A Person You Know Who Is Good at Making Things

Part 3 follow-up questions

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

1. 1. What kinds of things do children like to make?

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

   Band 6.5

   The 6.5 answer gives a direct opinion with one plain example introduced by 'For example, my sister used to fold paper animals for hours', using simple connectors and modest everyday vocabulary throughout.

   Children usually like making simple things, like paper boats, clay figures, or bracelets with beads. For example, my sister used to fold paper animals for hours when she was small, and she was very patient with it. Kids also like building things, such as blocks or sandcastles at the beach, because they can see the result quickly. I think they enjoy it because they can create something by themselves, and this makes them feel proud.

   Why this band

   • FC“For example, my sister used to fold paper animals for hours” — The example is introduced with the plain, explicit marker 'For example', a straightforward FC strategy typical of 6.5 speech. A 7.0+ answer would more often fold the example in naturally, for instance with 'I remember my sister...', rather than flagging it so directly.
   • LR“bracelets with beads” — 'Bracelets with beads' is plain, literal vocabulary with no attempt at a more precise collocation. A 7.5 answer would likely tighten this into something like 'bead bracelets', showing a small step up in word-choice economy.
   • GRA“because they can see the result quickly” — This is a short, single-clause reason joined with the simplest possible connector. A 7.0 or 7.5 answer would more likely embed this inside a longer sentence with a linking clause such as 'since it lets them see an immediate result', showing more grammatical range.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer opens with the natural spoken hedge 'Honestly, children tend to make fairly simple things' and adds a small reflective aside about the sister's patience, showing more nuance than a flat statement.

   Honestly, children tend to make fairly simple things — paper boats, clay figures, little bead bracelets, that kind of thing. I remember my younger sister being completely absorbed in folding paper animals for hours, which was surprising because she wasn't usually that patient. They also love building things like blocks or sandcastles at the beach, since it lets them see an immediate result from their own hands. I'd say the real appeal is having control over something, because in most of their daily life, it's actually the adults who decide everything for them.

   Why this band

   • FC“Honestly, children tend to make fairly simple things” — Opening with the spoken hedge 'Honestly' rather than a flat statement is a hallmark of 7.0 fluency. A 6.5 answer would more likely start with the bare claim alone, and a 7.5 answer might save this kind of hedge for a more reflective closing line instead.
   • LR“completely absorbed in folding paper animals” — This is a moderately less-common collocation compared to a plainer phrase like 'liked folding paper animals a lot'. It is not yet as vivid as the 7.5 phrase 'painstaking about it', but it shows more precision than the 6.5 band.
   • GRA“which was surprising because she wasn't usually that patient” — This adds a relative clause plus an embedded reason, giving the sentence more grammatical complexity than the short, separate clauses typical of 6.5. It stops short of the fronted or inverted structures a 7.5 answer might use.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer uses the compact evaluative closer 'What it really boils down to, I'd say, is control' along with the less-common word 'painstaking', giving the answer a more idiomatic, polished finish.

   Drawings and simple crafts mostly — paper boats, clay figures, bead bracelets, nothing that requires much beyond patience and a bit of imagination. My sister, when she was small, would sit for hours completely absorbed in folding paper animals, far more painstaking about it than I ever managed to be. Building things has the same pull too: blocks, sandcastles at the beach, anything that turns effort into something tangible almost instantly. What it really boils down to, I'd say, is control — the chance to create something entirely their own in a world where grown-ups otherwise call the shots on everything else.

   Why this band

   • FC“What it really boils down to, I'd say, is control” — This closing line is a compact, idiomatic wrap-up rather than a plain restatement, giving the answer a more polished finish than the flatter closings typical of 6.5 or 7.0, which would likely just repeat 'I think the reason is control'.
   • LR“far more painstaking about it than I ever managed to be” — This uses the genuinely less-common word 'painstaking' in place of an ordinary word like 'careful' or 'patient'. A 6.5 answer would almost certainly use the plainer option instead.
   • GRA“anything that turns effort into something tangible almost instantly” — This is a compressed relative clause packed into a single flowing sentence, rather than being split into two short sentences as a 6.5 answer would do. This kind of economical construction is typical of top-band grammar.

2. 2. Do you think all children should have classes in art and craft at school?

   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, I think so' opinion with one supporting reason and closes with the plain restatement 'So I think art and craft should be a normal part of school'.

   Yes, I think so, because art classes teach children useful skills, not just drawing. For example, my own design career actually started with normal art classes in Hanoi, and that is where I first realized I liked visual work. If I hadn't had those classes, I probably would not have chosen design as a job. So I think art and craft should be a normal part of school, not just an extra subject.

   Why this band

   • FC“So I think art and craft should be a normal part of school” — This closes with a plain, direct restatement of the opinion using the simplest connector 'So'. A 7.0 answer would likely soften this with a hedge like 'I'd say' rather than stating it so bluntly.
   • LR“not just an extra subject” — This uses everyday, unremarkable vocabulary. A 7.5 answer would likely reach for a more idiomatic phrase such as 'tacked on at the edges' instead of this plain wording.
   • GRA“If I hadn't had those classes, I probably would not have chosen design as a job.” — This is a full third-conditional structure, more ambitious than most 6.5 grammar, though it is still delivered as a standalone sentence rather than woven into a longer clause the way a 7.5 answer might do.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer softens the opinion with 'honestly, I really do' and 'to be fair', and links ideas with the clause 'which are useful in almost any field', showing the natural qualifying tone typical of 7.0.

   Yes, honestly, I really do, even for kids who never end up doing anything creative as a job. To be fair, art class teaches more than drawing — things like patience and problem-solving, which are useful in almost any field. My own design career actually started with fairly ordinary art classes back in Hanoi, and that's where I first realized visual work interested me at all. So I'd say it deserves a proper place in the curriculum rather than being treated as optional.

   Why this band

   • FC“To be fair, art class teaches more than drawing” — This uses the natural qualifying phrase 'to be fair' to add a small concession, a marker of 7.0 reflection that a 6.5 answer would typically skip in favour of a flat statement.
   • LR“deserves a proper place in the curriculum” — This is a moderate collocation, stepping up from a plain phrase like 'should be taught in school' without yet reaching the more idiomatic phrasing a 7.5 answer uses, such as 'a permanent place ... not some optional extra'.
   • GRA“which are useful in almost any field” — This relative clause is tacked onto the end of a longer sentence, giving it more grammatical reach than the short separate sentences typical of 6.5, though it is a simpler structure than the inverted conditional a 7.5 answer uses.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer uses a fronted inverted conditional, 'Had that exposure never happened, I doubt design would have crossed my mind as a career', a structure well beyond the plain grammar of lower bands.

   Yes, genuinely, even for children who never go on to do anything creative professionally. Art class instils patience, problem-solving, and a kind of quiet confidence that comes from making something with your own hands — skills that carry well beyond drawing itself. My own design career, in fact, traces back to fairly ordinary school art classes in Hanoi, which is where I first discovered I enjoyed visual work at all. Had that exposure never happened, I doubt design would have crossed my mind as a career. So it deserves a permanent place in the curriculum, not some optional extra tacked on at the edges.

   Why this band

   • FC“So it deserves a permanent place in the curriculum, not some optional extra tacked on at the edges.” — This closes with a vivid, slightly idiomatic image rather than a plain restatement, giving the answer a more memorable finish than the flatter closings of 6.5 or 7.0.
   • LR“instils patience, problem-solving, and a kind of quiet confidence” — This uses the less-common verb 'instils' in place of an ordinary word like 'teaches' or 'gives', a precise word choice a 6.5 or 7.0 answer would be unlikely to reach for.
   • GRA“Had that exposure never happened, I doubt design would have crossed my mind as a career.” — This is a fronted, inverted conditional ('Had... never happened' instead of 'If it had never happened'), a more flexible and compact structure than the standard if-clause a 7.0 answer uses.

3. 3. Why do many parents keep things their children have made?

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

   Band 6.5

   The 6.5 answer relies on the simple connector 'So' and everyday phrasing like 'a special time', keeping the sentences short and the vocabulary modest.

   I think parents keep these things because they are sentimental and remind them of a special time. For example, my mother still keeps a clay bowl I made when I was about seven years old in her kitchen in Hue, even after so many years. Parents are also proud of the effort their child made, not just the final result. So I think they keep these things because childhood passes quickly, and it feels nice to keep something real from that time.

   Why this band

   • FC“So I think they keep these things because childhood passes quickly” — This restates the opinion plainly at the end using the simplest connector 'So', typical of the direct, unembellished structure of 6.5 answers.
   • LR“a special time” — This is generic, plain vocabulary. A 7.0 or 7.5 answer would likely replace this with a more specific phrase like 'a specific stage in their child's life', showing more precision.
   • GRA“even after so many years” — This short prepositional tag is added to the end of a simple sentence, rather than being integrated into a longer, more complex clause the way higher-band answers tend to do.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer opens with the spoken hedge 'I'd say it's mostly sentimental, honestly' and reaches for the mild collocation 'rather lopsided clay bowl' instead of the plainest available word.

   I'd say it's mostly sentimental, honestly — a physical reminder of a specific stage in their child's life that photos alone don't quite capture in the same way. My mother, for instance, still displays a rather lopsided clay bowl I made when I was about seven in her kitchen back in Hue, decades later. There's pride involved too, since parents often want to celebrate effort rather than just the finished result. To be fair, I think it's mainly because childhood goes by so fast, and holding onto something handmade feels like holding onto a piece of it.

   Why this band

   • FC“To be fair, I think it's mainly because childhood goes by so fast” — This uses the natural qualifying phrase 'to be fair' before restating the opinion, showing the mild reflective tone typical of 7.0, something a 6.5 answer would likely skip.
   • LR“rather lopsided clay bowl” — This is a mild, natural collocation, more descriptive than a bare word like 'bowl' but not as vivid as the 7.5 phrase 'wonky little clay bowl'.
   • GRA“that photos alone don't quite capture in the same way” — This relative clause is embedded inside a longer sentence, giving more grammatical range than the short separate sentences of 6.5, though it is less compressed than the fronted noun phrase a 7.5 answer opens with.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer opens with a dense, fronted noun-phrase construction, 'a tangible reminder of a specific moment in a child's development that photographs alone never quite manage to capture', showing the compact grammar typical of the top band.

   Mostly sentimental, I'd say — a tangible reminder of a specific moment in a child's development that photographs alone never quite manage to capture. My mother still has a wonky little clay bowl I made around age seven sitting in her kitchen back in Hue, decades on. There's pride bound up in it too, a wish to celebrate the effort rather than just the polished result. Honestly, though, I think it comes down to how quickly childhood slips by, and keeping something handmade feels like holding onto a small, tangible piece of a stage that's otherwise gone for good.

   Why this band

   • FC“Honestly, though, I think it comes down to how quickly childhood slips by” — This uses a layered hedge ('Honestly, though') before a reflective conclusion, giving the closing more nuance than the plainer 'So I think' openings typical of 6.5.
   • LR“wonky little clay bowl” — This is a vivid, slightly idiomatic description that a 6.5 answer would likely flatten into just 'clay bowl', and even a 7.0 answer would probably only reach the milder 'rather lopsided clay bowl'.
   • GRA“a tangible reminder of a specific moment in a child's development that photographs alone never quite manage to capture” — This opening sentence fronts a dense noun phrase, packing a full idea into one compact structure rather than splitting it across several short sentences as a 6.5 answer would.

4. 4. How important is it for creative people to have quiet time alone?

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

   Band 6.5

   The 6.5 answer states the opinion plainly, 'I think it is very important, at least for me', and uses the simple connector 'So' before a basic closing reason.

   I think it is very important, at least for me. My best design ideas usually do not come in busy meetings. They come early in the morning when I am having coffee and sketching alone before work starts. Working with other people is useful for improving ideas, but I need quiet time first to think clearly. So I believe creative people need some time alone, or they just react to whatever is loudest around them.

   Why this band

   • FC“So I believe creative people need some time alone” — This closes with a plain, direct summary joined by the simplest connector 'So', typical of the unembellished structure of 6.5.
   • LR“very important” — This is the most basic possible intensifier-plus-adjective combination. A 7.0 or 7.5 answer would likely swap this for a stronger single word like 'extremely important'.
   • GRA“before work starts” — This short, simple time phrase is tacked onto the end of a sentence, rather than being folded into a longer descriptive clause the way the 7.0 and 7.5 versions do.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer opens with the spoken hedge 'Extremely important, honestly, at least in my own experience' and builds one longer linking clause about the morning routine, showing more natural flow than a flat statement.

   Extremely important, honestly, at least in my own experience. My best ideas rarely show up during meetings — they tend to appear early in the morning while I'm having coffee and sketching alone, before the office gets noisy around eight. Collaboration is useful for refining ideas later on, but the initial spark usually needs some space without other people's opinions crowding it out. I'd say creative people need that quiet stretch to actually hear their own thinking clearly.

   Why this band

   • FC“Extremely important, honestly, at least in my own experience.” — Opening with this layered hedge rather than a flat claim shows the natural reflective tone of 7.0 that a 6.5 answer typically lacks.
   • LR“crowding it out” — This is a natural, moderately idiomatic collocation for unwanted interference, a step up from a plainer phrase like 'getting in the way' without being as vivid as the 7.5 phrase 'coffee in hand'.
   • GRA“they tend to appear early in the morning while I'm having coffee and sketching alone, before the office gets noisy around eight” — This long clause links several ideas with 'while' and 'before' inside one sentence, showing more grammatical range than the short, separate sentences of 6.5.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer uses the compact, idiomatic phrase 'coffee in hand' and the closing clause 'before the office stirs into noise around eight', giving it a more vivid, economical feel.

   Extremely important, in my experience at least — arguably non-negotiable. My best ideas rarely surface in meetings; they tend to arrive early in the morning, coffee in hand, sketching alone before the office stirs into noise around eight. Collaboration has its place for refining ideas later, but that initial spark needs some mental elbow room, free of interruptions or other people's opinions crowding it out. Without that quiet stretch, I think creative people end up merely reacting to whatever's loudest in the room, rather than actually hearing their own thinking.

   Why this band

   • FC“Without that quiet stretch, I think creative people end up merely reacting to whatever's loudest in the room” — This closes with a fronted conditional-style clause and an evaluative point, giving the ending more shape than the plainer closings of 6.5 or 7.0.
   • LR“coffee in hand” — This is a compact, idiomatic image in place of a plain phrase like 'while drinking coffee', the kind of vivid shorthand a 6.5 answer would be unlikely to use.
   • GRA“before the office stirs into noise around eight” — This uses the verb 'stirs' figuratively in a compressed descriptive phrase, rather than the plain, literal 'before the office gets noisy' a 7.0 answer uses, showing more flexible grammar and word choice together.

5. 5. Is creativity something people are born with, or can it be learned?

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

   Band 6.5

   The 6.5 answer gives a direct mixed opinion, 'I think it is a bit of both, but mostly it can be learned with practice', joining ideas with the simple connector 'but'.

   I think it is a bit of both, but mostly it can be learned with practice. Some people notice patterns more easily, that is true, but skills like composition or color theory are things I had to study at university. I have seen colleagues who did not seem creative at first get much better just from years of practice and feedback. So natural talent helps a little, but hard work matters more in the end.

   Why this band

   • FC“So natural talent helps a little, but hard work matters more in the end.” — This restates the opinion plainly at the end using the basic connector 'but', typical of the direct, low-hedging style of 6.5.
   • LR“get much better” — This is plain, general vocabulary for improvement. A 7.5 answer would likely reach for a more specific verb like 'transform' instead.
   • GRA“Some people notice patterns more easily, that is true, but skills like composition or color theory are things I had to study at university.” — This strings two ideas together with a basic 'but', rather than using the more compact inverted structure a 7.0 or 7.5 answer builds with 'not something I was simply born knowing'.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer layers hedges together, 'Honestly, I'd say it's a mix, though I lean toward thinking', and uses the inverted structure 'not something I was simply born knowing' for extra grammatical range.

   Honestly, I'd say it's a mix, though I lean toward thinking it's mostly learnable with the right kind of practice. Some people do notice details or patterns more naturally, sure, but technical skills like composition or colour theory are things I had to study deliberately at university, not something I was simply born knowing. I've watched colleagues who initially seemed to have no design instinct at all improve dramatically over a couple of years of consistent practice. So while natural inclination gives some people a head start, effort seems to matter more long-term.

   Why this band

   • FC“Honestly, I'd say it's a mix, though I lean toward thinking it's mostly learnable” — This layers two hedges together, showing more reflective nuance than the flat opinion statement typical of 6.5.
   • LR“no design instinct at all” — This is a natural, moderately emphatic phrase, more precise than a plain 'not creative' but less vivid than the 7.5 phrase 'zero design instinct'.
   • GRA“not something I was simply born knowing” — This inverts the expected word order for emphasis rather than using a plain statement like 'I did not know it naturally', showing more grammatical flexibility than 6.5 sentence patterns.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer reaches for the less-common verb collocation 'grind through deliberately' and closes with the compressed comparative 'sustained effort seems to count for considerably more in the long run'.

   It's a mix, honestly, though if pushed I'd lean toward creativity being mostly learnable, given the right kind of practice. Some people do pick up on patterns more instinctively, granted, but technical skills like composition or colour theory were things I had to grind through deliberately at university rather than knowing innately. I've watched colleagues who initially showed zero design instinct transform dramatically after a couple of years of steady practice and honest feedback. So while natural inclination might hand a few people a head start, sustained effort seems to count for considerably more in the long run.

   Why this band

   • FC“It's a mix, honestly, though if pushed I'd lean toward creativity being mostly learnable” — This adds the extra conditional hedge 'if pushed', a more nuanced qualifying move than the simpler hedging in the 7.0 version.
   • LR“grind through deliberately” — This uses the informal but precise verb 'grind' in place of a plain word like 'study' or 'learn', a genuinely less-common word choice that lower bands would be unlikely to reach for.
   • GRA“sustained effort seems to count for considerably more in the long run” — This compresses a comparison into a single flowing clause using 'considerably more', rather than the more basic comparative structure ('matters more in the end') used in the 6.5 answer.

6. 6. What challenges do creative people often face?

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

   Band 6.5

   The 6.5 answer lists challenges with the plain connector 'Also' and closes with a simple statement, 'So I think the hardest part is continuing to create even when you do not feel inspired'.

   I think self-doubt is a big challenge, because you often compare your work to other people, for example on Dribbble, and wonder if it is good enough. It is also hard to make creative work into a job that pays well, because clients do not always value design much. Also, deadlines can be too short for good ideas to develop properly. So I think the hardest part is continuing to create even when you do not feel inspired.

   Why this band

   • FC“So I think the hardest part is continuing to create even when you do not feel inspired.” — This closes with a plain, direct restatement using the basic connector 'So', typical of 6.5's straightforward structure.
   • LR“good enough” — This is a very common, general phrase. A 7.0 or 7.5 answer would likely replace it with a more specific verb like 'measures up' or 'holds up'.
   • GRA“because clients do not always value design much” — This short, single because-clause is simpler than the comparative structure ('as much as they should') that the 7.0 and 7.5 versions use in the same spot.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer opens with the spoken filler 'Self-doubt is a big one, honestly' and uses the comparative clause 'since clients don't always value design as much as they should' for added grammatical complexity.

   Self-doubt is a big one, honestly — constantly comparing your work to others on platforms like Dribbble and wondering if it measures up. There's also the practical challenge of turning creative passion into something that actually pays reliably, since clients don't always value design as much as they should. Deadlines can clash with the slower pace good ideas sometimes need to develop properly. I'd say the hardest part is staying consistent even when inspiration doesn't show up on schedule.

   Why this band

   • FC“I'd say the hardest part is staying consistent even when inspiration doesn't show up on schedule.” — This closes with a softened hedge 'I'd say' rather than the blunter 'So I think' of the 6.5 version, showing the milder qualifying tone typical of 7.0.
   • LR“measures up” — This is a natural, moderately idiomatic phrase for meeting a standard, a step up in precision from the plain 'good enough' used at 6.5, though not as strikingly worded as the 7.5 phrase 'measuring your own work against everyone else's'.
   • GRA“since clients don't always value design as much as they should” — This uses a comparative clause with 'as...as', adding grammatical complexity beyond the simple because-clause of the 6.5 answer.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer uses the less-common phrase 'measuring your own work against everyone else's' and the dense compressed noun phrase 'the slower, more organic pace decent ideas often need to properly take shape'.

   Self-doubt tops the list, honestly — endlessly measuring your own work against everyone else's on platforms like Dribbble and wondering whether it holds up. There's also the practical grind of turning creative passion into something that actually pays reliably, since clients don't always rate design as highly as they should. Deadlines, meanwhile, tend to clash with the slower, more organic pace decent ideas often need to properly take shape. What's hardest, I think, is showing up and creating consistently even when inspiration simply refuses to arrive on schedule.

   Why this band

   • FC“What's hardest, I think, is showing up and creating consistently even when inspiration simply refuses to arrive on schedule.” — This personifies inspiration with 'refuses to arrive', giving the closing line more vivid shape than the flatter endings of 6.5 and 7.0.
   • LR“endlessly measuring your own work against everyone else's” — This is a more vivid, idiomatic phrasing than the plain 'comparing your work to others' a 6.5 answer would use.
   • GRA“the slower, more organic pace decent ideas often need to properly take shape” — This packs a comparative adjective, an adverb, and an embedded clause into one compact noun phrase, a denser construction than the simpler sentence-by-sentence structure of the 6.5 answer.

7. 7. How can a team benefit from having people who think in creative ways?

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

   Band 6.5

   The 6.5 answer keeps sentences short and plain, using 'So creative members help the team think differently' as a simple closing statement.

   Creative thinkers can see unusual solutions that other, more logical team members might not notice. For example, at my studio, one developer thinks very logically, while I think more visually, and our best app features usually come from combining both ideas together. If a team only has similar thinkers, they might get stuck with the same kind of ideas. So creative members help the team think differently, and this usually makes the final product better.

   Why this band

   • FC“So creative members help the team think differently” — This closes with a plain, direct summary joined by the simplest connector 'So', typical of the unembellished structure of 6.5.
   • LR“unusual solutions” — This is plain, general vocabulary. A 7.0 or 7.5 answer would likely use the more specific collocation 'unconventional solutions' instead.
   • GRA“If a team only has similar thinkers, they might get stuck with the same kind of ideas.” — This is a simple first-conditional sentence, more basic than the risk-based structure ('risks getting stuck') the higher bands use in the same spot.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer reaches for the moderately less-common collocation 'process-driven colleagues' and builds the risk-based clause 'risks getting stuck in predictable patterns'.

   Creative thinkers tend to spot unconventional solutions that more literal, process-driven colleagues might overlook entirely. At my studio, for instance, one of our developers approaches problems very logically, while I tend to think more visually, and honestly our best app features usually come from combining both perspectives. A team made up of only similar thinkers risks getting stuck in predictable patterns. I'd say creative members push everyone to question assumptions, which usually results in a stronger final product.

   Why this band

   • FC“I'd say creative members push everyone to question assumptions” — This opens with the softening hedge 'I'd say' rather than a blunt statement, showing the natural qualifying tone typical of 7.0.
   • LR“process-driven colleagues” — This is a moderately precise collocation, more specific than a plain phrase like 'logical colleagues' though less layered than the 7.5 phrasing built around the same idea.
   • GRA“A team made up of only similar thinkers risks getting stuck in predictable patterns.” — This uses the verb 'risks' plus a gerund clause instead of the simpler if-clause structure the 6.5 answer relies on, showing more grammatical range.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer embeds a parenthetical aside inside a long clause, 'which, even when it drags a meeting out slightly, tends to yield a noticeably sharper final product', showing flexible, idiomatic grammar.

   Creative thinkers tend to spot the unconventional solutions that more literal, process-driven colleagues might overlook entirely. At my studio, one developer approaches problems in a strictly logical way, while I lean more visual, and our strongest app features usually emerge from the two perspectives clashing, in a good way, during debates over how something should work. A team stacked with only similar thinkers risks getting stuck in predictable ruts. Creative members push everyone to question assumptions, which, even when it drags a meeting out slightly, tends to yield a noticeably sharper final product.

   Why this band

   • FC“Creative members push everyone to question assumptions, which, even when it drags a meeting out slightly, tends to yield a noticeably sharper final product.” — This embeds a concessive aside directly inside the main clause using commas, a more flexible sentence-building move than the separate short sentences of 6.5 and 7.0.
   • LR“getting stuck in predictable ruts” — This is a more vivid, idiomatic image than the plainer 'predictable patterns' used in the 7.0 answer.
   • GRA“our strongest app features usually emerge from the two perspectives clashing, in a good way, during debates over how something should work” — This uses a participial phrase ('clashing') with a parenthetical insertion inside one long sentence, a denser and more flexible construction than the shorter, separated sentences of 6.5.

8. 8. What impact can creative arts such as music and theatre have on society?

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

   Band 6.5

   The 6.5 answer states its point plainly and closes with the simple connector-led sentence 'I also think the arts help keep culture alive'.

   I think the arts give people a shared way to feel emotions that normal discussion cannot really give. A song or a play can make people feel sympathy for lives very different from their own, more than statistics can. I went to a small theatre show in Da Nang last year about people moving from villages to cities, and I still remember it clearly. I also think the arts help keep culture alive, which is important as cities change so fast.

   Why this band

   • FC“I also think the arts help keep culture alive” — This adds a final point using the plain connector 'also', typical of the simple, list-like structure of 6.5 answers.
   • LR“normal discussion” — This is plain, general vocabulary. A 7.0 or 7.5 answer would likely use the more precise phrase 'logical discussion' instead.
   • GRA“I went to a small theatre show in Da Nang last year about people moving from villages to cities, and I still remember it clearly.” — This is built as one plain compound sentence joined by 'and', simpler than the comparative clause ('far longer than any article ... would have') that the higher-band answers use in the same spot.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer opens the closing idea with the linking phrase 'Beyond that emotional impact' and uses the comparative clause 'far longer than any article on the same topic would have'.

   I'd say the arts give people a shared emotional language that logical discussion alone can't really provide. A song or a play can make people feel empathy for experiences completely different from their own, in a way that statistics rarely manage. I went to a small theatre performance in Da Nang last year about rural-to-city migration, and honestly it stayed with me far longer than any article on the same topic would have. Beyond that emotional impact, the arts also help preserve cultural identity across generations.

   Why this band

   • FC“Beyond that emotional impact, the arts also help preserve cultural identity across generations.” — This opens the closing idea with the linking phrase 'beyond that', showing more structured, reflective flow than the plain 'also' used at 6.5.
   • LR“empathy for experiences completely different from their own” — This is a fuller, more precise phrasing than the plain 'feel bad for other people' a 6.5 answer might use, though it is less compact than the 7.5 phrase 'experiences worlds apart from your own'.
   • GRA“it stayed with me far longer than any article on the same topic would have” — This uses a comparative structure with an implied second clause ('would have stayed'), a more sophisticated construction than the simple compound sentence used at 6.5.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer uses the vivid, less-common verb 'conjure' in 'can conjure empathy for experiences worlds apart from your own' and closes with an extended, reflective relative clause.

   I think the arts hand people a shared emotional language that dry, logical discussion simply can't replicate. A song or a play can conjure empathy for experiences worlds apart from your own in a way statistics rarely manage. I caught a small theatre performance in Da Nang last year that tackled rural-to-city migration, and it stuck with me far longer than any article covering the same ground ever could. Beyond the emotional pull, the arts quietly preserve cultural identity across generations too, which feels increasingly vital as cities modernise so rapidly around us.

   Why this band

   • FC“Beyond the emotional pull, the arts quietly preserve cultural identity across generations too, which feels increasingly vital as cities modernise so rapidly around us.” — This extends the closing idea with a trailing relative clause for added reflection, giving the ending more weight than the shorter closings of 6.5 and 7.0.
   • LR“conjure empathy for experiences worlds apart from your own” — This uses the less-common, evocative verb 'conjure' in place of the plainer 'make people feel' used at 6.5 and 7.0.
   • GRA“it stuck with me far longer than any article covering the same ground ever could” — This uses a compressed comparative with an implied ellipsis ('ever could stick with me'), an even tighter construction than the similar comparative in the 7.0 answer.

9. 9. Do you think the development of new technology will ultimately inspire or limit creativity?

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

   Band 6.5

   The 6.5 answer states the opinion directly, 'I think it can do both, depending on how people use it', and closes with a plain restatement joined by 'So'.

   I think it can do both, depending on how people use it. For example, tools like AI help me explore ideas faster in my own design work, and this feels inspiring, not limiting. But I also worry that using AI suggestions too much could make people's own skills weaker over time, similar to how spellcheck made some people's spelling worse. So I think technology itself is neutral, and it really depends on how people choose to use it.

   Why this band

   • FC“So I think technology itself is neutral” — This closes with a plain, direct restatement using the basic connector 'So', typical of the straightforward structure of 6.5.
   • LR“explore ideas faster” — This is plain, general vocabulary. A 7.0 or 7.5 answer would likely narrow this to the more specific 'explore visual directions faster'.
   • GRA“similar to how spellcheck made some people's spelling worse” — This is a fairly plain comparative clause, simpler than the more idiomatic comparative phrasing ('not unlike how...') the 7.5 answer uses for the same idea.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer uses the natural qualifying connector 'That said' before the concern, and inserts the hedging adverb 'arguably' into the spellcheck comparison.

   Honestly, I think it'll do both, depending on how it's actually used. Tools like AI already help me explore visual directions faster in my own work, which feels genuinely inspiring rather than limiting. That said, I do worry that relying on generated suggestions too heavily could quietly weaken people's own instincts over time, the same way spellcheck arguably weakened some people's spelling. So I'd say the technology itself is fairly neutral — it comes down to whether people use it to expand their thinking or to skip the effort altogether.

   Why this band

   • FC“That said, I do worry that relying on generated suggestions too heavily could quietly weaken people's own instincts over time” — This uses the natural qualifying connector 'that said' to introduce a concern, showing the mild reflective balance typical of 7.0 that the 6.5 answer skips in favour of a flat 'but'.
   • LR“explore visual directions faster” — This is a more specific, field-appropriate collocation than the generic 'explore ideas faster' used at 6.5.
   • GRA“the same way spellcheck arguably weakened some people's spelling” — This inserts the hedging adverb 'arguably' into the comparative clause, adding a layer of nuance beyond the plainer comparative used at 6.5.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer closes with a semicolon-linked contrast, 'the technology itself seems fairly neutral; what actually matters is whether people use it...', and uses the less-common phrase 'not unlike'.

   Honestly, I think it cuts both ways, depending entirely on how it gets used. Tools like AI already help me explore visual directions faster in my own work, which feels genuinely inspiring rather than limiting. That said, leaning too heavily on generated suggestions risks quietly dulling people's own instincts over time, not unlike how spellcheck arguably eroded some people's spelling. So the technology itself seems fairly neutral; what actually matters is whether people use it to stretch their thinking or simply to dodge the effort of thinking at all.

   Why this band

   • FC“So the technology itself seems fairly neutral; what actually matters is whether people use it to stretch their thinking or simply to dodge the effort of thinking at all.” — This uses a semicolon to join two balanced ideas into one flowing sentence, a more sophisticated closing structure than the separate short sentences of 6.5 and 7.0.
   • LR“quietly dulling people's own instincts” — This uses the more vivid verb 'dulling' in place of the plainer 'weaken' used in the 6.5 and 7.0 answers.
   • GRA“not unlike how spellcheck arguably eroded some people's spelling” — This uses the less-common double-negative construction 'not unlike' instead of the plainer 'similar to' used at 6.5, along with the more vivid verb 'eroded' in place of 'weakened'.

10. 10. What kinds of things do children usually make by hand?

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

    Band 6.5

    Introduces the example with the plain connector 'For example' and lists the animals with a simple 'and' before the final item.

    I think most children like making quite simple things by hand, like paper crafts or small models using whatever materials are around the house. For example, my younger cousin Vy, who lives in Hue, spent a whole weekend last summer making little animal figures from coloured clay. She made tiny turtles, cats, and even a dragon, and then lined them up on her bookshelf. It was quite cute. I guess it's because handmade things feel personal. Some children prefer drawing or LEGO instead, but crafts like these are common.

    Why this band

    • FC“For example, my younger cousin Vy, who lives in Hue, spent a whole weekend last summer making little animal figures from coloured clay.” — The example is introduced with the plain, front-loaded connector 'For example'. The 7.5 version drops this connector entirely, folding straight into the example, a more fluent, less mechanical way of moving from generalisation to illustration.
    • LR“using whatever materials are around the house” — This is a workable, plain description. The 7.0/7.5 versions replace it with the more idiomatic phrase 'lying around the house' / 'lying around', a more natural, vivid collocation for describing miscellaneous household objects.
    • GRA“She made tiny turtles, cats, and even a dragon, and then lined them up on her bookshelf.” — This sentence joins two actions with 'and then'. The 7.5 version restructures this into a dash-led appositive list followed by a participle clause ('before lining them all up'), a noticeably more compact and sophisticated way of presenting the same sequence of actions.

    Band 7.0

    Uses 'I'd say' to hedge the claim about appeal and adds 'actually' and 'genuinely' as natural spoken intensifiers.

    I think most children like to make fairly simple things by hand, like paper crafts or small models using whatever materials happen to be lying around the house. My younger cousin Vy, who lives in Hue, spent a whole weekend last summer making little animal figures out of coloured clay. She shaped tiny turtles, cats, and even a dragon, then lined them up along her bookshelf. It was quite cute, actually, and she seemed genuinely proud of them. I'd say part of the appeal is that handmade things feel personal. Some children might prefer drawing or LEGO instead, but crafts like these are really common.

    Why this band

    • FC“It was quite cute, actually,” — The intensifier 'actually' adds a natural, conversational aside that the plainer 6.5 sentence lacks. The 7.5 version keeps this exact phrase, showing it already suits the higher bands.
    • LR“lying around the house” — This idiomatic phrase is a natural upgrade from the plain 6.5 wording 'are around the house', a more vivid and standard collocation for describing miscellaneous objects.
    • GRA“She shaped tiny turtles, cats, and even a dragon, then lined them up along her bookshelf.” — Dropping 'and' before 'then' creates a slightly more compressed sequence of actions than the 6.5 version's fuller 'and then'. It's a smaller move than 7.5's more thorough restructuring of the same content into a dash-led list plus a participle clause.

    Band 7.5

    Restructures the animal list into a dash-led appositive and closes the sentence with a participle clause rather than a coordinated one.

    I think most children gravitate toward fairly simple things they can make by hand, like paper crafts or small models cobbled together from whatever's lying around the house. My younger cousin Vy, who lives in Hue, spent a whole weekend last summer making little animal figures out of coloured clay — tiny turtles, cats, even a dragon — before lining them all up along her bookshelf. It was quite cute, actually, and she seemed genuinely proud of them. Part of the appeal, I'd say, is that handmade things feel personal in a way mass-produced toys never quite do, and kids enjoy watching the finished result take shape under their own hands. Some children naturally prefer drawing or building with LEGO instead, but crafts like these remain really common, especially during school holidays.

    Why this band

    • FC“My younger cousin Vy, who lives in Hue, spent a whole weekend last summer making little animal figures out of coloured clay — tiny turtles, cats, even a dragon —” — This drops the sentence-initial 'For example' used at 6.5/7.0, moving straight into the example and embedding the list of animals as a dash-led appositive rather than a separate sentence, a more fluent, integrated structure.
    • LR“cobbled together from whatever's lying around the house” — This idiomatic phrasal verb 'cobbled together' is more vivid and precise than the plainer 6.5/7.0 phrasing, capturing the improvised, resourceful nature of children's craft materials.
    • GRA“before lining them all up along her bookshelf” — This participle clause ('before lining them...') replaces the coordinated 'and then lined them up' structure used at 6.5/7.0, a more compact, literary way of sequencing two actions within one flowing sentence.

11. 11. Should children learn skills for making things?

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

    Band 6.5

    Opens with the flat 'Yes, I do think' and joins the sentence about struggling and succeeding with the plain coordinator 'but'.

    Yes, I think it's important for children to learn skills for making things. It helps them become creative and resourceful, and gives a real feeling of achievement you can't get from studying theory. For example, my younger cousin Nam, who lives in Hue, joined a weekend robotics club at his primary school last year. At first, he struggled with the basics, like wiring and coding the little motors, but after a few months he managed to build a small moving robot out of recycled materials. Not every child will become an engineer, but this builds confidence and problem-solving skills useful in any field.

    Why this band

    • FC“For example, my younger cousin Nam, who lives in Hue, joined a weekend robotics club at his primary school last year.” — The example is introduced with the front-loaded connector 'For example'. The 7.0 version moves this connector to the end of the sentence instead ('for example'), a more natural, conversational placement, while 7.5 drops it entirely, folding straight into the example.
    • LR“a real feeling of achievement” — This is a workable but slightly informal noun. The 7.0/7.5 versions replace 'feeling' with the more precise, formal noun 'sense', a standard, more natural collocation with 'achievement'.
    • GRA“At first, he struggled with the basics, like wiring and coding the little motors, but after a few months he managed to build a small moving robot out of recycled materials.” — This uses two separate short clauses joined with 'but'. The 7.5 version restructures this into one longer sentence introduced by a dash rather than a full stop, integrating the earlier sentence about joining the club with the struggle-and-success narrative that follows.

    Band 7.0

    Moves 'for example' to the end of the sentence and adds the intensifier 'simply' before 'can't get'.

    Yes, I do think it's important for children to learn skills for making things. It helps them become more creative and resourceful, and it gives a real sense of achievement that you simply can't get just from studying theory. My younger cousin Nam, who lives in Hue, joined a weekend robotics club at his primary school last year, for example. At first, he struggled with the basics, but after a few months he managed to build a small moving robot out of recycled materials. Not every child will end up an engineer, but hands-on experiences like that build confidence and problem-solving skills that are useful in any field.

    Why this band

    • FC“for example.” — Placing 'for example' at the end of the sentence rather than the front, as at 6.5, is a more natural, conversational way of introducing an illustration in spoken English.
    • LR“a real sense of achievement” — This more precise, standard collocation is a clear upgrade from the plain 6.5 phrase 'a real feeling of achievement'.
    • GRA“a real sense of achievement that you simply can't get just from studying theory” — The intensifier 'simply' is inserted before 'can't get', adding emphasis within an already complex relative clause, a small but real grammatical refinement over the plainer 6.5 version of the same clause.

    Band 7.5

    Uses a dash rather than a full stop to merge the club-joining sentence with the struggle-and-success narrative into one longer sentence.

    Yes, I'd say it's genuinely important for children to learn skills for making things. It helps them become more creative and resourceful, and it gives a real sense of achievement that studying theory alone simply can't provide. My younger cousin Nam, who lives in Hue, joined a weekend robotics club at his primary school last year — he struggled at first with the basics, like wiring and coding the little motors, but after a few months he'd managed to build a small moving robot out of recycled materials. He was so proud he showed it off to the whole family. Not every child will end up an engineer, of course, but hands-on experiences like that build confidence and problem-solving skills useful in pretty much any field.

    Why this band

    • FC“Yes, I'd say it's genuinely important” — The hedge 'I'd say' plus the intensifier 'genuinely' replaces the flatter, more repetitive 6.5/7.0 opener 'Yes, I do think it's important', giving the opening claim more natural spoken texture.
    • LR“that studying theory alone simply can't provide” — This upgrades the verb 'get' (used at 6.5/7.0) to the more formal, precise 'provide', and adds 'alone' to sharpen the contrast between practical and theoretical learning.
    • GRA“joined a weekend robotics club at his primary school last year — he struggled at first with the basics, like wiring and coding the little motors, but after a few months he'd managed to build a small moving robot out of recycled materials” — The dash merges what were two separate sentences at 6.5/7.0 into one continuous flowing sentence, a more integrated and sophisticated narrative structure than either lower band attempts.

12. 12. Why do parents like keeping the things their children make?

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

    Band 6.5

    Uses the plain adjective 'uneven' for the clay cup and introduces the example with 'For example'.

    I think most parents keep their kids' creations because those items have a lot of sentimental value. It's not really about the object itself — it's more about the memory and pride attached to it. For example, my mum still has this uneven clay cup I made in grade three, back in Hue. It sits on her shelf, though it can't really hold anything. She says it reminds her how excited I was to give it to her, clay all over my hands. Some parents might eventually get rid of old crafts, but most see these things as little milestones of a child growing up.

    Why this band

    • FC“For example, my mum still has this uneven clay cup I made in grade three, back in Hue.” — The example is introduced with the front-loaded connector 'For example'. The 7.0/7.5 versions replace this with the appositive phrase 'for instance' placed mid-sentence, a more integrated and natural way of introducing the illustration.
    • LR“uneven clay cup” — This is a plain, functional adjective. The 7.0/7.5 versions replace it with the more vivid, idiomatic adjective 'lopsided', a more precise and colourful word for describing a wonky handmade object.
    • GRA“It's not really about the object itself — it's more about the memory and pride attached to it.” — This sentence uses the dash and repeats 'it's' twice. The 7.5 version replaces the second 'it's' with a semicolon-joined independent clause without repeating the subject pronoun structure as heavily, a subtly tighter construction.

    Band 7.0

    Places the example connector 'for instance' mid-sentence rather than at the front, and upgrades 'uneven' to 'lopsided'.

    I think most parents keep their kids' creations because those items carry a lot of sentimental value. It's not really about the object itself — it's more about the memory and pride attached to it. My mum, for instance, still has this lopsided clay cup I made in grade three, back in Hue. It sits on her kitchen shelf, even though it can't really hold anything. She says it reminds her how excited I was to give it to her, clay all over my hands. Of course, some parents might eventually clear out old crafts, but I'd say most see those things as little milestones, or reminders of their child growing up.

    Why this band

    • FC“My mum, for instance, still has this lopsided clay cup” — Placing 'for instance' as a mid-sentence parenthetical, rather than a front-loaded connector as at 6.5, is a more integrated, natural way of introducing an example in fluent spoken English.
    • LR“lopsided clay cup” — This vivid, idiomatic adjective is a clear upgrade from the plain 6.5 word 'uneven', giving the described object more colour and personality.
    • GRA“Of course, some parents might eventually clear out old crafts, but I'd say most see those things as little milestones, or reminders of their child growing up.” — This sentence lists two closing descriptions joined by 'or'. The 7.5 version drops 'or' in favour of an appositive comma structure ('little milestones, quiet reminders...'), a slightly more compact, literary way of adding the second description.

    Band 7.5

    Uses a semicolon rather than a dash for the opening contrast and an appositive comma structure for the closing description.

    I think most parents hold onto their kids' creations because those objects carry so much sentimental weight. It's never really about the object itself; it's about the memory and pride bound up in it. My mum, for instance, still has this lopsided clay cup I made in grade three, back in Hue — it sits on her kitchen shelf even though it can't really hold anything. Every time she looks at it, she says, she remembers how excited I was to hand it over, clay still all over my hands. Some parents might eventually clear out old crafts, sure, but I'd say most see those things as little milestones, quiet reminders of their child growing up.

    Why this band

    • FC“It's never really about the object itself; it's about the memory and pride bound up in it.” — The semicolon replaces the dash used at 6.5/7.0, and 'never' intensifies the claim slightly more than the plain 'not' used at the lower bands, giving the opening contrast more rhetorical weight.
    • LR“carry so much sentimental weight” — The noun 'weight' used metaphorically for emotional significance is a more vivid, idiomatic choice than the plainer 6.5/7.0 noun 'value', adding a physical, tangible quality to an abstract idea.
    • GRA“most see those things as little milestones, quiet reminders of their child growing up” — The appositive comma structure here ('little milestones, quiet reminders...') replaces the 'or'-joined pair used at 7.0, a more compact, literary way of adding a second descriptive phrase without a coordinating conjunction.

13. 13. Why do some people enjoy making things by hand?

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

    Band 6.5

    Introduces the example with 'For example' at the start of the sentence and closes with a plain concession clause.

    I think a lot of people enjoy making things by hand because it gives them a feeling of satisfaction and control that you don't get with something mass-produced. For example, my friend Trang likes to knit scarves and hats in her free time, even though she could easily buy them on Shopee. She once invited me over, and I watched her choosing yarns and following a pattern. She said it helps her relax and feel proud wearing something she made herself. Honestly, I can see the appeal — there's a kind of personal touch that comes with making something by hand, even if it's a bit imperfect.

    Why this band

    • FC“For example, my friend Trang likes to knit scarves and hats in her free time, even though she could easily buy them on Shopee.” — The example is front-loaded with 'For example'. The 7.0/7.5 versions move this connector into the sentence as 'for example', a more natural, integrated placement typical of fluent spoken English.
    • LR“a feeling of satisfaction and control” — This is a workable but slightly informal noun. The 7.0/7.5 versions replace 'feeling' with the more standard, formal noun 'sense', matching the natural collocation used throughout the rest of the answer.
    • GRA“there's a kind of personal touch that comes with making something by hand, even if it's a bit imperfect” — This closing clause is fairly plain. The 7.0/7.5 versions extend it with a second coordinated noun ('personal touch and accomplishment'/'a quiet sense of accomplishment'), building a fuller, more developed final observation.

    Band 7.0

    Moves 'for example' into the sentence and extends the closing observation with a second coordinated noun, 'accomplishment'.

    I think a lot of people enjoy making things by hand because it gives them a sense of satisfaction and control that you just don't get with something mass-produced. My friend Trang, for example, likes to knit scarves and hats in her free time, even though she could easily buy them on Shopee. She once invited me over to her apartment, and I watched her patiently choosing yarns and following a pattern. She said it helps her relax and she feels proud wearing something she actually made herself. Honestly, I can see the appeal — there's a kind of personal touch and accomplishment that comes with handcrafting an object, even if it turns out a little imperfect.

    Why this band

    • FC“My friend Trang, for example,” — Placing 'for example' as a mid-sentence parenthetical rather than a front-loaded connector, as at 6.5, is a more natural, integrated way of introducing an illustration.
    • LR“a sense of satisfaction and control” — This standard, more formal collocation is a clear upgrade from the plain 6.5 phrase 'a feeling of satisfaction and control'.
    • GRA“there's a kind of personal touch and accomplishment that comes with handcrafting an object, even if it turns out a little imperfect” — This sentence adds the coordinated noun 'accomplishment' alongside 'personal touch', a fuller final observation than the 6.5 version, which mentions only 'a kind of personal touch'.

    Band 7.5

    Replaces the comparative clause about mass production with a stronger verb, 'simply can't replicate', and restructures the closing sentence around a contrast with shop-bought items.

    I think a lot of people enjoy making things by hand because it gives them a sense of satisfaction and control that mass production simply can't replicate. My friend Trang, for example, likes to knit scarves and hats in her free time, even though she could easily buy them on Shopee. She once invited me over to her apartment near Le Duan street, and I watched her patiently choosing yarns and following a pattern. It helps her relax, she said, and she feels proud wearing something she actually made herself. Honestly, I can see the appeal — there's a personal touch and a quiet sense of accomplishment in handcrafting an object that a shop-bought one just can't match, imperfections and all.

    Why this band

    • FC“a sense of satisfaction and control that mass production simply can't replicate” — The verb 'replicate' is a more precise, formal choice than the plainer comparative structure used at 6.5/7.0 ('you don't get with something mass-produced'), directly naming what mass production fails to achieve.
    • LR“a quiet sense of accomplishment” — The adjective 'quiet' adds a reflective, understated quality to 'accomplishment' that neither lower band attempts, giving the noun phrase more emotional nuance.
    • GRA“there's a personal touch and a quiet sense of accomplishment in handcrafting an object that a shop-bought one just can't match, imperfections and all” — This sentence adds a full relative clause contrasting handmade and shop-bought objects ('that a shop-bought one just can't match') plus a trailing appositive ('imperfections and all'), a noticeably more layered structure than the simpler concession clauses used at 6.5 and 7.0.

14. 14. Is creativity innate or acquired?

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

    Band 6.5

    Uses the plain phrase 'natural ability and learned skills' and closes without an additional final generalising sentence.

    Honestly, I think creativity is a mix of both natural ability and learned skills. Some people do seem to have a natural talent for thinking outside the box, but the environment really shapes how far that goes. For example, my friend Huy, who works as a carpenter in Da Nang, didn't show any special talent for building things when we were kids in Hue. But after he started training at a local furniture workshop a few years ago, he became really inventive — he even built a bookshelf for my apartment using old wooden pallets. Watching him, I realised that regular practice and learning from others can take someone's creativity much further, even if they weren't born with it.

    Why this band

    • FC“a mix of both natural ability and learned skills” — This uses two everyday adjective-noun pairs. The 7.0/7.5 versions replace them with the more precise, formal pair 'innate ability and acquired skills', which better matches the academic register of the question itself.
    • LR“a natural talent for thinking outside the box” — This is a workable but slightly overused phrase. The 7.0/7.5 versions replace 'talent' with the more idiomatic 'knack', a livelier, more natural word for describing an inborn ease with something.
    • GRA“regular practice and learning from others can take someone's creativity much further, even if they weren't born with it” — This closing sentence ends the answer directly. The 7.5 version adds a further short summarising sentence afterwards, 'So, I'd say it's really about nurturing whatever spark is there', extending the argument one step beyond where this version and the 7.0 version stop.

    Band 7.0

    Upgrades 'natural ability and learned skills' to the more formal 'innate ability and acquired skills' and 'talent' to 'knack'.

    Honestly, I think creativity is a mix of both innate ability and acquired skills. Some people do seem to have a natural knack for thinking outside the box, but in my experience, the environment really shapes how far that goes. My friend Huy, for example, who works as a carpenter in Da Nang, didn't show any special talent for building things when we were kids. But after he started apprenticing at a local furniture workshop a few years ago, he became incredibly inventive — he even built a bookshelf for my apartment using old wooden pallets from Han Market. Watching him, I realised that regular practice can take a person's creativity to the next level, even if they aren't born with it.

    Why this band

    • FC“My friend Huy, for example,” — Placing 'for example' as a mid-sentence parenthetical, rather than the front-loaded 'For example' used at 6.5, is a more natural, integrated way of introducing the illustration.
    • LR“innate ability and acquired skills” — This precise, formal pair is a clear upgrade from the plainer 6.5 phrase 'natural ability and learned skills', matching academic register more closely. It's identical to the phrase used at 7.5, showing this lexical choice already suits the higher bands.
    • GRA“can take a person's creativity to the next level” — This idiomatic phrase is a livelier upgrade from the plainer 6.5 phrase 'much further', though it stops short of 7.5's fuller final sentence, which adds a whole extra generalising clause beyond this point.

    Band 7.5

    Adds a final short summarising sentence, 'So, I'd say it's really about nurturing whatever spark is there', beyond where 7.0 stops.

    Honestly, I think creativity is a mix of both innate ability and acquired skills. Some people do seem to have a natural knack for thinking outside the box, but in my experience, the environment really shapes how far that goes. My friend Huy, who works as a carpenter in Da Nang, didn't show any special talent for building things when we were kids in Hue. But after he started apprenticing at a local furniture workshop a few years ago, he became incredibly inventive — he even designed and built a bookshelf for my apartment using old wooden pallets from Han Market. Watching him, I realised that regular practice and learning from others can take a person's creativity to the next level, even if they aren't born with it. So, I'd say it's really about nurturing whatever spark is there.

    Why this band

    • FC“So, I'd say it's really about nurturing whatever spark is there.” — This additional closing sentence, absent from both 6.5 and 7.0, distils the whole argument into a final memorable generalisation, a structural device unique to this band.
    • LR“nurturing whatever spark is there” — This vivid metaphor of a 'spark' being 'nurtured' is a more evocative, idiomatic image than any phrase used in the lower bands' answers, capturing the innate-versus-acquired idea in one compact figure of speech.
    • GRA“even if they aren't born with it. So, I'd say it's really about nurturing whatever spark is there.” — Adding a second sentence after the point where 7.0 ends extends the overall sentence structure of the answer, showing a more developed, multi-sentence close than either lower band attempts.

15. 15. Why do some people need quiet when they are creating things?

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

    Band 6.5

    Splits the meeting-room anecdote into two separate sentences joined by 'I actually booked' as a new sentence.

    I think some people really need quiet when they are creating because it helps them concentrate and enter a flow state. For me, even the noise of conversations in our open-plan office can break my train of thought. There was one time last month when I had to design a complex dashboard for a finance client. I actually booked a small meeting room, just to get away from the usual office noise. With the door closed and my phone on silent, I could finally hear myself think and sketched some of my best ideas in about an hour. Of course, some people work well with background music or chatter, but honestly, I find silence really lets my creativity breathe.

    Why this band

    • FC“There was one time last month when I had to design a complex dashboard for a finance client. I actually booked a small meeting room, just to get away from the usual office noise.” — This anecdote is split across two short sentences. The 7.0/7.5 versions join them into one flowing sentence with 'and' or 'so', a more connected and natural way of narrating a sequence of events.
    • LR“even the noise of conversations in our open-plan office” — This is a plain, functional noun phrase. The 7.0/7.5 versions replace 'the noise of conversations' with the more vivid, idiomatic 'the hum of conversation', a more natural and evocative way of describing background office sound.
    • GRA“Of course, some people work well with background music or chatter, but honestly, I find silence really lets my creativity breathe.” — This sentence uses the verb phrase 'work well with'. The 7.0/7.5 versions replace this with the more vivid, idiomatic verb 'thrive', a stronger and more natural word choice for describing people who do well in noisy conditions.

    Band 7.0

    Joins the meeting-room anecdote into one sentence with 'and' and upgrades 'work well with' to 'thrive'.

    I think some people really need quiet when they're creating because it helps them concentrate and slip into a flow state. For me, even the hum of conversation in our open-plan office can break my train of thought. There was one time last month when I had to design a complex dashboard for a finance client, and I actually booked a small meeting room just to get away from the usual office noise. With the door closed and my phone on silent, I could finally hear myself think, and I sketched out some of my best ideas in about an hour. Of course, some people thrive with background music or chatter, but honestly, silence is really what lets my creativity breathe.

    Why this band

    • FC“and I actually booked a small meeting room just to get away from the usual office noise” — Joining this clause to the previous sentence with 'and' creates a single flowing narrative, more connected than the 6.5 version's two separate sentences for the same events.
    • LR“the hum of conversation” — This vivid, idiomatic phrase is a clear upgrade from the plain 6.5 wording 'the noise of conversations', evoking a more specific, atmospheric sense of background office sound.
    • GRA“some people thrive with background music or chatter” — This precise, idiomatic verb 'thrive' is a stronger, more natural upgrade from the plain 6.5 phrase 'work well with', more vividly capturing the idea of flourishing under noisy conditions.

    Band 7.5

    Replaces 'and' with the more purposeful 'so' in the meeting-room sentence and reorders the closing sentence for extra emphasis on 'really'.

    I think some people really need quiet when they're creating because it helps them concentrate and slip into a flow state. For me, if I'm designing a new app interface at work, even the hum of conversation in our open-plan office can break my train of thought. There was one time last month when I had to design a complex dashboard for a finance client, so I booked a small meeting room just to escape the usual office noise. With the door closed and my phone on silent, I could finally hear myself think, and I ended up sketching out some of my best ideas in about an hour. Some people thrive with background music or chatter, sure, but honestly, silence is what really lets my creativity breathe.

    Why this band

    • FC“so I booked a small meeting room just to escape the usual office noise” — The connector 'so' frames the booking as a direct, purposeful consequence of the difficult dashboard task, a slightly more logically precise link than 7.0's more neutral 'and'.
    • LR“escape” — This more vivid, urgent verb replaces the plainer phrasal expression 'get away from' used at 6.5/7.0, capturing a stronger sense of deliberate withdrawal from noise.
    • GRA“silence is what really lets my creativity breathe” — The cleft-like structure 'silence is what really lets...' places emphasis on 'silence' as the subject complement in a more marked, emphatic position than 7.0's more standard 'silence is really what lets my creativity breathe', showing a subtly different and slightly more rhetorically confident word order.

16. 16. How does modern technology affect handicrafts?

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

    Band 6.5

    Introduces the workshop example as a separate sentence beginning 'For example' before naming the owner in a new sentence.

    I think modern technology has a huge effect on handicrafts, both good and bad. For example, last year I took a short pottery workshop at a small studio near the Marble Mountains. The owner, Ms An, actually used a digital tablet to draw new vase designs before shaping them with clay. She told us that posting her work on Instagram and TikTok had helped her attract younger customers. At the same time, though, she said it's harder to compete with mass-produced items sold online. So, while technology can help artisans promote and improve their crafts, it also brings more competition and pressure to change.

    Why this band

    • FC“For example, last year I took a short pottery workshop at a small studio near the Marble Mountains. The owner, Ms An, actually used a digital tablet to draw new vase designs before shaping them with clay.” — The example and the detail about the owner are given as two separate sentences. The 7.5 version merges these into one longer sentence using a relative clause introduced by 'where', a more connected and economical way of presenting the same information.
    • LR“draw new vase designs” — This is a plain, general verb. The 7.0/7.5 versions replace it with the more precise, technical verb 'sketch out', which better captures the preliminary, exploratory nature of digital design work.
    • GRA“So, while technology can help artisans promote and improve their crafts, it also brings more competition and pressure to change.” — This sentence uses the general verbs 'improve' and 'change'. The 7.0/7.5 versions replace these with the more precise, natural collocations 'refine' and 'adapt', which fit the context of craft skills and market pressures more accurately.

    Band 7.0

    Moves 'for example' mid-sentence and upgrades 'draw' to 'sketch out' and 'improve/change' to 'refine/adapt'.

    I think modern technology has a huge impact on handicrafts, both positive and negative. Last year, for example, I took a short pottery workshop at a small studio near the Marble Mountains. The owner, Ms An, actually used a digital tablet to sketch out new vase designs before shaping them with clay. She told us that posting her work on Instagram and TikTok had helped her attract younger customers. At the same time, though, she mentioned it's harder to compete with mass-produced items sold online. So, while tech can help artisans promote and refine their crafts, it also brings more competition and pressure to adapt.

    Why this band

    • FC“Last year, for example,” — Placing 'for example' as a fronted adverbial with the time phrase, rather than as a separate connector at the start of a new sentence as at 6.5, integrates the example more smoothly into the flow of the answer.
    • LR“sketch out” — This precise phrasal verb is a clear upgrade from the plain 6.5 verb 'draw', better capturing the exploratory, preliminary nature of digital design sketching. It's reused identically at 7.5.
    • GRA“So, while tech can help artisans promote and refine their crafts, it also brings more competition and pressure to adapt.” — The precise collocations 'refine' and 'adapt' replace the general verbs 'improve' and 'change' used at 6.5, more accurately fitting the specific context of craft skills and market pressure.

    Band 7.5

    Merges the workshop sentence and the detail about Ms An into one sentence using a relative clause, and closes with a dash rather than a new sentence.

    I think modern technology has a huge impact on handicrafts, both positive and negative. Last year, for example, I took a short pottery workshop at a small studio near the Marble Mountains, where the owner, Ms An, used a digital tablet to sketch out new vase designs before shaping them with clay. She told us that posting her work on Instagram and TikTok had helped her attract younger customers, and she even gets orders through Zalo now. At the same time, though, she mentioned it's harder to compete with mass-produced items sold online. So while tech can help artisans promote and refine their crafts, it also brings more competition and pressure to adapt — it really depends, I'd say, on how people choose to use these digital tools.

    Why this band

    • FC“Last year, for example, I took a short pottery workshop at a small studio near the Marble Mountains, where the owner, Ms An, used a digital tablet to sketch out new vase designs before shaping them with clay.” — The relative clause 'where the owner, Ms An, used...' merges what were two separate sentences at 6.5/7.0 into one continuous, more economical sentence, a noticeably more integrated narrative structure.
    • LR“sketch out new vase designs” — This phrase keeps the precise phrasal verb 'sketch out' introduced at 7.0, confirming that lexical upgrade from 6.5's plainer 'draw' was already established at 7.0 and needed no further change at the top band.
    • GRA“it also brings more competition and pressure to adapt — it really depends, I'd say, on how people choose to use these digital tools” — The dash joins the final two ideas into one continuous sentence rather than the separate final sentence used at 7.0, a more compact and fluent way of closing the answer.

17. 17. Are traditional handicrafts important to tourism?

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

    Band 6.5

    Splits the workshop visit and the description of Mr Hai's hats into two separate sentences joined by a new subject.

    Yes, I think traditional handicrafts play a big role in tourism, especially in places like Hue or Hoi An where culture is a main attraction. When tourists come, they want something unique to take home, not just sights. For example, last year when my cousin Trang visited from Hanoi, we stopped by a small workshop near Dong Ba Market in Hue. The owner, Mr Hai, was making these lovely conical hats with hand-embroidered scenes from the Perfume River. Trang ended up buying two as gifts. To be fair, not every tourist is interested, but for many, handicrafts really add that authentic touch.

    Why this band

    • FC“For example, last year when my cousin Trang visited from Hanoi, we stopped by a small workshop near Dong Ba Market in Hue.” — The example is introduced with the front-loaded 'For example'. The 7.0/7.5 versions move this connector mid-sentence as 'for example', a more natural, integrated placement.
    • LR“a main attraction” — This is a plain, general noun phrase. The 7.0/7.5 versions replace 'a main attraction' with the more vivid, idiomatic phrase 'a major draw', a livelier and more natural way of describing a strong tourist pull.
    • GRA“The owner, Mr Hai, was making these lovely conical hats with hand-embroidered scenes from the Perfume River. Trang ended up buying two as gifts.” — This information is split into two separate sentences. The 7.0 version joins them with 'and', while 7.5 goes further, using a semicolon and a relative clause 'where the owner...' to merge even more of the surrounding narrative into one continuous sentence.

    Band 7.0

    Moves 'for example' mid-sentence and joins the hat-making and gift-buying details with 'and' into one sentence.

    Yes, I think traditional handicrafts play a big role in tourism, especially in places like Hue or Hoi An where culture is a major draw. When tourists come, they want something unique to take home, not just sights. Last year, for example, when my cousin Trang visited from Hanoi, we stopped by a small workshop near Dong Ba Market in Hue. The owner, Mr Hai, was making these gorgeous conical hats with hand-embroidered scenes from the Perfume River, and Trang ended up buying two as gifts. To be fair, not every tourist is interested, but for many, handicrafts genuinely add that authentic touch.

    Why this band

    • FC“Last year, for example,” — Placing 'for example' as a fronted adverbial alongside the time phrase, rather than as a separate connector at the front of a new sentence as at 6.5, integrates the example more smoothly.
    • LR“a major draw” — This vivid, idiomatic phrase is a clear upgrade from the plain 6.5 phrase 'a main attraction', more naturally capturing the pulling power of cultural tourism.
    • GRA“was making these gorgeous conical hats with hand-embroidered scenes from the Perfume River, and Trang ended up buying two as gifts” — Joining these two pieces of information with 'and' creates one flowing sentence, more connected than the 6.5 version's two separate sentences for the same events.

    Band 7.5

    Uses a relative clause 'where the owner...' and a semicolon to merge the workshop visit, the hat description, and the gift purchase into one long, connected sentence.

    Yes, I think traditional handicrafts play a big role in tourism, especially in places like Hue or Hoi An where culture is a major draw. When tourists come, they're not just looking for sights — they want something unique to take home or experience. Last year, for example, when my cousin Trang visited from Hanoi, we stopped by a small workshop near Dong Ba Market in Hue, where the owner, Mr Hai, was making these gorgeous conical hats with hand-embroidered scenes from the Perfume River; Trang ended up buying two as gifts. Watching him work and hearing his stories made the visit far more memorable for both of us. Not every tourist is interested, to be fair, but for many, handicrafts genuinely add that authentic touch.

    Why this band

    • FC“Not every tourist is interested, to be fair, but for many, handicrafts genuinely add that authentic touch.” — Moving 'to be fair' into the middle of the sentence, rather than at the front as at 6.5/7.0, is a more flexible, integrated placement of a hedge typical of confident spoken fluency.
    • LR“gorgeous conical hats” — This vivid adjective is identical to 7.0's already well-chosen word, showing the lexical upgrade from 6.5's plainer 'lovely' was already achieved at 7.0.
    • GRA“we stopped by a small workshop near Dong Ba Market in Hue, where the owner, Mr Hai, was making these gorgeous conical hats with hand-embroidered scenes from the Perfume River; Trang ended up buying two as gifts” — This sentence merges the workshop location, the owner's action, and the purchase into one continuous structure using a relative clause and a semicolon, a noticeably more integrated narrative than the separate sentences used at 6.5 or the simpler 'and'-joined pair at 7.0.

18. 18. What impact can art have on society?

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

    Band 6.5

    Introduces the artist detail as its own sentence starting 'The artist, a local guy named Quoc,' rather than folding it into the workshop sentence.

    I think art can have quite a powerful influence on society, especially in raising awareness or changing people's views. For example, last year there was a public mural project on the outer wall of a community library near my apartment, just past the Tran Thi Ly Bridge. The artist, a local guy named Quoc, invited residents to help paint scenes from Da Nang's past and present, so you saw everything from old fishing boats to the Dragon Bridge lit up at night. Honestly, seeing people from different backgrounds share their stories while painting made me realise how art can build community spirit. Not everyone takes away the same message, but art often gets people talking in ways news reports can't.

    Why this band

    • FC“For example, last year there was a public mural project on the outer wall of a community library near my apartment, just past the Tran Thi Ly Bridge.” — The example opens with the front-loaded 'For example'. The 7.0/7.5 versions move this connector mid-sentence as 'for example', a more natural, integrated placement typical of fluent spoken English.
    • LR“changing people's views” — This is a plain, general verb phrase. The 7.0/7.5 versions replace it with the more precise, slightly formal phrase 'shifting people's perspectives', a livelier and more natural collocation for describing gradual attitude change.
    • GRA“The artist, a local guy named Quoc, invited residents to help paint scenes from Da Nang's past and present, so you saw everything from old fishing boats to the Dragon Bridge lit up at night.” — This appositive ('a local guy named Quoc') sits between commas within its own sentence. The 7.5 version folds the whole artist introduction into a relative clause attached to the previous sentence ('where a local artist named Quoc invited...'), a more integrated, economical structure.

    Band 7.0

    Moves 'for example' mid-sentence and sets the appositive about Quoc off with dashes rather than commas.

    I think art can have quite a powerful influence on society, especially in raising awareness or shifting people's perspectives. Last year, for example, there was a public mural project on the outer wall of a community library not far from my apartment, just past the Tran Thi Ly Bridge. The artist — a local guy named Quoc — invited residents to help paint scenes from Da Nang's past and present, so you saw everything from old fishing boats to the Dragon Bridge lit up at night. Honestly, seeing people from different backgrounds share their stories while painting made me realise how art can help build community spirit and value local history. Of course, not everyone takes away the same message, but art often gets people talking in ways news reports simply can't.

    Why this band

    • FC“Last year, for example,” — Placing 'for example' as a fronted adverbial alongside the time phrase, rather than as a separate connector at the start of a new sentence as at 6.5, integrates the example more smoothly into the flow of the answer.
    • LR“shifting people's perspectives” — This more precise, natural collocation is a clear upgrade from the plain 6.5 phrase 'changing people's views', better capturing the gradual nature of attitude change that art can produce.
    • GRA“The artist — a local guy named Quoc — invited residents to help paint scenes from Da Nang's past and present” — The dashes setting off the appositive are a slightly more visually striking, literary alternative to the plain commas used at 6.5 for the same appositive phrase, though the underlying grammatical structure is the same.

    Band 7.5

    Merges the mural-project sentence and the artist introduction into one sentence using a relative clause, going further than 7.0's dash-set appositive.

    I think art can have quite a powerful influence on society, especially in raising awareness or shifting people's perspectives. Last year, for example, there was a public mural project on the outer wall of a community library not far from my apartment, just past the Tran Thi Ly Bridge, where a local artist named Quoc invited residents to help paint scenes from Da Nang's past and present — everything from old fishing boats to the Dragon Bridge lit up at night. Honestly, seeing people from different backgrounds come together and share their stories while painting made me realise how art can build community spirit and encourage people to value their local history more. Not everyone takes away the same message, of course, but I'd say art often gets people talking and thinking in ways that statistics or news reports simply can't.

    Why this band

    • FC“Not everyone takes away the same message, of course, but I'd say art often gets people talking and thinking in ways that statistics or news reports simply can't.” — Moving 'of course' into the middle of the sentence, rather than at the front as at 6.5/7.0, is a more flexible, integrated placement of a hedge, consistent with the generally more fluent, connected sentence structures throughout this band's answer.
    • LR“shifting people's perspectives” — This phrase is identical to 7.0's already precise wording, confirming the lexical upgrade from 6.5's plainer 'changing people's views' was already achieved at 7.0.
    • GRA“not far from my apartment, just past the Tran Thi Ly Bridge, where a local artist named Quoc invited residents to help paint scenes from Da Nang's past and present” — The relative clause 'where a local artist named Quoc invited...' merges what were two separate sentences (or a dash-set appositive plus a new sentence) at 6.5/7.0 into one continuous, more economical sentence.