A Place You Went to on Holiday That You Would Recommend

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 places do people from your country go to for a holiday or vacation?

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

   Band 6.5

   The 6.5 answer states a direct opinion with simple connectors like 'because' and 'and', supported by one plain example (Da Nang and Nha Trang) rather than any elaboration.

   Most people in my country go to the beach for their holiday, because the weather is hot and cities like Da Nang and Nha Trang are very popular in summer. Some people, especially older people, like to go to the mountains, like Da Lat, because it is cooler there. Older people also often visit pagodas or temples, like my parents do. And at Tết, families go back to their home village. Nowadays more people also travel to other countries, like Thailand or Japan.

   Why this band

   • FC“And at Tết, families go back to their home village.” — This shows the 6.5 pattern of starting a new sentence with 'And' to add a point rather than folding it into an existing sentence. A 7.5 answer would instead compress this into a subordinate clause within a longer sentence, so the ideas read as connected rather than listed.
   • LR“very popular in summer” — This is a generic, high-frequency collocation. A higher band would reach for something more specific and vivid, like 'swelling with tourists', instead of the flat 'very popular'.
   • GRA“because the weather is hot” — This is a simple because-clause, the most basic form of subordination. Higher bands vary their connectors and often use non-finite structures, such as participial phrases, instead of repeating 'because' throughout.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer opens with the spoken hedge 'Honestly, it depends a lot on age' and links ideas with a dash-based aside, showing more natural reflection than the 6.5 version's plain listing.

   Honestly, it depends a lot on age. Younger people head to the coast — cities like Da Nang and Nha Trang basically fill up with domestic tourists once summer starts — while older people, my parents included, tend to combine a trip with visiting pagodas or historical sites. The mountain towns, Da Lat and Sa Pa, are popular too, mainly with people trying to escape the heat. Then there's Tết, when almost everyone travels home to their village, which I'd say is more of a duty than a holiday. More recently, going abroad, to places like Thailand or Korea, has become common as well.

   Why this band

   • FC“Honestly, it depends a lot on age.” — This spoken discourse marker signals genuine reflection before the answer proper begins, which is more natural than the 6.5 band's flat opening statement but still short of the compressed, idiomatic openers seen at 7.5.
   • LR“basically fill up with domestic tourists” — 'Fill up with' is a more natural, image-based collocation than the plain 'very popular' used at 6.5, though it is still a common enough phrase that it falls short of the genuinely less-common vocabulary expected at 7.5.
   • GRA“once summer starts — while older people” — The dash-interruption followed by a 'while' contrast clause shows a longer, more flexible sentence than the short because-clauses typical of 6.5, though it is not as compact as the fronted structures used at 7.5.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer opens with a fronted conditional ('If you mapped it out'), uses the idiomatic verb 'gravitate toward' instead of a plain word, and closes with a self-aware evaluative remark identifying the underlying pattern.

   If you mapped it out, the whole country seems to drift toward the coast the moment summer hits, with Da Nang and Nha Trang swelling with domestic tourists. Older generations, though, gravitate toward something with a bit more purpose — my parents' idea of a trip rarely skips a pagoda — while the cooler mountain towns, Da Lat and Sa Pa, draw people simply desperate to escape the humidity. Tết adds a category of its own: a homeward pilgrimage that's less about relaxing than about obligation. And increasingly, especially among younger professionals, holidays mean crossing a border altogether, usually to Thailand, Japan or Korea. So really, there's a pattern hiding in there — beach for rest, mountains for air, home for duty.

   Why this band

   • FC“So really, there's a pattern hiding in there” — This closing move steps back to name the underlying structure of the whole answer, an evaluative synthesis that neither the 6.5 nor 7.0 versions attempt; those bands simply stop after listing examples.
   • LR“gravitate toward something with a bit more purpose” — 'Gravitate toward' is a genuinely less-common, more precise verb than the plain 'like to go to' used at 6.5, giving the description a more idiomatic feel.
   • GRA“If you mapped it out, the whole country seems to drift toward the coast” — Opening with a fronted conditional clause before the main subject is a more flexible, compressed structure than the plain subject-first sentences that dominate the 6.5 and 7.0 answers.

2. 2. Do older and younger people like to spend their holidays or vacations in different places?

   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/opinion and supports it with one clear comparison (coach tour vs homestay), using simple connectors like 'but' and 'and'.

   Yes, I think so. My parents went on a guided coach tour last year, with a hotel and food all arranged, but my friends and I found a homestay on a farm through a friend's post and just made a plan as we went. Older people usually want comfort and someone to organise everything for them. Younger people want something new and cheap, and they don't mind if it's not comfortable. Sometimes they go to the same place, like Da Lat, but not the same kind of hotel.

   Why this band

   • FC“Yes, I think so.” — This short, direct opening states the opinion immediately with no hedging, contrasting with the higher bands, which open with a reflective qualifier before committing to a position.
   • LR“want something new and cheap” — 'New and cheap' is plain, everyday vocabulary. A higher band would use a single more precise word like 'novelty' instead of the two-adjective plain phrase.
   • GRA“but my friends and I found a homestay on a farm through a friend's post and just made a plan as we went” — This long sentence is built by simply coordinating clauses with 'and', rather than using subordination, which keeps the grammar basic despite the sentence's length.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer opens with the qualifying phrase 'To some extent, yes' and reframes the question with 'it's less about the place and more about how', showing the mild hedging typical of this band.

   To some extent, yes — though it's less about the place and more about how people want to experience it. My parents took a fully guided coach tour up north, everything arranged down to the meals, whereas my friends and I found a farm homestay through someone's social media post and improvised the rest. I'd say older travellers lean toward comfort, safety and letting someone else handle the logistics, while younger ones are after novelty and a good story, even if that means putting up with a bit of discomfort. Interestingly, the destinations sometimes overlap, like Da Lat, just not the accommodation.

   Why this band

   • FC“To some extent, yes — though it's less about the place and more about how people want to experience it.” — This hedged, reflective opening reframes the question rather than answering it flatly, showing more natural spoken qualification than the 6.5 band's blunt 'Yes, I think so.'
   • LR“lean toward comfort, safety and letting someone else handle the logistics” — 'Lean toward' and 'handle the logistics' are moderately natural collocations, a step up from plain vocabulary but not as strikingly precise as the idiomatic phrasing used at 7.5.
   • GRA“whereas my friends and I found a farm homestay through someone's social media post and improvised the rest” — The subordinating conjunction 'whereas' sets up an explicit contrast clause, which is more sophisticated than the plain coordinating 'but' used for the same contrast at 6.5.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer opens with a compressed fragment ('Different places, and honestly more importantly, different ways of being there') and uses idiomatic phrasing like 'winged the rest of the trip' and 'hard-pressed to find them', marking it as the most flexible and idiomatic of the three.

   Different places, and honestly more importantly, different ways of being there. My parents' idea of a holiday is a guided coach tour — itinerary fixed, meals arranged, back at the hotel by nine — whereas my friends and I stumbled onto a farm homestay through someone's post and winged the rest of the trip. Older travellers, in my experience, prize comfort and having the logistics taken care of, gravitating toward culture and history; younger ones chase novelty and something photogenic, and they'll happily trade comfort for a decent story afterwards. The destinations occasionally overlap — both groups end up in Da Lat — but you'd be hard-pressed to find them sharing a guesthouse.

   Why this band

   • FC“Different places, and honestly more importantly, different ways of being there.” — This compact, fragment-style opening directly reframes the question in one economical move, more efficient than the 6.5 band's plain 'Yes, I think so.' and more compressed than the 7.0 band's full-sentence hedge.
   • LR“winged the rest of the trip” — 'Winged it' is an idiomatic phrasal expression, a genuinely less-common choice compared to the 7.0 band's 'improvised' or the 6.5 band's plain 'made a plan as we went'.
   • GRA“itinerary fixed, meals arranged, back at the hotel by nine” — This verbless, listed structure (ellipsis of repeated subject and verb) compresses three ideas into a tight parallel run, a flexible construction not attempted at 6.5 or 7.0.

3. 3. How can people choose a good place to go for their holiday or vacation?

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

   Band 6.5

   The 6.5 answer gives a direct recommendation and lists simple, separate reasons with plain connectors like 'And' and 'too', without linking them into more complex sentences.

   I think the best way is to ask a friend who has already been there, not just look at a website. We chose Phong Nha because two friends we trusted said it was great, and that was better than any list online. You should also think honestly about what you want, like rest or adventure. Check the weather for that time of year too. And read the bad reviews, not just the good ones, because bad reviews give more real details. Don't plan too much either.

   Why this band

   • FC“Don't plan too much either.” — This short imperative is tacked onto the end as a separate, final point, showing the additive, list-like structure typical of 6.5 rather than integration into an existing sentence.
   • LR“just look at a website” — This is plain, generic phrasing. A higher band would use a more specific, idiomatic phrase such as 'algorithm-generated list' instead of the vague 'website'.
   • GRA“We chose Phong Nha because two friends we trusted said it was great, and that was better than any list online.” — This sentence uses only basic coordination ('and') and a single 'because' clause, the simplest tools for connecting ideas.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer opens with the spoken hedge 'Honestly, I'd trust' and adds a reflective aside about bad holidays coming from choosing 'who you'd like to be rather than who you are', going beyond the 6.5 answer's flat listing.

   Honestly, I'd trust a person who's actually been somewhere over any ranking website. We picked Phong Nha mainly because two friends we trusted had loved it, and that turned out to matter more than any list could. Beyond that, it helps to be honest with yourself about what you actually want — rest or adventure, quiet or crowds — since a lot of bad holidays come from choosing somewhere that suits who you'd like to be rather than who you are. I'd also check the season carefully, and read the complaints in reviews rather than the praise, since complaints tend to be far more specific.

   Why this band

   • FC“Beyond that, it helps to be honest with yourself about what you actually want” — This transition phrase organises the answer into stages ('Beyond that...') rather than simply appending points with 'And', showing more deliberate coherence-building than 6.5.
   • LR“read the complaints in reviews rather than the praise” — This is a natural, moderately precise phrasing, a step up from entirely plain vocabulary though not as idiomatic as the compressed phrasing used at 7.5.
   • GRA“since a lot of bad holidays come from choosing somewhere that suits who you'd like to be rather than who you are” — This 'since' clause contains an embedded comparative contrast, a noticeably more complex structure than the simple 'because' clauses used at 6.5.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer opens with a blunt fragment ('Ask someone who's been there rather than something that ranks it, honestly') and uses the idiomatic phrase 'brutally honest' along with a semicolon-linked compressed sentence, marking the most flexible grammar of the three.

   Ask someone who's been there rather than something that ranks it, honestly — that's the rule I go by. We settled on Phong Nha purely because two people we trusted had raved about it, and that turned out to be worth more than any algorithm-generated list. Beyond that, being brutally honest about what you actually want matters more than people admit; most disappointing holidays come from picking a place that suits the person you'd like to be rather than the one you are. Checking the season is non-negotiable too — central Vietnam in October is a gamble — and I always skim reviews for the complaints rather than the praise, since praise tends to be generic while complaints are specific. Leaving the plan a little loose helps as well.

   Why this band

   • FC“that's the rule I go by” — This closing tag reinforces the opening claim in a tight, economical way, showing tighter organisation than the plain, separate points of the 6.5 answer.
   • LR“purely because two people we trusted had raved about it” — 'Raved about' is an idiomatic verb choice, more vivid and less common than the plain 'said it was great' used at 6.5.
   • GRA“being brutally honest about what you actually want matters more than people admit” — Opening the sentence with a gerund phrase ('being brutally honest...') as the grammatical subject is a compressed, flexible structure well beyond the plain subject-verb openings used at 6.5 and 7.0.

4. 4. How do people make decisions about when to take their holidays or vacations?

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

   Band 6.5

   The 6.5 answer lists reasons one by one with simple connectors ('And', 'Some people also'), giving a direct claim plus separate plain examples rather than integrating them.

   For most people, the decision is not really free — work and school decide it. At my studio, we start arguing in November about who gets the week after Tết. Families with children have to go during school holidays, which is why every beach is full in July. Some people also think about the weather, because nobody wants to go to the coast in the rainy season. Money is another reason, since travelling in low season is cheaper. And some people just wait until they are tired and then book something quickly.

   Why this band

   • FC“And some people just wait until they are tired and then book something quickly.” — This additive final sentence, starting with 'And', is simply tacked onto the list of reasons rather than woven into the argument, which is typical of the step-by-step style at 6.5.
   • LR“Money is another reason” — This is a plain, generic transition phrase for introducing a new point, functional but not varied.
   • GRA“because nobody wants to go to the coast in the rainy season” — This is a simple 'because' clause, the most basic tool for giving a reason, repeated in similar form throughout the answer.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer opens with 'Honestly' and uses the conditional 'If people do have flexibility, weather usually decides it', showing a mild qualifying structure beyond the 6.5 list.

   Honestly, for most people the timing isn't really their choice — work and school make the decision for them. At my studio, the annual negotiation over who gets the week after Tết starts as early as November, and most holidays just land wherever the calendar leaves a gap. Families with children are tied to school breaks, which explains why every beach is packed in July. If people do have flexibility, weather usually decides it, since nobody plans a coastal trip for the rainy season on purpose. Money matters too, because off-season travel is noticeably cheaper. And some, frankly, just wait until they're exhausted and book on a whim.

   Why this band

   • FC“Honestly, for most people the timing isn't really their choice” — This spoken hedge frames the whole answer with a note of reflection before the explanation begins, which is more natural than the 6.5 band's flat opening statement.
   • LR“book on a whim” — This mildly idiomatic collocation is more natural than the plain '...book something quickly' used at 6.5, though still a common enough phrase.
   • GRA“If people do have flexibility, weather usually decides it, since nobody plans a coastal trip for the rainy season on purpose.” — This sentence combines a conditional clause with a 'since' clause, a noticeably more complex structure than the single 'because' clauses used throughout the 6.5 answer.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer opens with the vivid idiom 'tug-of-war' for the office negotiation, and closes with an evaluative aside ('the least rational method of all, and probably the most common'), showing the compact, judgement-laced style typical of this band.

   Mostly, the decision gets made for people rather than by them. At my studio, the annual tug-of-war over who gets the week after Tết kicks off in November, and most people's holidays simply land wherever work, school terms and public holidays happen to leave a gap. Families with school-age children are essentially locked into term breaks, which is why every beach is heaving by July. Weather tips the scale for anyone with real flexibility, since nobody schedules a coastal trip for the rainy season on purpose, and money decides the rest, with off-season travel being the obvious bargain. Then there's the least rational method of all, and probably the most common: waiting until you're utterly worn out and booking on a whim.

   Why this band

   • FC“Then there's the least rational method of all, and probably the most common” — This closing evaluative move ranks the final reason against the others rather than just listing it, a synthesising step the 6.5 and 7.0 answers don't attempt.
   • LR“essentially locked into term breaks” — This is a precise, natural collocation, more specific than plainer phrasing like 'have to go during school holidays' used at 6.5.
   • GRA“which is why every beach is heaving by July” — The relative clause here uses the idiomatic verb 'heaving', a more vivid and compressed way of expressing crowdedness than the plain adjective 'full' used in the 6.5 answer.

5. 5. What preparations do people need to make before going away on holiday or vacation?

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

   Band 6.5

   The 6.5 answer opens with a direct claim, then gives one plain example and a simple list of tips joined with 'and', typical of the plain, additive style at this band.

   I think the boring things matter the most. One person in our group went to Phong Nha without a waterproof bag, and he lost his phone in the first cave. A cheap bag would have stopped that. So people should check the weather, book the first night of the hotel, and tell their bank if they are going abroad. They should also make copies of important documents and bring some cash and medicine. Many people spend too much time planning the schedule and not enough time on these practical things.

   Why this band

   • FC“So people should check the weather, book the first night of the hotel, and tell their bank if they are going abroad.” — This sentence lists advice with commas and 'and', an additive structure that simply strings items together rather than integrating them into a more complex sentence.
   • LR“A cheap bag would have stopped that.” — 'Cheap' and 'stopped' are plain, everyday words. A higher band would choose more precise vocabulary, such as a specific price and the verb 'prevented'.
   • GRA“and he lost his phone in the first cave” — This is a simple coordinated clause joined with 'and', the most basic way of connecting two events.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer uses the spoken opener 'Honestly, it's the boring preparations that matter most' and closes with the mild evaluative remark 'which is exactly backwards', showing more reflection than the 6.5 version.

   Honestly, it's the boring preparations that matter most, not the exciting planning. One of our group turned up at Phong Nha without a waterproof bag and lost his phone in the very first cave — a fifty-thousand-đồng bag would have prevented the whole thing. So it's worth checking the weather, booking at least the first night, and letting your bank know if you're travelling abroad. Copies of documents, a bit of cash, and any medicine you need also matter more than people think. I'd say most people over-prepare the itinerary and under-prepare this practical layer, which is exactly backwards.

   Why this band

   • FC“Honestly, it's the boring preparations that matter most, not the exciting planning.” — This spoken discourse marker plus a contrastive framing ('not the exciting planning') shows more deliberate framing of the argument than the 6.5 answer's flat opening statement.
   • LR“a fifty-thousand-đồng bag would have prevented the whole thing” — This gives a specific, natural detail and the verb 'prevented', more precise than the vague 'cheap bag ... stopped that' phrasing at 6.5.
   • GRA“I'd say most people over-prepare the itinerary and under-prepare this practical layer, which is exactly backwards.” — The relative clause 'which is exactly backwards' adds an evaluative comment onto the main clause, a more complex link than the simple coordination used throughout the 6.5 answer.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer uses the vivid word 'mishap' and a participial aside ('a mishap that then dominated two days of the trip'), plus a compressed listing sentence with no repeated verbs, showing the flexible grammar typical of this band.

   The boring preparations, honestly, matter far more than the exciting ones. One member of our group arrived at Phong Nha without a waterproof bag and lost his phone in the very first cave, a mishap that then dominated two days of the trip — a fifty-thousand-đồng bag would have prevented it entirely. So checking the weather, booking at least the first night, notifying your bank if you're heading abroad, and making sure someone at work knows you're genuinely unreachable all matter more than they sound. Copies of documents, a little cash, any medicine you rely on — these round it out. What people tend to over-prepare is the itinerary, and under-prepare is precisely this practical layer, which strikes me as exactly backwards.

   Why this band

   • FC“these round it out” — This compact closing tag wraps up the list of small items far more economically than the 6.5 and 7.0 answers, which simply end their lists without a synthesising comment.
   • LR“a mishap that then dominated two days of the trip” — 'Mishap' is a precise, genuinely less-common word choice compared to the plain storytelling in the lower bands.
   • GRA“checking the weather, booking at least the first night, notifying your bank if you're heading abroad, and making sure someone at work knows you're genuinely unreachable all matter more than they sound” — This long gerund-phrase list functions as the subject of a single sentence, a compressed structure well beyond the simple listing style used at 6.5.

6. 6. What are the advantages and disadvantages of planning every detail of a holiday or vacation in advance?

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

   Band 6.5

   The 6.5 answer states both sides plainly using 'good and bad points' and connects ideas with simple words like 'But' and 'Also', a straightforward for-and-against structure.

   Planning everything has good and bad points. One person in our group felt uncomfortable because we had no plan for the second day, and I understand why — a full plan means no wasted time and nothing is sold out. But the best memory from that trip was an unplanned bicycle ride at sunset, which happened only because we had a free afternoon. Also, detailed plans can fall apart if it rains, and then the planner feels upset. I think it is better to plan important things like transport and the first night, but leave the days open.

   Why this band

   • FC“Also, detailed plans can fall apart if it rains, and then the planner feels upset.” — This sentence, starting with 'Also', simply adds another point to the list rather than integrating it with what came before, typical of the additive style at 6.5.
   • LR“Planning everything has good and bad points.” — This is plain, generic phrasing to introduce a for-and-against answer, functional but not varied or idiomatic.
   • GRA“which happened only because we had a free afternoon” — This relative clause with a basic 'because' is the simplest way of giving a reason.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer softens its claims with 'I'd say' and 'to be fair', and adds the reflective personal marker 'Personally' before its closing recommendation, showing more natural hedging than the 6.5 answer.

   There are real advantages and disadvantages to it, I'd say. One member of our group was genuinely uneasy about having no schedule for the second day, and to be fair, a full plan does mean less wasted time and nothing sold out. That said, the best memory from that whole trip was an unplanned bicycle ride at dusk, which only happened because we had an empty afternoon to fill. Detailed plans also tend to collapse at the first bit of rain, which leaves the planner miserable. Personally, I'd plan the things that can't be improvised, like transport and the first night, and leave everything else open.

   Why this band

   • FC“That said, the best memory from that whole trip was an unplanned bicycle ride at dusk” — The contrastive discourse marker 'That said' signals a deliberate shift in the argument, organising the answer more clearly than the plain 'But' used at 6.5.
   • LR“which only happened because we had an empty afternoon to fill” — 'An empty afternoon to fill' is a moderately natural collocation, a step above the plain wording at 6.5 though not as vivid as the idiomatic phrasing at 7.5.
   • GRA“Detailed plans also tend to collapse at the first bit of rain, which leaves the planner miserable.” — The relative clause 'which leaves the planner miserable' adds a consequence onto the main clause, a more complex link than the simple coordination in the 6.5 answer.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer opens with the balanced idiom 'cuts both ways', uses the precise adjective 'watertight' for a plan, and closes with the vivid compressed phrase 'leave the days themselves wide open', marking its more idiomatic, economical style.

   Planning everything removes the anxiety and the surprises in more or less equal measure, so it genuinely cuts both ways. One member of our group was visibly uncomfortable that we had no schedule for the second day, and I get it — a watertight plan means no wasted time, no arguments about what to do, and nothing sold out from under you. But the trip's best memory turned out to be an unplanned bicycle ride at dusk, born purely from an empty afternoon. Detailed plans also tend to unravel at the first drop of rain, leaving the planner miserable. I'd rather nail down only what can't be improvised — transport, the first night, anything needing a booking — and leave the days themselves wide open.

   Why this band

   • FC“so it genuinely cuts both ways” — This compact evaluative tag summarises the trade-off in a single idiom, a more economical move than the plain labelling ('good and bad points') used at 6.5.
   • LR“a watertight plan means no wasted time” — 'Watertight' is a precise, less common adjective for describing a thorough plan, more vivid than the plain 'full plan' used at 6.5.
   • GRA“born purely from an empty afternoon” — This participial phrase (a non-finite clause with no explicit subject or auxiliary) modifies the previous noun in a compressed way that isn't attempted in the 6.5 or 7.0 answers.

7. 7. Why do many countries try to attract large groups of international tourists?

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

   Band 6.5

   The 6.5 answer gives a direct main reason ('mainly because of the money') and adds further reasons in short separate sentences using 'Also' and 'too', a plain listing structure.

   Countries want tourists mainly because of the money. Tourists spend money on hotels, food, transport and gifts, and this creates jobs quickly, even in places without many factories. Some of this money also builds things like airports and bridges, for example in Da Nang, which local people can also use. Tourism brings in foreign money too, which governments want. Also, tourists go home and tell other people good things about the country. But this money is not always safe — one bad event, like a pandemic, can make it disappear quickly.

   Why this band

   • FC“Also, tourists go home and tell other people good things about the country.” — This additive sentence, starting with 'Also', is tacked on as a separate point rather than woven into the surrounding argument.
   • LR“one bad event, like a pandemic, can make it disappear quickly” — This is plain wording for describing the loss of income, less vivid than the higher bands' 'wipe out'/'evaporates' imagery.
   • GRA“and this creates jobs quickly, even in places without many factories” — This is a simple coordinated clause using 'and', a basic way of connecting two ideas.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer opens with the reflective 'Mainly, I think' and links ideas with the natural connector 'plus', going a step beyond the 6.5 list with a mildly complex dash-based aside.

   Mainly, I think, because it's money that comes in without needing a factory. Tourists spend on hotels, food, transport and souvenirs, which creates jobs fast, especially in places without much other industry — and a lot of what gets built for them, like Da Nang's airport and bridges, ends up benefiting residents too. There's also the foreign currency angle, which governments care about quite a bit, plus a softer motive: visitors go home as informal ambassadors, so a country people have enjoyed tends to get treated better internationally. The catch, though, is that this income is fragile — one pandemic can wipe it out almost overnight.

   Why this band

   • FC“Mainly, I think, because it's money that comes in without needing a factory.” — This reflective hedge, with 'I think' inserted mid-sentence, shows more natural spoken framing than the 6.5 answer's flat declarative opening.
   • LR“the foreign currency angle” — 'Angle' is a natural, moderately informal collocation for describing a motive, a step up from the plain 'foreign money' phrasing used at 6.5.
   • GRA“which creates jobs fast, especially in places without much other industry — and a lot of what gets built for them” — This sentence links a relative clause to a dash-introduced coordinated clause, a longer and more flexible structure than the short sentences typical of 6.5.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer opens with a fronted noun phrase ('Money that arrives without needing a factory, essentially'), uses the vivid verb 'evaporates' for money disappearing, and closes with a compact two-item consequence clause, showing its idiomatic, compressed style.

   Money that arrives without needing a factory, essentially — that's the appeal for most countries. Tourists pour cash into hotels, food, transport and souvenirs, generating jobs quickly and in places that have precious few other industries, and much of the infrastructure built to serve them, Da Nang's airport and bridges among them, ends up benefiting residents long after the visitors have gone home. Tourism also earns valuable foreign currency, something governments care about enormously, and there's a subtler motive too: visitors return home as informal ambassadors, and a country people have genuinely enjoyed tends to be treated more generously in trade and diplomacy. The one catch is that this money is notoriously fragile — a single pandemic or bad headline, and it evaporates.

   Why this band

   • FC“that's the appeal for most countries” — This compact tag closes the fronted opening in an economical way, tighter than the plain declarative openings used at 6.5 and 7.0.
   • LR“a single pandemic or bad headline, and it evaporates” — 'Evaporates' is a vivid, less common verb for describing money disappearing, more striking than the plain '...can make it disappear quickly' used at 6.5.
   • GRA“Money that arrives without needing a factory, essentially — that's the appeal for most countries.” — Opening with a fronted noun phrase as the sentence topic, before the main clause supplies the verb, is a compressed and flexible structure not used at 6.5.

8. 8. Does mass tourism return little benefit to local communities?

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

   Band 6.5

   The 6.5 answer gives a direct opinion ('I think it depends on who owns the business') and contrasts two simple examples with 'But', typical plain cause-effect reasoning.

   I think it depends on who owns the business. The family who runs our homestay in Phong Nha built a second house from the money they earned, and their neighbours sell them vegetables, so the money stays in the area. But in some resort towns, the hotels belong to big companies from other places, so the profit leaves with the tourists, and local people only get low-paid jobs and higher prices. So mass tourism can help a lot or help very little, depending on who owns the hotels. Sadly, governments often choose the second kind because it is easier to attract.

   Why this band

   • FC“So mass tourism can help a lot or help very little, depending on who owns the hotels.” — This summarising sentence repeats the word 'help' rather than varying the vocabulary, a simpler style than the higher bands' more precise phrasing for the same contrast.
   • LR“the profit leaves with the tourists” — This is plain phrasing for describing money leaving the local economy, less vivid than the higher bands' image of money leaving 'on the same plane as the guests'.
   • GRA“so the money stays in the area” — This is a simple result clause introduced by 'so', the most basic way of expressing a consequence.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer opens with 'Honestly, it depends entirely' and uses the natural aside 'that's money staying exactly where it should' to add reflection beyond the 6.5 answer's plainer contrast.

   Honestly, it depends entirely on who owns what. The family running our homestay in Phong Nha has built a second house purely from tourism income, and their neighbours sell them vegetables — that's money staying exactly where it should. In resort towns where the hotels belong to companies based elsewhere, though, the profits tend to leave on the same plane as the guests, and locals are mostly left with low-paid jobs and higher prices. So mass tourism can return a great deal or almost nothing, and ownership seems to be the deciding factor. Unfortunately, most governments chase the second model, simply because it's easier to attract.

   Why this band

   • FC“Honestly, it depends entirely on who owns what.” — This spoken hedge opener signals a considered judgement rather than a flat statement, more natural than the plain opinion opener at 6.5.
   • LR“the profits tend to leave on the same plane as the guests” — This vivid image is more specific and natural than the plain '...leaves with the tourists' phrasing used at 6.5, though the 7.5 answer pushes it further into a contrastive structure.
   • GRA“In resort towns where the hotels belong to companies based elsewhere, though, the profits tend to leave on the same plane as the guests” — This sentence combines a relative clause ('where...') with a mid-sentence 'though', a more complex structure than the short contrast sentences used at 6.5.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer opens with a compressed statement of the deciding factor ('that single factor seems to decide everything else'), uses the precise adjective 'inflated' for prices, and closes with the pointed adverb 'tellingly', showing an evaluative, idiomatic style.

   It depends entirely on who owns what, and that single factor seems to decide everything else. The family running our homestay in Phong Nha has built a second house purely from tourism income, with their neighbours supplying vegetables in return — money circulating exactly where it should. In resort towns where the hotels belong to companies headquartered elsewhere, by contrast, the profits leave on the same plane as the guests, leaving locals with little more than low-paid jobs and inflated prices. So mass tourism can return a great deal to a community or almost nothing at all, and the deciding variable is ownership and scale rather than tourist numbers. Most governments, tellingly, chase the second model anyway, purely because it's the easier one to attract.

   Why this band

   • FC“and that single factor seems to decide everything else” — This compact evaluative addition, appended right after the opening claim, frames the whole answer around one variable more economically than the 6.5 or 7.0 versions manage.
   • LR“leaving locals with little more than low-paid jobs and inflated prices” — 'Inflated' is a precise, less common word choice for describing prices, more specific than the plain 'higher prices' used at 6.5.
   • GRA“Most governments, tellingly, chase the second model anyway, purely because it's the easier one to attract.” — The parenthetical adverb 'tellingly', inserted between subject and verb, is a flexible structure that interrupts the main clause for evaluative effect, not used in the 6.5 or 7.0 answers.

9. 9. Can mass tourism continue without restriction?

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

   Band 6.5

   The 6.5 answer gives a direct 'No' opinion, one plain example (Hội An crowds at sunset), and a simple list of solutions joined with 'like', typical of the straightforward style at this band.

   No, I don't think it can continue like this forever. In Hội An, the old town is so crowded at sunset that local people avoid their own streets. The quiet, beautiful town that tourists come to see is slowly being destroyed by too many visitors. So too much tourism, without any limit, can ruin the very place it depends on. I think restrictions can help, like timed tickets, a limit on visitors each day, and higher prices in busy season. Some cities have already tried this, and it seems to work better for them.

   Why this band

   • FC“No, I don't think it can continue like this forever.” — This short, direct opening states the opinion immediately with minimal hedging, in contrast with the higher bands, which build up to the same claim with more spoken framing.
   • LR“so crowded at sunset” — This is plain vocabulary for describing the crowds, less vivid than the higher bands' 'so packed' or 'eroded' imagery for the same idea.
   • GRA“I think restrictions can help, like timed tickets, a limit on visitors each day, and higher prices in busy season.” — This is a simple listing sentence, joining items with commas and 'and', the most basic way to present several examples.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer opens with 'No, honestly' and reframes the crowding as tourism 'consuming the very thing it depends on', a mildly abstract reflection beyond the 6.5 answer's plain description.

   No, honestly, and the evidence for that is right where I live. Hội An's old town gets so packed at sunset that residents genuinely avoid their own streets, and the quiet, lantern-lit atmosphere that tourists actually come for is being slowly worn away by the sheer number of people chasing it. Unlimited tourism, in other words, ends up consuming the very thing it depends on. Restrictions don't have to mean outright bans, though — timed tickets, daily visitor caps, higher peak-season fees, and steering people toward quieter spots can all work well. A few cities have already tried this, and their tourism seems healthier for it.

   Why this band

   • FC“No, honestly, and the evidence for that is right where I live.” — This spoken hedge, plus a personal grounding move ('right where I live'), gives the opening more natural texture than the 6.5 answer's flat statement.
   • LR“worn away by the sheer number of people chasing it” — This moderately vivid collocation is more image-based than the plain 'too crowded' used at 6.5, though not as compressed as the 'eroded' phrasing chosen at 7.5.
   • GRA“Unlimited tourism, in other words, ends up consuming the very thing it depends on.” — The parenthetical 'in other words', inserted mid-sentence, restates the previous idea in more abstract terms, a more flexible move than the plain, separate sentences used at 6.5.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer uses the precise verb 'eroded' for the slow damage to Hội An, opens with a blunt 'No' followed directly by a compressed justification, and closes with a vivid four-word arc ('discovered, loved, ruined, abandoned'), marking its idiomatic, economical style.

   No, and the evidence is already visible where I live. Hội An's old town gets so crowded at sunset that residents actively avoid their own streets, and the very thing tourists come for — a quiet, lantern-lit town — is being steadily eroded by the sheer number of people coming to see it. Left unchecked, tourism essentially consumes the place it depends on. Restrictions needn't mean outright bans: timed tickets, daily visitor caps, steeper peak-season fees, and nudging people toward less crowded spots all do the job. A handful of cities have already gone down this road, and their tourism is noticeably healthier for it. Without limits, popular places seem doomed to follow the same arc — discovered, loved, ruined, abandoned.

   Why this band

   • FC“and the evidence is already visible where I live” — This compact justification is appended directly to the opening 'No' in the same sentence, a tighter move than the two-sentence version used at 7.0.
   • LR“is being steadily eroded by the sheer number of people coming to see it” — 'Eroded' is a precise, less common verb for gradual damage, more specific than the plain 'destroyed'/'worn away' phrasing used at the lower bands.
   • GRA“discovered, loved, ruined, abandoned” — This asyndetic four-word list (no conjunctions between the items) compresses an entire narrative arc into a single phrase, a highly economical structure not attempted at 6.5 or 7.0.