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 You Know Who Has a Successful Business", 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?

Yes — it's part of the current exam period (Sep–Dec 2026).

IELTS Speaking Part 2

A Person You Know Who Has a Successful Business

Most recently asked in Sep–Dec 2026In use now

The cue card

Describe a person you know about who has a successful business.

You should say:

who the person is
what kind of business this person has
whether you have used his/her business
and explain why you think this person's business is successful.

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 description relies on plain adjectives ('friendly and hardworking') and a short closing statement ('Now her shop does well'), with only single-clause subordination, keeping the language clear but simple.

The person I want to talk about is a woman called Phương. She owns a small coffee shop near my office building, close to the river.

I got to know her about two years ago. I walk past her shop every morning on my way to work, and one day I stopped to buy a coffee because it was raining hard. After that I started going almost every day, and we began chatting. Now she remembers my order without asking.

I don't know all the details about why she started the business, but she told me once that she used to work in a big company and felt very tired of sitting at a desk all day. She wanted something of her own, so she saved money for a few years and then rented a small space. It wasn't easy at first because there are many coffee shops in Da Nang, so she had to work very hard to get customers.

Now her shop does well. She sells coffee, tea and some simple cakes, and in the morning it's always full of office workers like me. I think she is successful because she is friendly and hardworking, and she never seems to get tired of talking to customers, even early in the morning.

213 words · about 2 minutes

Why this band

FC“Now her shop does well.” — This four-word sentence states the outcome and stops, without a connector back to the effort described in the previous paragraph or any elaboration on what "doing well" actually looks like. That bare, list-like closure is typical of Band 6.5 coherence — clear and on-topic, but a Band 7.0 answer in the same position would likely link it explicitly to the earlier struggle, e.g. "and after all that effort, her shop finally does well," turning two flat facts into one developed point.
LR“friendly and hardworking” — Two of the most common personality adjectives in English are joined with a simple "and," giving an accurate but very general character description. A Band 7.0 answer would likely choose one more specific or collocational phrase instead (e.g. "she's got a real knack for making regulars feel welcome"), but at Band 6.5 the target is exactly this kind of plain, unambiguous vocabulary that a listener can process instantly, without any risk of misuse.
GRA“I stopped to buy a coffee because it was raining hard” — This sentence has exactly one subordinate clause, a "because" clause giving a simple reason, and no further layering on top of it — no relative clause, no second connector, no conditional. A Band 7.0 answer describing the same rainy morning would likely fold in an additional detail within the same sentence (e.g. "because it was raining hard, which is unusual for that time of year"), so the single, isolated "because" clause here marks the modest structural range Band 6.5 grammar is built around.

Band 7.0

The paired reason 'partly for more plants and partly because she's just easy to talk to' and the embedded 'when' clause about the pandemic give the answer natural, accurate development without unusual vocabulary.

The person I'd talk about is a woman named Trâm, who runs a small plant shop not far from where I live in Da Nang.

I got to know her about three years ago, when I moved into my current apartment and wanted to buy a few plants to make the balcony look less empty. Her shop was the closest one, so I went in not really knowing anything, and she ended up spending almost half an hour explaining which plants would actually survive on a balcony that gets full sun all afternoon. I kept going back after that, partly for more plants and partly because she's just easy to talk to.

Why she started the business is actually a fairly ordinary story. She used to work in an office job she didn't particularly enjoy, and during the pandemic, when she had a lot of free time at home, she started growing plants just as a hobby to fill the days. Friends kept asking to buy cuttings from her, and eventually she realised there might be real demand for it, so she quit her job and rented a tiny space to sell from properly.

What the business does now has grown quite a bit since then. Besides selling plants and pots, she also runs small workshops on weekends teaching people how to care for indoor plants, which are apparently quite popular with young couples setting up their first apartment together.

I think she's successful because she genuinely cares whether a plant survives once it leaves her shop, not just whether it sells. She'll message customers weeks later to check how things are going, which most shops wouldn't bother doing, and I think that kind of attention is exactly why people keep coming back to her instead of buying online.

299 words · about 2 minutes

Why this band

LR“which plants would actually survive on a balcony that gets full sun all afternoon” — The phrase stays entirely within everyday gardening vocabulary — "survive," "full sun," "balcony" — but combines them into a precise, practical detail that shows real specificity rather than a vague summary like "she gave me advice about plants." A Band 6.5 answer would likely settle for that vaguer version, while a Band 7.5 answer might reach for a more technical or idiomatic gardening term; this line demonstrates the Band 7.0 target of concrete, topic-specific phrasing built from ordinary words rather than unusual vocabulary.
FC“I kept going back after that, partly for more plants and partly because she's just easy to talk to.” — The "partly... partly..." frame splits a single fact (that the speaker kept returning to the shop) into two distinct, weighted motivations instead of giving one flat reason. This layering of cause is a small but genuine piece of development — it shows the speaker thinking about why, not just what happened — which is the difference between the one-reason answers typical of Band 6.5 and the fuller, dual-reason development Band 7.0 Fluency and Coherence expects.
GRA“during the pandemic, when she had a lot of free time at home, she started growing plants just as a hobby to fill the days” — A "when" clause is embedded inside the main sentence, sitting between the time phrase "during the pandemic" and the main verb "she started," so the listener has to hold two pieces of context before reaching the main action. This embedding — rather than simply stringing two separate sentences together, as a Band 6.5 answer would ("It was during the pandemic. She had free time. She started growing plants.") — is exactly the comfortable, accurate complexity that defines Band 7.0 grammatical range.

Band 7.5

The compressed insight 'the reassurance is the product' and the embedded rhetorical question inside the main sentence show the idiomatic lexis and grammatical range that mark genuine Band 7.5.

The person I'd describe is a woman called Hoa, who runs a motorbike-rental business here in Da Nang. I met her in my very first week in the city, when I needed a bike and walked into what was then a tiny shopfront near the beach with six motorbikes and a handwritten price list. She rented me a scooter, told me which streets flooded, and somehow remembered my name a month later when I came back. We've been friendly ever since, and I actually designed her booking website a couple of years ago.

She started the business about eight years ago, and the reason is quite specific. She'd been a receptionist at a mid-range hotel, and every day tourists asked her where to rent a bike, and every day she sent them to shops that overcharged them or gave them something unsafe. At some point she thought: I already know these customers, I know what they're afraid of, why am I sending them to someone else? So she borrowed money from her sister, bought six second-hand scooters, and opened next to the hotel that used to employ her.

What the business does now is a lot bigger. Three branches, a fleet of over a hundred bikes, helmets that actually fit, a booking app, and a WhatsApp line where she or her staff answer within minutes in three languages. She also does the thing nobody else did — she delivers the bike to your hotel and picks it up when you leave.

I think it's successful for one boring reason: she never stopped being a receptionist. She still treats every customer like a guest who's slightly nervous and far from home. The bikes are a commodity; the reassurance is the product, and she understood that before anyone else on that street did.

301 words · about 2 minutes

Why this band

LR“the reassurance is the product” — This compressed, abstract formulation is a genuinely sophisticated, idiomatic way of summarising a business insight, typical of Band 7.5 lexical resource.
FC“I think it's successful for one boring reason: she never stopped being a receptionist.” — The colon construction sets up a deliberate anticlimax — promising 'one boring reason' and then delivering an insight about customer service rather than a dramatic secret — which is an evaluative, almost argumentative move rather than plain narration. This matches the Band 7.5 requirement for 'one clear reflective or evaluative point, not just description'; a lower-band answer would more likely just list facts about Hoa's business growth without this interpretive claim. The word 'boring' is also doing ironic work: it signals the speaker knows the explanation sounds unglamorous but is arguing it's actually the real, more interesting, reason for Hoa's success, which the following sentences then unpack.
GRA“At some point she thought: I already know these customers, I know what they're afraid of, why am I sending them to someone else?” — Embedded direct-thought clauses inside the main sentence, including a rhetorical question, show the wide range of mostly error-free complex grammar typical of Band 7.5.

How this card was asked, by exam period

Describe a person you know about who has a successful business.Sep–Dec 2026
Describe a person you know who has a successful businessMay–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 kinds of businesses have opened in your area recently?
Sep–Dec 2026
Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question
Band 6.5
The 6.5 answer gives a direct opening claim with several examples, using the plain connector 'too' once and simple vocabulary like 'a lot' and 'a long time'.
My street has changed a lot in a year. A pet café opened where a hardware shop used to be, and two English centres appeared close to each other. There's also a new gym in a building that was empty for a long time. Coffee shops keep opening too - Da Nang seems to think it can never have enough. Near the beach, most new businesses are for tourists, like bike rental and small hostels. What surprises me is how many of these sell things people want rather than things they need, which shows incomes here have risen.
Why this band
GRA“A pet café opened where a hardware shop used to be, and two English centres appeared close to each other.” — Two ideas joined only with 'and', a basic coordination pattern. A band 7 answer would more likely present these as a compact list instead of two full clauses joined together.
LR“keep opening too” — A plain, general verb phrase. A higher band answer would likely use a more vivid or specific word, such as 'multiplying', instead of the everyday 'keep opening'.
FC“What surprises me is how many of these sell things people want rather than things they need, which shows incomes here have risen.” — A flat closing sentence stating the conclusion directly. A 7.5 answer would more likely phrase this same insight more compactly, using more precise vocabulary like 'wants' and 'needs' as nouns.
Band 7.0
The 7.0 answer upgrades 'keep opening' to the more vivid 'keep multiplying', and closes with the more precise noun pair 'wants rather than needs', showing sharper vocabulary than the plainer band 6.5 phrasing.
My street has changed almost completely in a year. A pet café opened where a hardware shop used to be, two English-language centres appeared within a hundred metres of each other, and there's a new gym in a building that was empty for a decade. Coffee shops keep multiplying - Da Nang seems to believe it can never have enough. Around the beach it's mostly businesses aimed at tourists: bike rental, laundry, small hostels. What strikes me is how many of these serve wants rather than needs, which tells you incomes here have risen past the point of just getting by.
Why this band
LR“Coffee shops keep multiplying” — A more vivid, precise verb choice than the plainer 'keep opening too' phrasing used at band 6.5, capturing a faster, almost uncontrolled growth.
GRA“two English-language centres appeared within a hundred metres of each other, and there's a new gym in a building that was empty for a decade” — A list of examples is packed into one sentence using a colon-free comma structure, a more economical way of presenting three separate observations than the two-clause 'and' sentence used at band 6.5.
FC“which tells you incomes here have risen past the point of just getting by” — The added phrase 'past the point of just getting by' extends the closing observation with a reflective detail, typical of band 7.0's mild elaboration beyond the flatter conclusion at band 6.5.
Band 7.5
The 7.5 answer adds the extra observation about logistics depots and delivery hubs, using the vivid verb phrase 'sprung up', giving a fuller, more precise picture than the shorter band 7.0 list.
My street has changed almost completely in a year. A pet café opened where a hardware shop used to be, two English-language centres appeared within a hundred metres of each other, and there's a new gym in a building that was empty for a decade. Coffee shops keep multiplying - Da Nang seems to believe it can never have enough. Around the beach it's mostly businesses aimed at tourists: bike rental, laundry, small hostels. Further out, logistics depots and delivery hubs have sprung up to serve online shopping. What strikes me is how many of these serve wants rather than needs, which tells you incomes here have risen past the point of just getting by.
Why this band
LR“logistics depots and delivery hubs have sprung up to serve online shopping” — The vivid verb phrase 'sprung up' suggests rapid, almost organic growth, a more distinctive word choice than a plainer verb like 'opened' or 'appeared' used elsewhere in the answer.
GRA“Further out, logistics depots and delivery hubs have sprung up to serve online shopping.” — A fronted prepositional phrase, 'Further out', opens the sentence to signal a shift in geography before the main clause, a more flexible structure than simply adding another item to the earlier list.
FC“which tells you incomes here have risen past the point of just getting by” — The closing reflection is reused but now follows a fuller set of examples, giving the conclusion more evidence to stand on and a more complete, deliberate shape than the shorter band 7.0 version.
2. Is it easy to start a new business?
Sep–Dec 2026
Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question
Band 6.5
The 6.5 answer gives a direct 'starting is easy' opinion with one personal example, using the plain connector 'since' four times and simple vocabulary like 'the part nobody warns you about'.
Starting is the easy part. A designer friend of mine registered her studio in about a week, since the paperwork in Vietnam is fairly simple now, but then spent six months finding her first real client, which is the part nobody warns you about. Money is the first problem, since most people start with family money because banks won't lend to an idea. Then there are a lot of competitors, since whatever you're doing, several other people nearby are doing it too. The personal cost is also high, since there's no salary and your savings disappear month by month.
Why this band
GRA“A designer friend of mine registered her studio in about a week, since the paperwork in Vietnam is fairly simple now, but then spent six months finding her first real client, which is the part nobody warns you about.” — A long sentence built from 'since', 'but' and 'which' clauses stacked together, a fairly basic way of packing in the whole anecdote. A band 7 answer would more likely split this into two tighter sentences.
LR“Money is the first problem” — A plain, general phrase. A higher band answer would likely use a more specific or vivid word, such as 'hurdle', instead of the everyday 'problem'.
FC“The personal cost is also high, since there's no salary and your savings disappear month by month.” — A flat closing sentence stating the point directly with 'since'. A 7.5 answer would more likely compress this into a shorter, punchier final line instead of a fuller explanatory clause.
Band 7.0
The 7.0 answer upgrades 'the first problem' to the more precise 'the first hurdle', and closes with a compact colon-led list instead of a fuller 'since' clause, showing sharper, more economical phrasing than band 6.5.
Starting is the easy half. A designer friend of mine registered her studio in about a week - the paperwork in Vietnam has become fairly straightforward - and then spent six months finding her first real client, which is the half nobody warns you about. Capital is the first hurdle; most people start with family money because banks won't lend to an idea. Then there's the sheer number of competitors: whatever you're doing, several people nearby are doing it too. And the personal cost is high - no salary, no weekends, and your savings disappearing month by month.
Why this band
LR“Capital is the first hurdle” — A more precise, formal noun ('hurdle') than the plainer 'problem' used at band 6.5, framing the obstacle as something to be overcome rather than simply a difficulty.
GRA“And the personal cost is high - no salary, no weekends, and your savings disappearing month by month.” — A dash introduces a compact list of consequences instead of the fuller 'since there's no salary and...' clause used at band 6.5, a more economical, varied structure.
FC“Then there's the sheer number of competitors: whatever you're doing, several people nearby are doing it too.” — The phrase 'the sheer number of' adds emphasis to the point, a small evaluative touch typical of band 7.0 that a band 6.5 answer would more likely leave out.
Band 7.5
The 7.5 answer sharpens 'several people' to the more vivid 'ten people', and adds the compact closing metaphor 'easy to open a door and hard to get anyone to walk through it', giving a more finished, deliberate ending than band 7.0.
Starting is the easy half. A designer friend of mine registered her studio in about a week - the paperwork in Vietnam has become fairly straightforward - and then spent six months finding her first real client, which is the half nobody warns you about. Capital is the first hurdle; most people start with family money because banks won't lend to an idea. Then there's the sheer number of competitors: whatever you're doing, ten people nearby are doing it too. And the personal cost is high - no salary, no weekends, and your savings disappearing month by month. So it's easy to open a door and hard to get anyone to walk through it.
Why this band
LR“ten people nearby are doing it too” — The specific number 'ten' is a more vivid, concrete exaggeration than the vaguer 'several people' phrasing used at band 7.0, giving the point a sharper, more memorable edge.
GRA“So it's easy to open a door and hard to get anyone to walk through it.” — A single extended metaphor closes the answer in one balanced clause instead of stopping at the last list of consequences, a more compact and deliberate final construction than the ending at band 7.0.
FC“So it's easy to open a door and hard to get anyone to walk through it” — The image of a door replacing the literal 'starting...surviving' contrast used earlier gives the closing line a more vivid, memorable finish, characteristic of band 7.5's small evaluative flourishes.
3. Why might a new business not be successful?
Sep–Dec 2026
Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question
Band 6.5
The 6.5 answer gives one main reason with one example and a list of extra causes, using the plain connector 'too' once and simple vocabulary like 'a lot' and 'pricey'.
Usually because it's built around what the owner loves, not what customers nearby want. A bakery opened near my office selling pricey croissants on a street of office workers who just wanted cheap bánh mì, and it closed after five months. Running out of money before customers arrive is the most common reason, since people underestimate the quiet period. Bad location, an unwanted product, and copying something that worked because of one person's charm come up a lot too. Many businesses even fail from early success, when a bigger shop and higher rent can't be covered by a normal month.
Why this band
GRA“A bakery opened near my office selling pricey croissants on a street of office workers who just wanted cheap bánh mì, and it closed after five months.” — A long sentence built from a participial phrase and a final 'and' clause, a fairly basic way of packing in the whole example. A band 7 answer would more likely split this into a shorter, punchier structure.
LR“come up a lot too” — A plain, general phrase. A higher band answer would likely use a more specific or formal word, such as 'come up constantly', instead of the vaguer 'come up a lot'.
FC“Many businesses even fail from early success, when a bigger shop and higher rent can't be covered by a normal month.” — A flat closing sentence stating the idea directly. A 7.5 answer would more likely trace this cause-and-effect chain in a punchier, more compressed sequence of short clauses.
Band 7.0
The 7.0 answer upgrades 'come up a lot too' to the more formal 'come up constantly', and traces the failure-from-success chain in a tighter colon-led sequence, showing more economical phrasing than band 6.5.
Usually because it's built around what the owner loves rather than what customers nearby want. A beautiful bakery opened near my office selling croissants at tourist prices on a street full of office workers who wanted a bánh mì for a fifth of the cost - it lasted five months. Running out of money before customers arrive is the most common cause; people underestimate how long the quiet period lasts. Bad location, a product nobody asked for, and copying something that only worked because of one person's charm all come up constantly. And many fail from success: a busy first month, a bigger shop, higher rent, and then a normal month that can't cover it.
Why this band
GRA“And many fail from success: a busy first month, a bigger shop, higher rent, and then a normal month that can't cover it.” — A colon introduces a compressed sequence of noun phrases instead of the fuller 'when...can't be covered' clause used at band 6.5, a more economical way of tracing cause and effect.
LR“all come up constantly” — A more precise, formal collocation than the plainer 'come up a lot too' phrasing used at band 6.5, giving the claim a slightly sharper, more confident register.
FC“Running out of money before customers arrive is the most common cause; people underestimate how long the quiet period lasts.” — A semicolon links the claim to its explanation smoothly within one sentence, a more sophisticated structure than the separate 'since' clause a band 6.5 answer used for the same idea.
Band 7.5
The 7.5 answer opens with the participial 'pricing croissants for tourists' rather than band 7.0's fuller 'selling croissants at tourist prices', and closes with the vivid 'a roaring first month...steeper rent', more compressed and image-rich than band 7.0's plainer sequence.
Usually because the business is built around what the owner loves rather than what customers nearby actually want. A beautiful bakery opened near my office pricing croissants for tourists on a street of office workers who wanted a bánh mì for a fifth of the cost, and it lasted five months. Running out of money before customers arrive is the most common culprit; people chronically underestimate how long that quiet stretch lasts. Bad location, a product nobody asked for, copying something that only ever worked because of one person's charm - these all come up again and again. And plenty fail from their own success: a roaring first month, a bigger shop, steeper rent, then an ordinary month that simply can't cover it.
Why this band
GRA“A beautiful bakery opened near my office pricing croissants for tourists on a street of office workers who wanted a bánh mì for a fifth of the cost, and it lasted five months.” — A participial phrase, 'pricing croissants for tourists', replaces the fuller 'selling croissants at tourist prices' construction used at band 7.0, a more compact and flexible way of describing the bakery's strategy.
LR“these all come up again and again” — The repeated phrase 'again and again' is a more vivid, rhythmic way of expressing frequency than the plainer 'come up constantly' phrasing used at band 7.0.
FC“a roaring first month, a bigger shop, steeper rent, then an ordinary month that simply can't cover it” — The vivid adjectives 'roaring' and 'steeper' sharpen the sequence beyond the plainer 'busy' and 'higher' used at band 7.0, giving the closing chain of cause and effect a more dramatic, deliberate finish.
4. Why do some customers prefer to buy from a small shop or store?
Sep–Dec 2026
Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question
Band 6.5
The 6.5 answer gives a direct 'know you vs know your data' contrast with one example, using the plain connector 'also' twice and simple vocabulary like 'a big company' and 'happy to pay'.
Because a small shop can know you, while a big one only knows your data. The stationery shop near my studio has started stocking the exact pen I use for sketching, because the owner noticed I bought it twice - no supermarket would ever do that. Small shops let you ask questions and get a real answer, and bend a rule, which feels like supporting a neighbour, not a company. Some people trust what they can actually see, like the same owner behind the counter for years. The price is usually higher, but many are happy to pay for that.
Why this band
GRA“The stationery shop near my studio has started stocking the exact pen I use for sketching, because the owner noticed I bought it twice - no supermarket would ever do that.” — A long sentence built with a 'because' clause and a dash-led contrast, a fairly direct way of packing in the whole example. A band 7 answer would more likely tighten this comparison.
LR“trust what they can actually see” — A plain, general phrase. A higher band answer would likely use a more specific or vivid way to describe this kind of visible, personal trust.
FC“The price is usually higher, but many are happy to pay for that.” — A short, flat closing sentence stating the conclusion directly with 'but'. A 7.5 answer would more likely phrase this same trade-off more compactly and with a sharper final observation.
Band 7.0
The 7.0 answer upgrades 'a big company' to the more formal 'a corporation', and adds the vivid detail 'the same face for ten years', showing more precise, developed vocabulary than the plainer band 6.5 version.
Because a small shop can know you, and a big one can only know your data. The stationery shop near my studio has started stocking the exact pen I use for sketching, because the owner noticed I bought it twice - no supermarket will ever do that. Small shops let you ask questions and get a real answer, they'll often bend a rule, and buying from them feels like supporting a neighbour rather than a corporation. Some people also trust what they can see: the owner behind the counter, the same face for ten years. The price is usually a bit higher, and plenty of people are happy to pay it for those reasons.
Why this band
LR“supporting a neighbour rather than a corporation” — The more formal, precise word 'corporation' replaces the plainer 'a big company' phrasing used at band 6.5, sharpening the contrast with 'neighbour'.
GRA“Small shops let you ask questions and get a real answer, they'll often bend a rule, and buying from them feels like supporting a neighbour rather than a corporation.” — Three short clauses are strung together with commas before the final 'and', a more varied rhythm than the two-point list joined with 'also' used at band 6.5.
FC“the owner behind the counter, the same face for ten years” — The added vivid detail 'the same face for ten years' extends the point with a concrete image, typical of band 7.0's mild elaboration beyond the more general claim at band 6.5.
Band 7.5
The 7.5 answer uses the vivid 'backing a neighbour rather than a faceless corporation' and the doubled 'the same owner behind the same counter', giving more precise, image-based repetition than the plainer band 7.0 phrasing.
Because a small shop can know you personally, while a big one only knows your data. The stationery shop near my studio started stocking the exact pen I sketch with, simply because the owner noticed I'd bought it twice - no supermarket would ever bother. Small shops let you ask a real question and get a real answer, bend a rule now and then, and buying from them feels like backing a neighbour rather than a faceless corporation. Some people also trust what's visible: the same owner behind the same counter for a decade. The price runs a bit higher, and plenty of people pay it gladly for exactly those reasons.
Why this band
GRA“started stocking the exact pen I sketch with, simply because the owner noticed I'd bought it twice - no supermarket would ever bother” — The compact 'would ever bother' replaces the fuller 'will ever do that' construction used at band 7.0, a more idiomatic and economical way of dismissing the alternative.
LR“backing a neighbour rather than a faceless corporation” — The added adjective 'faceless' sharpens the contrast beyond the plainer 'a corporation' used at band 7.0, giving the impersonal alternative a more vivid, distinctive quality.
FC“the same owner behind the same counter for a decade” — The doubled 'the same...the same' repetition emphasises continuity more deliberately than the single 'the owner behind the counter, the same face' phrasing at band 7.0, a small rhetorical flourish typical of band 7.5.
5. Do customers expect too much from businesses these days?
Sep–Dec 2026
Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question
Band 6.5
The 6.5 answer gives a direct 'in some ways, yes' opinion with one example and one contrast, using the plain connector 'but' once and simple vocabulary like 'the expected standard' and 'really about'.
In some ways, yes, and I see this from the supplier's side. A client once messaged my studio with a design question at eleven on a Sunday night and was surprised when we didn't reply until Monday morning, since an instant reply has become the expected standard. Free delivery, returns, and endless customisation used to be luxuries, but now they're baseline expectations, mostly because a few giant companies set the norm. On the other hand, customers have every right to expect honesty and a working product. So I'd say the excess is really about speed and convenience, not fairness.
Why this band
GRA“A client once messaged my studio with a design question at eleven on a Sunday night and was surprised when we didn't reply until Monday morning, since an instant reply has become the expected standard.” — A long sentence built with 'and', 'when' and 'since' clauses stacked together, a fairly direct way of packing in the whole example. A band 7 answer would more likely split this into two tighter sentences.
LR“the expected standard” — A plain, general phrase. A higher band answer would likely use a more specific or formal word, such as 'the assumed standard', to describe the same shift in expectations.
FC“So I'd say the excess is really about speed and convenience, not fairness.” — A short, flat closing sentence stating the conclusion directly. A 7.5 answer would more likely phrase this same distinction with a sharper contrast, such as pairing it against a claim about fairness made earlier.
Band 7.0
The 7.0 answer upgrades 'the expected standard' to the more precise 'the assumed standard', and adds the sharper closing contrast 'businesses cutting corners have no grounds to complain', showing more developed reasoning than band 6.5.
In some ways, yes, and I see it from the supplier side. A client messaged my studio with a design question at eleven on a Sunday night and was genuinely surprised when we didn't answer until Monday morning - instant reply has become the assumed standard. Free delivery, free returns, endless customisation: things that were luxuries a decade ago are now baseline expectations, mostly because a few giant companies set them and everyone else has to follow. On the other hand, customers have every right to expect honesty and a product that works, and businesses cutting corners have no grounds to complain. The excess is in speed and convenience, not in fairness.
Why this band
LR“instant reply has become the assumed standard” — The more precise word 'assumed' replaces the plainer 'expected' used at band 6.5, subtly suggesting the standard was never explicitly agreed on, just taken for granted.
GRA“Free delivery, free returns, endless customisation: things that were luxuries a decade ago are now baseline expectations, mostly because a few giant companies set them and everyone else has to follow.” — A colon introduces a list directly before the explanation, a more compact and varied structure than the fuller 'used to be...but now they're' sentence used at band 6.5 for the same content.
FC“businesses cutting corners have no grounds to complain” — This added clause sharpens the concession with a specific consequence, a small elaborative touch typical of band 7.0 that a band 6.5 answer would more likely leave implied rather than stated.
Band 7.5
The 7.5 answer uses the vivid 'genuinely thrown' and 'scrambles to keep up' in place of band 7.0's plainer 'genuinely surprised' and 'has to follow', giving the same story more precise, image-based verbs throughout.
In some ways, yes, and I watch it happen from the supplier side. A client once messaged my studio with a design question at eleven on a Sunday night, genuinely thrown that we hadn't replied by Monday morning - instant reply has quietly become the assumed baseline. Free delivery, free returns, endless customisation: what were luxuries a decade ago are now simply expected, largely because a handful of giant companies set the pace and everyone else scrambles to keep up. On the other hand, customers have every right to expect honesty and a product that actually works, and businesses cutting corners have no grounds to complain. The excess sits in speed and convenience, not in fairness.
Why this band
GRA“genuinely thrown that we hadn't replied by Monday morning” — The past perfect 'hadn't replied' inside a compact adjective phrase replaces the fuller 'was...surprised when we didn't answer' construction at band 7.0, a more economical way of expressing the same reaction.
LR“a handful of giant companies set the pace and everyone else scrambles to keep up” — The vivid verb 'scrambles' is far more image-rich than the plainer 'has to follow' phrasing used at band 7.0, capturing urgency rather than simple compliance.
FC“The excess sits in speed and convenience, not in fairness.” — The verb 'sits' gives the closing claim a slightly more deliberate, settled quality than the plainer 'is' used in the equivalent sentence at band 7.0.
6. Is the best form of advertising for a business having satisfied customers?
Sep–Dec 2026
Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question
Band 6.5
The 6.5 answer gives a direct 'yes, for most small businesses' opinion with one example, using the plain connector 'but' once and simple vocabulary like 'really buy' and 'gets it started'.
For most small businesses, yes - Hoa's shop proves it, spending almost nothing on advertising in eight years while it keeps growing through word of mouth at the hostel. A recommendation from a happy customer is trusted in a way no advert can really buy. But it has a limit: it's slow, it only reaches the friends of existing customers, and it doesn't work for something nobody has tried. A new product still needs to announce itself. So satisfied customers are the best advertising for keeping a business alive, and paid advertising sometimes gets it started.
Why this band
GRA“Hoa's shop proves it, spending almost nothing on advertising in eight years while it keeps growing through word of mouth at the hostel.” — A participial phrase ('spending...') attached after a dash, a fairly basic way of packing in the whole example. A band 7 answer would more likely tighten this into a shorter, punchier structure.
LR“no advert can really buy” — A plain, general phrase. A higher band answer would likely use a more precise or idiomatic word to describe the special credibility of a personal recommendation.
FC“So satisfied customers are the best advertising for keeping a business alive, and paid advertising sometimes gets it started.” — A flat closing sentence stating the distinction directly with 'and'. A 7.5 answer would more likely phrase this same contrast more compactly, with a sharper final warning not to confuse the two.
Band 7.0
The 7.0 answer upgrades 'no advert can really buy' to the more precise 'no advert can buy', and closes with the more vivid contrast 'get it born', showing sharper, more deliberate vocabulary than band 6.5.
For most small businesses, yes, and Hoa's shop is the proof - she's spent almost nothing on advertising in eight years, and grows because every tourist tells the next one at the hostel. A recommendation from a satisfied person is trusted in a way no advert can buy. But it has a limit: it's slow, it only reaches the friends of existing customers, and it doesn't work for something nobody has tried yet. A new product still needs to announce itself. So satisfied customers are the best advertising for keeping a business alive, and paid advertising is sometimes the only way to get it born.
Why this band
LR“trusted in a way no advert can buy” — The tighter phrase 'no advert can buy' is more precise and idiomatic than the padded 'no advert can really buy' used at band 6.5, removing the unnecessary intensifier.
GRA“But it has a limit: it's slow, it only reaches the friends of existing customers, and it doesn't work for something nobody has tried yet.” — A colon introduces a compact list of three limitations directly, a more economical structure than the fuller 'since' clause a band 6.5 answer used to introduce the same list.
FC“paid advertising is sometimes the only way to get it born” — The verb 'born' extends the earlier idea of a business being 'kept alive', creating a small consistent metaphor across the sentence, a more deliberate, polished touch than the plainer 'get it started' phrasing at band 6.5.
Band 7.5
The 7.5 answer adds the short final sentence 'The trick is not to confuse the two', a compact closing warning that gives the whole answer a more deliberate, aphoristic finish than band 7.0's ending.
For most small businesses, yes, and Hoa's shop is the proof - she's spent almost nothing on advertising in eight years, and grows because every tourist tells the next one at the hostel. A recommendation from a satisfied person is trusted in a way no advert can buy. But it has a limit: it's slow, it only reaches the friends of existing customers, and it doesn't work for something nobody has tried yet. A new product still needs to announce itself. So I'd say satisfied customers are the best advertising for keeping a business alive, and paid advertising is sometimes the only way to get it born. The trick is not to confuse the two.
Why this band
FC“The trick is not to confuse the two.” — A short, standalone final sentence adds a warning that reframes the whole answer, a more deliberate, aphoristic close than simply stopping at the last point, as band 7.0 does.
LR“get it born” — The consistent metaphor of a business being 'born' rather than simply 'started' is carried through from the earlier idea of keeping it 'alive', a more distinctive, unified image than a plainer alternative would give.
GRA“So I'd say satisfied customers are the best advertising for keeping a business alive, and paid advertising is sometimes the only way to get it born.” — The inserted hedge 'I'd say' softens the closing claim slightly before the final warning sentence, giving the whole ending a more considered, two-part shape than the single flat conclusion at band 7.0.
7. Should governments give financial assistance to anyone who wants to start a business?
Sep–Dec 2026
Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question
Band 6.5
The 6.5 answer gives a direct 'not to anyone' opinion with one example and a list of suggestions, using the plain connector 'also' once and simple vocabulary like 'a long form' and 'the one real test'.
Not to anyone, since that would fund plenty of bad ideas and a few fraudsters. There was a start-up grant scheme in Da Nang a few years ago, and the money mostly went to connected people who could fill in a long form, not to someone with a good idea but no paperwork patience. Governments should make starting a business cheap and simple: easy registration, low taxes, cheap loans for businesses with real customers. Support for groups banks usually ignore also makes sense. But giving money to everyone removes the real test: whether anybody will pay for what you're selling.
Why this band
GRA“There was a start-up grant scheme in Da Nang a few years ago, and the money mostly went to connected people who could fill in a long form, not to someone with a good idea but no paperwork patience.” — A long sentence built from 'and' and 'not to' clauses stacked together, a fairly basic way of packing in the whole example. A band 7 answer would more likely tighten this into a shorter, sharper contrast.
LR“fill in a long form” — A plain, general phrase. A higher band answer would likely use a more specific or vivid detail, such as naming the length of the form, to make the same point more memorably.
FC“But giving money to everyone removes the real test: whether anybody will pay for what you're selling.” — A flat closing sentence stating the conclusion directly. A 7.5 answer would more likely phrase this final point more compactly, without the colon-led explanation.
Band 7.0
The 7.0 answer sharpens the vague 'a long form' into the vivid, specific 'a forty-page form', and names a concrete example ('the woman with six motorbikes'), giving a sharper, more memorable contrast than band 6.5.
Not anyone - that would fund a lot of bad ideas and a few clever fraudsters. There was a start-up grant scheme in Da Nang a few years ago, and from what I saw the money mostly went to people who already had connections and could fill in a forty-page form, not to the woman with six motorbikes and a good idea. Governments should make starting cheap and simple: easy registration, low early taxes, cheap loans for businesses that show real customers. Targeted support for groups banks ignore makes sense too. But handing money to everyone who asks replaces the one test that matters, which is whether anybody will pay for what you're selling.
Why this band
LR“could fill in a forty-page form” — The specific detail 'forty-page' is far more vivid and concrete than the vaguer 'a long form' phrasing used at band 6.5, making the bureaucratic barrier tangible.
GRA“not to the woman with six motorbikes and a good idea” — A concrete, specific noun phrase replaces the vaguer 'someone with a good idea but no paperwork skills' construction at band 6.5, a more compact and memorable way of naming the excluded applicant.
FC“Governments should make starting cheap and simple: easy registration, low early taxes, cheap loans for businesses that show real customers.” — A colon introduces a tight three-part list of policy suggestions directly, a more economical structure than spelling each one out in a fuller sentence, as a band 6.5 answer would likely do.
Band 7.5
The 7.5 answer uses the vivid verb 'bankroll' and the compact 'the money mostly landed with', giving more precise, deliberate vocabulary than band 7.0's plainer 'fund' and 'went to'.
Not to anyone - that would bankroll a lot of bad ideas and a handful of clever fraudsters besides. Da Nang ran a start-up grant scheme a few years back, and from what I saw the money mostly landed with people who already had connections and the patience for a forty-page form, not with the woman running six motorbikes on a genuinely good idea. Governments would do better making starting cheap and simple: easy registration, low early taxes, cheap loans for businesses that can already show real customers. Targeted support for groups the banks overlook makes sense too. But handing money to anyone who asks quietly removes the one test that actually matters - whether anybody will pay for what you're selling.
Why this band
LR“bankroll a lot of bad ideas and a handful of clever fraudsters besides” — The vivid verb 'bankroll' replaces the plainer 'fund' used at band 7.0, and the tacked-on 'besides' gives the sentence a more conversational, idiomatic close.
GRA“the money mostly landed with people who already had connections and the patience for a forty-page form” — The verb 'landed with' and the compact noun phrase 'the patience for a forty-page form' replace the fuller 'went to people who...could fill in' construction at band 7.0, a more economical way of expressing the same idea.
FC“quietly removes the one test that actually matters” — The adverb 'quietly' adds a subtle critical edge absent from the plainer 'replaces the one test that matters' phrasing at band 7.0, giving the closing judgement a sharper, more pointed finish.
8. Should businesses use more of their profits to help society?
Sep–Dec 2026
Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question
Band 6.5
The 6.5 answer gives a direct 'more than most' opinion with one example and one contrast, using the plain connector 'but' once and simple vocabulary like 'suspicious cases' and 'too little'.
More than most do now, though I'd rather they helped through how they operate than through how they donate. A coffee chain in Da Nang funded a school library last year and earned more genuine loyalty than any advert would have - so it's often in their own interest too. But a company that pays fair wages, treats suppliers decently, and doesn't pollute helps society every day, in a way one yearly charity cheque doesn't. Suspicious cases give generously while paying their own staff too little. So more profit should go to society, but mainly through the business itself first.
Why this band
GRA“A coffee chain in Da Nang funded a school library last year and earned more genuine loyalty than any advert would have - so it's often in their own interest too.” — A long sentence built from 'and' and dash-led clauses stacked together, a fairly direct way of packing in the whole example. A band 7 answer would more likely tighten this into a shorter, punchier structure.
LR“paying their own staff too little” — A plain, general phrase. A higher band answer would likely use a more specific or formal word, such as 'underpaying', instead of the everyday 'paying...too little'.
FC“So more profit should go to society, but mainly through the business itself first.” — A flat closing sentence stating the conclusion directly. A 7.5 answer would more likely phrase this same order of priority more compactly, contrasting it explicitly with donations second.
Band 7.0
The 7.0 answer upgrades 'paying their own staff too little' to the more formal 'underpaying staff', and adds the explicit closing order 'through the business itself first, and through donations second', giving a sharper final structure than band 6.5.
More than most currently do, though I'd rather they helped by how they operate than by how they donate. A coffee chain in Da Nang funded a library at a primary school last year, and it earned them more genuine loyalty than any advert - so it's often in their own interest. But a company that pays fair wages, treats suppliers decently and doesn't pollute is helping society every single day, in a way that a charity cheque once a year doesn't. The suspicious cases are firms that give generously while underpaying staff. So yes, more profit should flow to society, but through the business itself first, and through donations second.
Why this band
LR“firms that give generously while underpaying staff” — The more formal, compact verb 'underpaying' replaces the plainer 'paying their own staff too little' phrasing used at band 6.5, tightening the description into a single precise word.
GRA“So yes, more profit should flow to society, but through the business itself first, and through donations second.” — A parallel 'through X first, and through Y second' structure closes the sentence, a more developed and balanced construction than the shorter closing sentence a band 6.5 answer used for the same conclusion.
FC“it earned them more genuine loyalty than any advert - so it's often in their own interest” — The dash-led aside 'so it's often in their own interest' adds a reflective observation about self-interest, a small elaborative touch typical of band 7.0 that a band 6.5 answer states more bluntly.
Band 7.5
The 7.5 answer closes with the compact fragment 'donations a distant second' rather than band 7.0's fuller 'through donations second' clause, and uses the vivid 'the motive was never purely selfless', a sharper, more compressed finish throughout.
More than most currently manage, though I'd rather see it in how a business operates than in how generously it donates. A coffee chain in Da Nang funded a school library last year and earned itself more genuine loyalty than any advert could have bought - so the motive was never purely selfless. But a company paying fair wages, treating suppliers decently and refusing to pollute is quietly helping society every single day, in a way one charity cheque a year never manages. The cases worth watching are firms that give generously while underpaying their own staff. So yes, more profit should flow towards society - through the business itself first, donations a distant second.
Why this band
GRA“earned itself more genuine loyalty than any advert could have bought - so the motive was never purely selfless” — An unreal past conditional ('could have bought') replaces the simpler past tense used at band 7.0, adding a layer of speculative grammar to the same claim.
LR“in a way one charity cheque a year never manages” — The verb 'manages' personifies the charity cheque, treating it as an agent that fails at a task, a more vivid, distinctive choice than the plainer 'doesn't' used in the equivalent clause at band 7.0.
FC“through the business itself first, donations a distant second” — The verbless fragment 'donations a distant second' compresses the closing contrast into a tighter, more idiomatic shape than the fuller 'through donations second' clause used at band 7.0.
9. In the future, will most businesses be able to make a profit without damaging the environment?
Sep–Dec 2026
Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question
Band 6.5
The 6.5 answer gives a direct 'most will, but only once' opinion with one example, using the plain connector 'and' once and simple vocabulary like 'the cheaper option' and 'prices change'.
I think most will, but only once rules and infrastructure make it the cheaper option. Hoa is slowly switching to electric scooters, not really from principle but because they're cheaper to run now that charging points have appeared around Da Nang. That's how it will happen for most businesses - clean choices becoming the profitable ones. Some industries can't change with current technology, like heavy shipping, cement, and farming. Profit without damage depends on damage actually costing money, which needs governments to charge for it. So it's possible for most, likely for many, but certain for none unless prices change.
Why this band
GRA“Hoa is slowly switching to electric scooters, not really from principle but because they're cheaper to run now that charging points have appeared around Da Nang.” — A long sentence built with 'not really from...but because' and 'now that' clauses stacked together, a fairly direct way of packing in the whole example. A band 7 answer would more likely tighten this into a shorter structure.
LR“the cheaper option” — A plain, general phrase. A higher band answer would likely use a more specific or formal word, such as 'the profitable option', to match the more careful register of a higher band.
FC“So it's possible for most, likely for many, but certain for none unless prices change.” — A flat closing sentence with a simple three-part list joined by commas and 'but'. A 7.5 answer would more likely vary the connecting word for a sharper, more rhythmic finish.
Band 7.0
The 7.0 answer upgrades 'not really because of principle' to the more compact 'not out of virtue', and closes with the more precise 'certain for none unless someone changes the prices', showing sharper, more economical phrasing than band 6.5.
I think most will, but only once the rules and infrastructure make it the cheap option. Hoa is gradually switching her fleet to electric scooters - not out of virtue, but because they're cheaper to run and charging points have finally appeared around Da Nang. That's how it will happen for most businesses: clean choices becoming the profitable ones. Some industries genuinely can't, at least with current technology - heavy shipping, cement, a lot of farming. And profit without damage depends on damage actually costing money, which requires governments to charge for it. So it's possible for most, likely for many, and certain for none unless someone changes the prices.
Why this band
LR“not out of virtue, but because they're cheaper to run” — The more formal, compact phrase 'not out of virtue' replaces the plainer 'not really because of principle' construction used at band 6.5, giving the contrast a sharper, more deliberate edge.
GRA“That's how it will happen for most businesses: clean choices becoming the profitable ones.” — A colon introduces a compact noun-phrase explanation directly, a more economical structure than the fuller 'the clean choice slowly becoming' sentence used at band 6.5 for the same idea.
FC“So it's possible for most, likely for many, and certain for none unless someone changes the prices.” — The final clause names an agent, 'someone changes the prices', rather than the passive 'unless prices change' used at band 6.5, giving the closing point a slightly sharper, more active edge.
Band 7.5
The 7.5 answer fronts the concession with 'not from any sense of virtue' and closes with the colon-led 'So: possible for most...', a more compressed, rhetorically pointed structure than band 7.0's fuller equivalent sentences.
Most, I think, but only once rules and infrastructure make the clean option the cheap one. Hoa is slowly converting her fleet to electric scooters, not from any sense of virtue but because they cost less to run now that charging points have finally sprung up around Da Nang. That's the likely pattern for most businesses: green choices turning profitable, not the other way round. Some industries genuinely can't follow, not with current technology - heavy shipping, cement, most of farming. And profit without damage ultimately depends on damage actually carrying a price tag, which only governments can attach. So: possible for most, likely for many, certain for none, unless somebody moves the prices.
Why this band
GRA“not from any sense of virtue but because they cost less to run now that charging points have finally sprung up around Da Nang” — The fronted 'not from any sense of virtue' inverts the usual word order for emphasis, a more flexible, rhetorically pointed structure than the plainer 'not out of virtue, but because' clause used at band 7.0.
LR“green choices turning profitable, not the other way round” — The added tag 'not the other way round' sharpens the causal claim beyond the plainer 'clean choices becoming the profitable ones' phrasing at band 7.0, ruling out the reverse explanation explicitly.
FC“So: possible for most, likely for many, certain for none, unless somebody moves the prices.” — A colon replaces the connective 'it's' used at band 7.0, and the final clause names an agent, 'somebody moves the prices', giving the closing rhythm a tighter, more active finish.

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 You Know Who Has a Successful Business", 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?: Yes — it's part of the current exam period (Sep–Dec 2026).