeze out surprise, and an event choreographed down to the minute can start to feel less like a celebration and more like watching a schedule execute itself. My rule, for what it's worth: plan whatever could genuinely go wrong, and leave the rest to chance.
Why this band
FC“For big events, undeniably - three hundred people can't be improvised into a coherent evening.” — A one-word confident opener ('undeniably') followed by a vivid image ('improvised into a coherent evening'), well beyond the hedged claims at 6.5 and 7.0.
LR“it became, precisely because nobody was managing it, the best party of that year” — An inserted causal clause mid-sentence, a more compact and controlled structure than the plainer versions at the lower bands.
GRA“an event choreographed down to the minute can start to feel less like a celebration and more like watching a schedule execute itself” — A 'less X, more Y' construction with the vivid verb 'execute', more structurally ambitious than the simpler sentences at 6.5 and 7.0.
3. Why don't some people like to plan their social life in advance?
May–Aug 2026
Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question
Band 6.5
States the reasons plainly and closes with a simple 'but... because' sentence, using common phrasing throughout.
I think for some people, it's really about mood. My friend Khánh won't agree to anything more than two days ahead, because he honestly doesn't know how he'll feel by then, and he'd rather say no now than cancel later. Other people find that plans turn something fun into an obligation - a coffee you were looking forward to becomes something you just have to do. Young people especially like keeping their options open, in case something better comes up. But the funny thing is, the unplanned people still depend on the planners, because someone has to book the table.
Why this band
FC“I think for some people, it's really about mood.” — A short, plain opening thesis, less vivid than 7.5's 'it's simply a matter of mood' combined with the later 'curdling pleasure into obligation' imagery.
LR“he honestly doesn't know how he'll feel by then” — Plain phrasing, compared to 7.5's 'he genuinely doesn't know who he'll be by then'.
GRA“But the funny thing is, the unplanned people still depend on the planners, because someone has to book the table.” — A simple 'but... because' sentence, less layered than 7.5's closing sentence with 'parasitic on a planner somewhere'.
Band 7.0
Adds the hedge 'I'd say' and flags the closing observation as 'ironic' for slightly more developed reasoning.
For some people, I'd say it's really about mood. My friend Khánh, for instance, won't commit to anything more than two days ahead, because he genuinely doesn't know how he'll feel, and he'd rather say no now than have to cancel later. Others find that plans turn pleasure into obligation - a coffee you were looking forward to suddenly becomes an appointment you have to keep. Young people especially like keeping their options open, in case something better comes along. And some people come from families where nothing was really planned, so a calendar can feel a bit cold. The ironic thing, though, is that the unplanned people still depend on the planners; somebody has to book the table.
Why this band
FC“For some people, I'd say it's really about mood.” — Adds the hedge 'I'd say' for slightly more considered phrasing than 6.5, though still a short, plain thesis next to 7.5's fuller opening sentence.
LR“a coffee you were looking forward to suddenly becomes an appointment you have to keep” — Adds 'suddenly' for a bit more dynamism than 6.5, though less vivid than 7.5's 'curdling pleasure into obligation'.
GRA“The ironic thing, though, is that the unplanned people still depend on the planners; somebody has to book the table.” — A semicolon-linked sentence with the word 'ironic' flagged explicitly, more developed than 6.5's simpler 'but... because' sentence.
Band 7.5
Uses the unusual verb 'curdling' and closes with the biological metaphor 'parasitic on a planner somewhere'.
For some, it's simply a matter of mood - my friend Khánh won't commit to anything more than two days out, because he genuinely doesn't know who he'll be by then, and he'd rather disappoint you now than cancel on you later. For others, plans have a way of curdling pleasure into obligation; a coffee you were once looking forward to quietly transforms into an appointment you're merely honouring. Young people in particular guard their optionality, holding out in case something better materialises. And some grew up in households where nothing was ever scheduled, so a calendar feels less like structure and more like coldness. The delicious irony, though, is that every unplanned person is quietly parasitic on a planner somewhere - someone, always, has to book the table.
Why this band
FC“it's simply a matter of mood - my friend Khánh won't commit to anything more than two days out, because he genuinely doesn't know who he'll be by then” — A more philosophically pointed claim ('who he'll be' rather than 'how he'll feel'), well beyond the plainer claims at 6.5 and 7.0.
LR“plans have a way of curdling pleasure into obligation” — A vivid, unusual verb choice ('curdling') far more evocative than the plainer descriptions at the lower bands.
GRA“every unplanned person is quietly parasitic on a planner somewhere - someone, always, has to book the table” — A biological metaphor ('parasitic') closing the answer, more structurally and lexically ambitious than the simple sentences at 6.5 and 7.0.
4. What are the advantages for young people of planning their future careers?
May–Aug 2026
Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question
Band 6.5
States the advantage plainly and closes with a simple compound sentence, using common phrasing throughout.
I think the main advantage is that it tells you what to learn right now. I decided at nineteen that I wanted to design apps instead of posters, and that decision meant I spent a summer learning basic coding, which most design students skipped - that's actually the reason I got my first job. Having a rough plan also helps you judge opportunities, since you can say no to things that don't fit. It reduces the anxiety of just drifting along too. The plan doesn't have to be exactly right, mine changed twice, but having a direction still helps.
Why this band
FC“I think the main advantage is that it tells you what to learn right now.” — A plain direct claim, less conceptual than 7.5's 'isn't the plan itself so much as the filter it gives you'.
LR“that decision meant I spent a summer learning basic coding, which most design students skipped” — Plain phrasing, compared to 7.5's 'teaching myself basic coding while most design students skipped straight past it'.
GRA“The plan doesn't have to be exactly right, mine changed twice, but having a direction still helps.” — A simple compound sentence, less layered than 7.5's semicolon-linked closing sentence.
Band 7.0
Adds 'single' and 'honestly' for mild emphasis and a 'not X, it's Y' construction for more development.
I think the main advantage is that it tells you what to learn now. I decided at nineteen that I wanted to design apps rather than posters, and that single decision meant I spent a summer learning basic coding that most design students skipped, which, honestly, is the reason I got my first job. A rough plan also gives you a way to judge opportunities - you can say no to things that don't fit. It reduces the anxiety of drifting, too. The advantage isn't really in the plan being right - mine changed twice - it's in having a direction to deviate from.
Why this band
FC“I think the main advantage is that it tells you what to learn now.” — Nearly identical to 6.5, still a fairly plain thesis compared to 7.5's 'not X, so much as Y' reframing.
LR“that single decision meant I spent a summer learning basic coding that most design students skipped, which, honestly, is the reason I got my first job” — Adds 'single' and 'honestly' for slightly more emphasis than 6.5, though less vivid than 7.5's fuller version.
GRA“The advantage isn't really in the plan being right - mine changed twice - it's in having a direction to deviate from.” — A 'not X, it's Y' construction with a dash-interrupted aside, more developed than 6.5's simpler compound sentence.
Band 7.5
Reframes the advantage around the metaphor of a 'filter' and closes with a 'less X than Y' construction about deviation.
I'd say the real advantage isn't the plan itself so much as the filter it gives you for what to learn right now. Deciding at nineteen that I wanted to design apps rather than posters was a fairly minor decision at the time, but it meant I spent a summer teaching myself basic coding while most design students skipped straight past it, and that single summer is more or less the reason I got my first job. A plan also gives you something to measure opportunities against - permission, essentially, to say no to things that superficially look good but don't fit. What it isn't, crucially, is a promise that you'll be right; mine changed twice. The real value lies less in the destination than in simply having something to deviate from.
Why this band
FC“the real advantage isn't the plan itself so much as the filter it gives you for what to learn right now” — A 'not X, so much as Y' reframing centred on the metaphor of a 'filter', well beyond the direct claims at 6.5 and 7.0.
LR“it meant I spent a summer teaching myself basic coding while most design students skipped straight past it” — The phrase 'skipped straight past it' is more vivid and dynamic than the plainer versions at the lower bands.
GRA“What it isn't, crucially, is a promise that you'll be right; mine changed twice. The real value lies less in the destination than in simply having something to deviate from.” — A semicolon-linked sentence followed by a 'less X than Y' construction, more structurally ambitious than the simpler sentences at 6.5 and 7.0.
5. Should young people ask for advice about career planning, for example from teachers or family?
May–Aug 2026
Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question
Band 6.5
States the advice plainly and closes with a simple listed sentence, using common phrasing throughout.
Yes, but I think they should also think carefully about the advice, because most of it describes the world the person grew up in. My aunt seriously told me to become a bank clerk, which was the safest job you could have back in 1995. Teachers usually only know the academic path, while family knows you as a person but not the job market. So I'd say ask a lot of people - a teacher, a relative, and especially someone actually doing the job - and treat it all as information, not instructions. The one thing worth really listening to from family is about your character.
Why this band
FC“Yes, but I think they should also think carefully about the advice, because most of it describes the world the person grew up in.” — A plain, direct causal claim, less pointed than 7.5's 'quietly disguised as timeless wisdom'.
LR“My aunt seriously told me to become a bank clerk, which was the safest job you could have back in 1995.” — Plain phrasing, compared to 7.5's 'which happened to be the safest job imaginable in 1995 and essentially nowhere else since'.
GRA“So I'd say ask a lot of people - a teacher, a relative, and especially someone actually doing the job - and treat it all as information, not instructions.” — A simple listed sentence, less layered than 7.5's colon-led closing sentence.
Band 7.0
Adds a contrastive clause ('not the one we're entering') and a dash-interrupted list for slightly more development.
Yes, but I think they should weigh the advice carefully, because most of it describes the world the adviser grew up in, not the one we're entering. My aunt sincerely urged me to become a bank clerk, which was about the safest job imaginable back in 1995. Teachers tend to know the academic route and often little else, while family knows the person but not really the market. So I'd say ask widely - a teacher, a relative, and, most usefully, someone actually doing the job you're considering - and treat all of it as data rather than instruction. Family advice worth taking seriously is usually about character.
Why this band
FC“Yes, but I think they should weigh the advice carefully, because most of it describes the world the adviser grew up in, not the one we're entering.” — Adds 'not the one we're entering' as a contrastive addition beyond 6.5's flatter version, though still less vivid than 7.5's 'disguised as timeless wisdom'.
LR“My aunt sincerely urged me to become a bank clerk, which was about the safest job imaginable back in 1995.” — Upgrades 'told me' to 'urged me' and 'safest job' to 'safest job imaginable' for slightly more emphasis than 6.5, though less pointed than 7.5's fuller closing clause.
GRA“So I'd say ask widely - a teacher, a relative, and, most usefully, someone actually doing the job you're considering - and treat all of it as data rather than instruction.” — A dash-interrupted list, more structurally varied than 6.5's simpler listed sentence.
Band 7.5
Opens with the ironic 'disguised as timeless wisdom' and closes with the figurative phrase 'need the ground to stay still'.
Yes, though I'd weigh it carefully rather than follow it outright, since most advice is really a description of the world the adviser grew up in, quietly disguised as timeless wisdom. My aunt, entirely sincerely, urged me to become a bank clerk, which happened to be the safest job imaginable in 1995 and essentially nowhere else since. Teachers know the academic route and little beyond it; family knows the person but rarely the market. So I'd cast the net wide - a teacher, a relative, and, most usefully of all, someone actually doing the job under consideration - and treat everything gathered as data points rather than instructions. The one category of family advice genuinely worth taking seriously is about character: whether you're built for uncertainty or need the ground to stay still.
Why this band
FC“most advice is really a description of the world the adviser grew up in, quietly disguised as timeless wisdom” — A pointed, almost ironic reframing ('disguised as timeless wisdom') well beyond the direct claims at 6.5 and 7.0.
LR“which happened to be the safest job imaginable in 1995 and essentially nowhere else since” — The trailing clause 'and essentially nowhere else since' adds a sharper, wittier edge than the plainer versions at the lower bands.
GRA“The one category of family advice genuinely worth taking seriously is about character: whether you're built for uncertainty or need the ground to stay still.” — A colon-led sentence with a figurative closing phrase ('need the ground to stay still'), more structurally sophisticated than the simple listed sentences at 6.5 and 7.0.
6. Do you agree or disagree that it is only possible to have a successful career if it has been carefully planned?
May–Aug 2026
Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question
Band 6.5
States disagreement plainly and closes with a simple two-clause sentence, using common phrasing throughout.
I disagree, and my boss is a good example. She studied chemistry, then got into photography, started designing websites for friends to earn some money, and now runs a studio with twenty people - none of it was planned, but it's a more successful career than most planned ones I know. What she did have was a habit of doing each thing well and noticing which doors opened. Planning helps, especially in fields with clear steps like medicine or law. But saying it's 'only possible' with planning is too strong - careers are really a mix of intention and accident.
Why this band
FC“I disagree, and my boss is a good example.” — A plain, short opening statement, less vivid than 7.5's 'the counterexample built to order'.
LR“none of it was planned, but it's a more successful career than most planned ones I know” — Plain phrasing, compared to 7.5's 'it's a considerably more successful career than most of the carefully planned ones I could name'.
GRA“But saying it's 'only possible' with planning is too strong - careers are really a mix of intention and accident.” — A simple two-clause sentence, less layered than 7.5's semicolon-linked closing sentence.
Band 7.0
Adds mild intensifiers ('honestly', 'far too strong') for slightly more emphasis without changing the basic structure.
I disagree, and my boss is proof of it. She studied chemistry, drifted into photography, started designing websites for friends to pay rent, and now runs a studio with twenty people - none of it was planned, and it's honestly a more successful career than most carefully planned ones I know. What she did have was the habit of doing each thing well and noticing which doors opened. Planning does help, especially in fields with fixed ladders like medicine or law. But 'only possible' is far too strong a claim - careers are built from a mix of intention and accident.
Why this band
FC“I disagree, and my boss is proof of it.” — Upgrades 'a good example' to 'proof of it' for slightly more emphasis than 6.5, though still a short, plain opening compared to 7.5's more elaborate framing.
LR“it's honestly a more successful career than most carefully planned ones I know” — Adds 'honestly' and 'carefully' for mild intensification beyond 6.5, though less vivid than 7.5's fuller comparative clause.
GRA“But 'only possible' is far too strong a claim - careers are built from a mix of intention and accident.” — Adds 'far too strong a claim' for slightly more emphasis than 6.5's plainer version, a small step up in development.
Band 7.5
Opens with the idiom 'built to order' and closes with a semicolon-linked sentence about missing 'the accident that would have made them'.
I disagree, and my boss's career is basically the counterexample built to order: chemistry degree, a drift into photography, then designing websites for friends purely to make rent, and now a studio with twenty people under her, none of it planned, and it's a considerably more successful career than most of the carefully planned ones I could name. What she actually had wasn't foresight, it was a habit - doing whatever was in front of her well, and paying attention to which doors that opened. Planning genuinely helps in fields with fixed ladders, medicine, law, that sort of thing. But 'only possible' overstates it badly; careers are built from a mix of intention and accident, and people who over-plan often miss the accident that would have made them.
Why this band
FC“my boss's career is basically the counterexample built to order” — A vivid, idiomatic phrase ('built to order') that reframes the whole example, well beyond the plain openings at 6.5 and 7.0.
LR“What she actually had wasn't foresight, it was a habit - doing whatever was in front of her well, and paying attention to which doors that opened” — A 'not X, it was Y' construction with a more precise, reflective description than the plainer versions at the lower bands.
GRA“But 'only possible' overstates it badly; careers are built from a mix of intention and accident, and people who over-plan often miss the accident that would have made them.” — A semicolon-linked sentence with a longer compound clause, more structurally ambitious than the simpler two-clause sentences at 6.5 and 7.0.
7. How important is it for governments to plan for the future?
May–Aug 2026
Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question
Band 6.5
States the importance plainly and closes with a simple causal sentence, using common phrasing throughout.
I think it's very important, and you can see the cost of not doing it everywhere. Da Nang opened a new bridge a few years ago that's already congested at rush hour, because they only planned for ten years of growth instead of twenty - and now people sit in that traffic every morning. Governments are really the only ones who can think in decades, like schools for children who aren't born yet, or pensions for workers who are only twenty now. The problem is that long-term planning isn't rewarded politically, because the benefits only show up after the next election.
Why this band
FC“I think it's very important, and you can see the cost of not doing it everywhere.” — A plain direct claim, less vivid than 7.5's 'something you can literally sit in every morning'.
LR“because they only planned for ten years of growth instead of twenty” — Plain phrasing, compared to 7.5's 'a rounding error with a permanent commute attached'.
GRA“The problem is that long-term planning isn't rewarded politically, because the benefits only show up after the next election.” — A simple causal sentence, less layered than 7.5's closing sentence about 'whoever approved it has left office'.
Band 7.0
Upgrades 'very important' to 'essential' and adds a colon-led list for slightly more structured development.
I think it's essential, and honestly, the cost of not doing it is visible everywhere. Da Nang opened a new bridge a few years ago that's already congested at rush hour, because the forecast was for ten years of growth rather than twenty - a planning failure you now sit in every morning. Governments are really the only bodies that can think in decades: schools for children not yet born, pensions for workers who are currently twenty. Individuals and companies just can't or won't do that. The difficulty is that long-term planning is politically unrewarded, since the benefits only arrive after the next election.
Why this band
FC“I think it's essential, and honestly, the cost of not doing it is visible everywhere.” — Upgrades 'very important' to 'essential' and adds 'honestly' for slightly more emphasis than 6.5, though still a direct claim next to 7.5's more vivid image.
LR“a planning failure you now sit in every morning” — A compact, image-based phrase more vivid than 6.5's plainer explanation, though less witty than 7.5's 'rounding error with a permanent commute attached'.
GRA“Governments are really the only bodies that can think in decades: schools for children not yet born, pensions for workers who are currently twenty.” — A colon-led list, more structurally developed than 6.5's simpler sentence.
Band 7.5
Opens with the confident one-word 'Essential' and closes with the witty phrase 'a rounding error with a permanent commute attached'.
Essential, and the cost of skipping it is something you can literally sit in every morning. Da Nang's new bridge, opened a few years back, was already congested at rush hour almost as soon as the paint dried, because the forecast planned for ten years of growth rather than twenty - a rounding error with a permanent commute attached. Governments are more or less the only institutions built to think in decades: schools for children who don't exist yet, coastlines for floods that haven't arrived, pensions for workers who are currently twenty. Individuals can't manage that horizon and companies won't, not without a mandate forcing them to. The real obstacle is that long-term planning is politically unrewarded, since its benefits mature well after whoever approved it has left office.
Why this band
FC“Essential, and the cost of skipping it is something you can literally sit in every morning.” — A one-word confident opener plus a vivid, almost literal image ('sit in every morning'), well beyond the plainer claims at 6.5 and 7.0.
LR“a rounding error with a permanent commute attached” — A witty, idiomatic phrase combining a technical term ('rounding error') with an everyday consequence, more evocative than the plainer descriptions at the lower bands.
GRA“The real obstacle is that long-term planning is politically unrewarded, since its benefits mature well after whoever approved it has left office.” — A longer sentence with an embedded temporal clause, more structurally ambitious than the simpler causal sentences at 6.5 and 7.0.
8. When governments plan a society's future, are there more advantages or disadvantages to involving all citizens in the planning?
May–Aug 2026
Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question
Band 6.5
States the conclusion plainly and uses simple 'when it's done well / when it's done badly' parallel sentences.
I think there are more advantages, but only if people are really involved, and often they're not. Da Nang held a public consultation about the beachfront development a while ago, and it was mostly attended by hotel owners who had time and lawyers, while the fishermen whose lives it actually affected didn't show up, because the meeting happened at ten on a weekday. When it's done well, involving citizens creates plans that people accept and can catch problems experts miss. When it's done badly, it just slows decisions down and lets loud groups take over. Everyone should be able to shape plans that affect their own street.
Why this band
FC“I think there are more advantages, but only if people are really involved, and often they're not.” — A plain direct claim, less confident than 7.5's 'More advantages, decisively'.
LR“it was mostly attended by hotel owners who had time and lawyers” — Plain phrasing, compared to 7.5's 'thoroughly colonised by hotel owners with the time and lawyers to show up'.
GRA“When it's done well, involving citizens creates plans that people accept and can catch problems experts miss. When it's done badly, it just slows decisions down and lets loud groups take over.” — Two simple parallel sentences, less compact than 7.5's structurally denser version.
Band 7.0
Adds mild emphasis ('genuine', 'honestly') and tightens the parallel structure to 'Done well / Done badly'.
I think there are more advantages, but only if the involvement is genuine, and honestly, it often isn't. Da Nang held a consultation on the beachfront development a while back, and it ended up dominated by hotel owners with time and lawyers, while the fishermen whose lives it actually affected didn't attend, mostly because consultations happen at ten on a weekday. Done well, involving citizens produces plans people accept and catches problems experts miss. Done badly, it just produces slow decisions and a kind of surface-level consent. Not everyone can plan everything - expertise exists for a reason - but everyone should be able to shape the plans that land on their street.
Why this band
FC“I think there are more advantages, but only if the involvement is genuine, and honestly, it often isn't.” — Adds 'genuine' and 'honestly' for slightly more emphasis than 6.5, though still less confident than 7.5's one-word opener.
LR“it ended up dominated by hotel owners with time and lawyers” — Close to 6.5's phrasing but tightened with 'dominated', still less vivid than 7.5's 'colonised'.
GRA“Done well, involving citizens produces plans people accept and catches problems experts miss. Done badly, it just produces slow decisions and a kind of surface-level consent.” — Uses fronted 'Done well / Done badly' for parallel structure, a step up from 6.5's 'When it's done well / When it's done badly' pattern.
Band 7.5
Opens with the confident 'decisively' and closes with the metaphor 'colonised' plus a restated closing judgement.
More advantages, decisively, but only when the involvement is real, and in practice it too often isn't. Da Nang ran a consultation on its beachfront development a while back, and it was thoroughly colonised by hotel owners with the time and lawyers to show up, while the fishermen whose actual livelihoods were on the line stayed away, largely because consultations happen at ten on a weekday, exactly when they're on the water. Done properly, involving citizens surfaces problems experts never would have caught. Done badly, it produces nothing but slow decisions and a thin veneer of consent painted over a decision already made. The design of the involvement, in other words, matters more than the principle of having it at all.
Why this band
FC“More advantages, decisively, but only when the involvement is real, and in practice it too often isn't.” — A confident, compact opener ('decisively') well beyond the hedged claims at 6.5 and 7.0.
LR“thoroughly colonised by hotel owners with the time and lawyers to show up” — The verb 'colonised' is a strong, vivid metaphor more evocative than the plainer descriptions at the lower bands.
GRA“The design of the involvement, in other words, matters more than the principle of having it at all.” — A compact closing sentence using 'in other words' to restate the whole argument, more structurally sophisticated than the simpler parallel sentences at 6.5 and 7.0.
9. Do you think that in the future it would be desirable for artificial intelligence to take over responsibility for planning societies?
May–Aug 2026
Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question
Band 6.5
States the opinion plainly and closes with a simple dash-linked sentence, using common phrasing throughout.
I don't think AI should take over completely, but it can definitely help. I've used AI tools that make an app layout perfect according to every rule, but the result is something nobody actually wants to use, because the thing that made it good wasn't really measurable. Planning a society has the same problem, just much bigger. AI is very good at parts with clear goals, like traffic flow or where to build a hospital, and I'd happily let it handle those. But deciding what a society is actually for, and who pays the cost, involves values, and AI only has the values someone typed into it.
Why this band
FC“I don't think AI should take over completely, but it can definitely help.” — A plain direct opinion, less compact than 7.5's 'Taking over, no; helping, unreservedly yes'.
LR“the result is something nobody actually wants to use, because the thing that made it good wasn't really measurable” — Plain phrasing, compared to 7.5's 'produce something nobody actually wanted to touch, precisely because whatever made a layout good had never been measurable to begin with'.
GRA“AI only has the values someone typed into it” — A simple closing clause, less layered than 7.5's semicolon-linked closing sentence about 'the objective function'.
Band 7.0
Opens with the compact semicolon structure 'Taking over, no; helping, definitely' for slightly more polished phrasing.
Taking over, no; helping, definitely. I've used AI tools that optimise an app layout perfectly according to every measurable rule and still produce something nobody actually wants to use, because the thing that made it good wasn't measurable in the first place. Planning a society is that same problem, just at a much bigger scale. AI is superb at the parts with clear targets - traffic flow, energy demand, where to put a hospital - and I'd happily let it handle those. But deciding what a society is actually for, who bears the cost, involves values, and an AI only has whatever values someone typed in.
Why this band
FC“Taking over, no; helping, definitely.” — A compact semicolon-linked opener, more polished than 6.5's fuller sentence, though slightly less emphatic than 7.5's 'unreservedly yes'.
LR“still produce something nobody actually wants to use, because the thing that made it good wasn't measurable in the first place” — Adds 'in the first place' for a bit more precision than 6.5, though less vivid than 7.5's 'nobody actually wanted to touch'.
GRA“But deciding what a society is actually for, who bears the cost, involves values, and an AI only has whatever values someone typed in.” — A longer sentence with an embedded list, more structurally developed than 6.5's simpler version.
Band 7.5
Intensifies the semicolon opener with 'unreservedly yes' and closes with the precise technical term 'objective function'.
Taking over, no; helping, unreservedly yes. I've watched an AI tool optimise an app layout with textbook perfection against every measurable rule and still produce something nobody actually wanted to touch, precisely because whatever made a layout good had never been measurable to begin with. Planning a society is that exact failure mode, scaled up to something with real consequences. Where AI is genuinely superb is anywhere the target is legible - traffic flow, energy demand, where a hospital should sit - and I'd hand those problems over without hesitation. But deciding what a society is actually for runs on values, and an AI only has whatever values someone happened to type in. Handing that over wouldn't be neutral at all; it would simply be handing power to whoever wrote the objective function.
Why this band
FC“Taking over, no; helping, unreservedly yes.” — The same compact semicolon structure as 7.0 but intensified with 'unreservedly', showing more confident, polished phrasing than both lower bands.
LR“produce something nobody actually wanted to touch, precisely because whatever made a layout good had never been measurable to begin with” — The verb 'touch' and phrase 'to begin with' add more precision and idiomatic rhythm than the plainer versions at the lower bands.
GRA“Handing that over wouldn't be neutral at all; it would simply be handing power to whoever wrote the objective function.” — A semicolon-linked sentence ending on the precise technical term 'objective function', more structurally and lexically sophisticated than the simpler sentences at 6.5 and 7.0.

Frequently asked questions

How long should my answer to this Part 2 cue card be?: Speak for 1 to 2 minutes. The examiner will stop you at 2 minutes, so aim for roughly 220-300 words that cover every bullet on the card and end with how you feel about it.
What Part 3 questions follow this cue card?: After "A Person Who You Think Is Good at Planning Things", examiners have asked 9 follow-up discussion questions, listed above. They move from your personal story to general opinions on the same theme.
Is this cue card still being used?: It was most recently reported by test-takers in May–Aug 2026. Cue cards rotate every four months, and many topics return in later seasons with slightly different wording.