A Sportsperson You Know Who Did Well in a Sports Event

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 sports are popular with young people in your country?

   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 ('Football is definitely the most popular') and lists other sports with simple connectors like 'also' and 'Because', giving one concrete example.

   Football is definitely the most popular, especially with young men — you see games on any patch of grass near the river in the evening, using bags or sandals as goalposts. Badminton is a close second, probably because you only need a racket and a bit of space. Because Da Nang is right on the coast, swimming and beach volleyball are also popular, especially at weekends at My Khe Beach. Traditional sports like đá cầu still exist, but football is the main one people talk about.

   Why this band

   • FC“Traditional sports like đá cầu still exist, but football is the main one people talk about.” — This closing sentence, starting a new point with 'but', is a plain additive contrast rather than a more evaluative final synthesis.
   • LR“swimming and beach volleyball are also popular” — This is plain, functional phrasing using the basic adjective 'popular' repeated throughout the answer.
   • GRA“Because Da Nang is right on the coast, swimming and beach volleyball are also popular, especially at weekends at My Khe Beach.” — This is a simple sentence built around a single 'Because' clause, the most basic way of giving a reason.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer opens with the vivid phrase 'makeshift matches' and closes with 'football dominates conversations and screen time by a wide margin', more natural than the 6.5 version's plainer statements.

   Football is definitely the most popular, especially with young men — you'll see makeshift matches on any patch of grass near the river most evenings, using bags or sandals as goalposts. Badminton comes a close second, probably because all you need is a racket and a bit of space, which makes it accessible even for people without much money. Given that Da Nang sits right on the coast, swimming and beach volleyball are popular too, especially at weekends along My Khe Beach. Gyms and fitness classes have also grown a lot recently among people in their twenties. Traditional sports like đá cầu still exist, but honestly, football dominates conversations and screen time by a wide margin.

   Why this band

   • FC“but honestly, football dominates conversations and screen time by a wide margin” — This closing sentence, with the spoken hedge 'honestly' inserted, is a more evaluative final synthesis than the plain 'but football is the main one people talk about' sentence used at 6.5.
   • LR“you'll see makeshift matches on any patch of grass near the river most evenings” — 'Makeshift matches' is a vivid, more precise collocation than the plainer 'games' used for the same idea at 6.5.
   • GRA“Given that Da Nang sits right on the coast, swimming and beach volleyball are popular too” — The subordinating conjunction 'Given that' builds a more formal causal clause than the simple 'Because' clause used at 6.5.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer uses the vivid verb 'thrive' for beach sports and closes with the idiom 'by a country mile', showing its most idiomatic, vivid phrasing.

   Football is unquestionably the most popular, especially among young men — makeshift matches spring up on any patch of grass near the river most evenings, bags or sandals doubling as goalposts. Badminton runs a close second, largely because all it takes is a racket and a sliver of space, which keeps it accessible even for people without much money. Given that Da Nang sits right on the coast, swimming and beach volleyball thrive too, especially at weekends along My Khe Beach. Gyms and fitness classes have also surged recently among people in their twenties, and so, more quietly, has interest in mixed martial arts. Traditional sports like đá cầu still hang on, but honestly, football dominates conversations and screen time by a country mile.

   Why this band

   • FC“but honestly, football dominates conversations and screen time by a country mile” — The idiom 'by a country mile' is a more vivid, figurative way of expressing dominance than the plainer 'by a wide margin' phrasing used at 7.0.
   • LR“swimming and beach volleyball thrive too” — 'Thrive' is a vivid, less common verb, more precise than the plainer 'are popular too' phrasing used at 6.5 and 7.0.
   • GRA“makeshift matches spring up on any patch of grass near the river most evenings, bags or sandals doubling as goalposts” — The participial phrase 'bags or sandals doubling as goalposts', attached without a conjunction, is a more compressed non-finite structure than the coordinated 'using bags or sandals as goalposts' phrase used at 6.5/7.0.

2. 2. Do you think most young people enjoy taking part in sports competitions?

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

   Band 6.5

   The 6.5 answer opens with 'I think it is mixed, honestly' and gives supporting points with simple connectors like 'though' and 'So', giving one concrete example (the youth football match).

   I think it is mixed, honestly. Some young people really enjoy competition — the excitement of winning and the team spirit motivate them to train harder. Others, though, find competitions stressful, especially if parents or coaches put too much pressure on winning instead of enjoying it. I have watched youth football matches near my apartment where some kids clearly just wanted to play for fun, while others looked nervous whenever they made a mistake. So playing sport is popular, but really enjoying the pressure of competing is not the same for everyone.

   Why this band

   • FC“So playing sport is popular, but really enjoying the pressure of competing is not the same for everyone.” — This closing sentence, starting with 'So', gives a plain sequential summary rather than a more elaborate synthesis.
   • LR“some kids clearly just wanted to play for fun” — This is plain, functional phrasing, using the basic verb phrase 'wanted to play'.
   • GRA“Others, though, find competitions stressful, especially if parents or coaches put too much pressure on winning instead of enjoying it.” — This sentence uses a single 'if' clause to explain the cause, a basic subordinating structure.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer uses the more vivid collocation 'thrive on competition' and closes with the reflective 'how the adults around them frame winning and losing', a step up from the 6.5 answer's plainer phrasing.

   I'd say it's mixed, honestly. Some young people genuinely thrive on competition — the excitement of winning, the team spirit, all of that motivates them to train harder. Others, though, find competitions stressful, especially if parents or coaches put too much pressure on results rather than enjoyment. I've watched youth football matches near my apartment where a few kids clearly just wanted to play for fun, while others looked tense every time they made a mistake, glancing nervously at the sideline. So participation itself is popular, but genuine enjoyment of the competitive pressure isn't universal. I think it really depends on how the adults around them frame winning and losing.

   Why this band

   • FC“So participation itself is popular, but genuine enjoyment of the competitive pressure isn't universal.” — This closing sentence draws a precise distinction between 'participation' and 'genuine enjoyment', a more deliberate synthesising move than the plainer summary sentence used at 6.5.
   • LR“Some young people genuinely thrive on competition” — 'Thrive on' is a vivid, more precise collocation than the plainer 'really enjoy' phrasing used for the same idea at 6.5.
   • GRA“others looked tense every time they made a mistake, glancing nervously at the sideline” — The present participle 'glancing' functions as part of a longer descriptive clause, a more flexible non-finite structure than the simple 'looking at the sideline' phrase used at 6.5.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer opens with the compact fragment 'Mixed, honestly, is probably the fairest way to put it' and uses the vivid phrase 'eyes darting to the sideline', showing its most idiomatic, compressed phrasing.

   Mixed, honestly, is probably the fairest way to put it. Some young people genuinely thrive on competition — the thrill of winning, the camaraderie, all of it spurs them to train harder. Others, though, find competitions genuinely stressful, especially when parents or coaches load them with pressure to win rather than simply enjoy the game. I've watched youth football matches near my apartment where a few kids were clearly just there to have fun, while others tensed visibly at every mistake, eyes darting to the sideline. So participation is popular enough, but genuine enjoyment of the competitive edge is far from universal. It really comes down, I think, to how the adults around them frame winning and losing.

   Why this band

   • FC“Mixed, honestly, is probably the fairest way to put it.” — This compact fragment opener, using the adjective 'Mixed' as the grammatical subject, is tighter than the full sentence used for the same claim at 6.5 and 7.0.
   • LR“others tensed visibly at every mistake, eyes darting to the sideline” — 'Eyes darting to the sideline' is a vivid, idiomatic image, more striking than the plainer 'glancing nervously at the sideline' phrasing used at 7.0.
   • GRA“So participation is popular enough, but genuine enjoyment of the competitive edge is far from universal.” — The phrase 'far from universal' is a more emphatic, compressed negative construction than the plain 'isn't universal' phrasing used at 7.0.

3. 3. How important is it for children to try different sports?

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

   Band 6.5

   The 6.5 answer opens with 'I think it is genuinely important, mainly because' and lists further points with simple connectors like 'also' and 'Of course', giving one concrete example.

   I think it is genuinely important, mainly because different sports develop different physical skills and help children find out what they actually enjoy. A child who only ever plays one sport might miss out on finding a real talent somewhere else. I have noticed kids at My Khe Beach trying everything from beach football to swimming races, and some clearly prefer the water while others prefer the sand. Of course, at some point focusing on one or two sports helps with real progress, but trying many things first seems healthier.

   Why this band

   • FC“Of course, at some point focusing on one or two sports helps with real progress, but trying many things first seems healthier.” — This closing sentence, starting with 'Of course', gives a plain concession-then-conclusion structure using simple coordination.
   • LR“help children find out what they actually enjoy” — This is plain, functional phrasing, using the basic verb phrase 'find out'.
   • GRA“A child who only ever plays one sport might miss out on finding a real talent somewhere else.” — This is a simple relative clause ('who only ever plays one sport'), a basic way of adding description to the subject.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer uses the more precise verb 'figure out' and closes with the reflective 'broad exposure first seems like the healthier approach', a step up from the 6.5 answer's plainer phrasing.

   I think it's genuinely important, mainly because different sports develop different physical skills and help children figure out what they actually enjoy. A child who only ever plays one sport might miss out on discovering a real talent elsewhere. I've noticed kids at My Khe Beach on weekends trying everything from beach soccer to little swimming races, and you can tell some are naturally drawn to water sports while others prefer running around on sand. Trying different activities also reduces the risk of repetitive strain injuries that come from specialising too early. Of course, at some point focusing on one or two sports helps with real progress, but broad exposure first seems like the healthier approach.

   Why this band

   • FC“Of course, at some point focusing on one or two sports helps with real progress, but broad exposure first seems like the healthier approach.” — This closing sentence uses the more abstract noun phrase 'broad exposure', a more deliberate synthesising move than the plainer 'trying many things first' phrasing used at 6.5.
   • LR“reduces the risk of repetitive strain injuries that come from specialising too early” — This uses the more precise, formal collocation 'repetitive strain injuries', a step up from the plainer 'repeated strain injuries' phrasing used at 6.5.
   • GRA“you can tell some are naturally drawn to water sports while others prefer running around on sand” — This sentence uses the subordinating conjunction 'while' to build an explicit contrast clause, more complex than the simple sentences used at 6.5.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer uses the vivid verb 'gravitate' for children's natural preferences and closes with the compact phrase 'strikes me as the healthier starting point', showing its most idiomatic, precise phrasing.

   Genuinely important, I'd say, mainly because different sports develop different physical skills and let children work out what they actually enjoy. A child confined to a single sport might well miss out on a real talent lying elsewhere. I've noticed kids at My Khe Beach on weekends dabbling in everything from beach soccer to little swimming races, and you can tell some gravitate naturally toward water while others would rather sprint around on sand. Trying a range of activities also cuts the risk of the repetitive strain injuries that come from specialising too early. Of course, focusing on one or two sports eventually matters for real progress, but broad exposure first strikes me as the healthier starting point.

   Why this band

   • FC“Of course, focusing on one or two sports eventually matters for real progress, but broad exposure first strikes me as the healthier starting point.” — The verb phrase 'strikes me as' is a more personal, evaluative closing move than the plainer 'seems like' phrasing used at 7.0.
   • LR“some gravitate naturally toward water while others would rather sprint around on sand” — 'Gravitate' is a vivid, less common verb, more precise than the plainer 'are naturally drawn to' phrasing used for the same idea at 6.5 and 7.0.
   • GRA“A child confined to a single sport might well miss out on a real talent lying elsewhere.” — The past-participial phrase 'confined to a single sport' replaces the relative clause 'who only ever plays one sport' used at 6.5/7.0, a more compressed non-finite structure.

4. 4. What skills and qualities do people need to be good at sport?

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

   Band 6.5

   The 6.5 answer opens with 'Physical talent obviously helps, but' and lists further qualities with simple connectors like 'too' and 'also', giving basic examples.

   Physical talent obviously helps, but I would say discipline matters more in the long run, because even naturally gifted people fail without regular training. Mental strength is important too — being able to lose a match and come back motivated instead of feeling discouraged. Good coordination and quick decisions matter too, in most sports. I also think being coachable is underrated, because athletes who can actually listen to feedback and change tend to improve faster than those who resist it. Financial and family support also helps, since serious training costs a lot of time and money.

   Why this band

   • FC“I also think being coachable is underrated, because athletes who can actually listen to feedback and change tend to improve faster than those who resist it.” — This new point, introduced with 'I also think', is a separate additive sentence rather than being fused into the surrounding argument.
   • LR“Mental strength is important too” — This is plain, functional phrasing, using the basic noun phrase 'Mental strength' rather than the more precise 'Mental resilience' used at higher bands.
   • GRA“Financial and family support also helps, since serious training costs a lot of time and money.” — This sentence uses a simple 'since' clause, a basic way of giving a reason.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer uses the more precise noun phrase 'Mental resilience' and the semicolon-linked structure for coachability, a more complex sentence than the 6.5 answer's plain listing.

   Physical talent obviously helps, but I'd argue discipline matters more in the long run, since even naturally gifted people fail without consistent training. Mental resilience is crucial too — the ability to lose a match and come back motivated rather than discouraged. Good coordination and quick decision-making matter in most sports, whether that's judging a ball's trajectory or reacting to an opponent's move. Beyond the physical side, I think coachability is underrated; athletes who can actually absorb feedback and adjust tend to improve faster than those who resist correction. Financial and family support helps too, since serious training is expensive and time-consuming, so not everyone with talent gets the chance to develop it fully.

   Why this band

   • FC“Beyond the physical side, I think coachability is underrated; athletes who can actually absorb feedback and adjust tend to improve faster than those who resist correction.” — The transition phrase 'Beyond the physical side' organises this point as a new stage of the argument, more deliberate than the plain 'I also think' used for the same point at 6.5.
   • LR“athletes who can actually absorb feedback and adjust tend to improve faster than those who resist correction” — 'Absorb feedback' is a more precise, vivid collocation than the plainer 'listen to feedback' phrasing used at 6.5.
   • GRA“Good coordination and quick decision-making matter in most sports, whether that's judging a ball's trajectory or reacting to an opponent's move.” — This sentence uses a 'whether...or' structure to compress two examples into one clause, more complex than the simple listing sentence used at 6.5.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer uses the vivid verbs 'flounder' and 'bristle' and closes with the compressed phrase 'time and money most families simply don't have to spare', showing its most vivid, idiomatic phrasing.

   Physical talent obviously helps, but discipline, I'd argue, matters more in the long run, since even the naturally gifted flounder without consistent training. Mental resilience proves crucial too — the ability to lose a match and come back hungrier rather than discouraged. Good coordination and quick decision-making matter across most sports, whether that's judging a ball's trajectory or reading an opponent's next move, skills that only sharpen with real match experience. Beyond the physical side, coachability strikes me as underrated; athletes who genuinely absorb feedback and adjust tend to improve faster than those who bristle at correction. Financial and family support matters too, since serious training eats up time and money most families simply don't have to spare.

   Why this band

   • FC“come back hungrier rather than discouraged” — The comparative adjective 'hungrier' is a vivid, figurative word choice, more evaluative than the plainer 'motivated' used for the same idea at 6.5 and 7.0.
   • LR“even the naturally gifted flounder without consistent training” — 'Flounder' is a vivid, less common verb, more precise than the plainer 'fail' used for the same idea at 6.5 and 7.0.
   • GRA“athletes who genuinely absorb feedback and adjust tend to improve faster than those who bristle at correction” — The vivid verb 'bristle at' replaces the plainer 'resist' used at 7.0, a more figurative and idiomatic choice within the same comparative sentence structure.

5. 5. Why is it difficult to become a top professional sportsperson today?

   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 main reason and lists further obstacles with simple connectors like 'also' and 'another', giving one concrete example (the badminton player).

   The main reason is simply the level of competition — thousands of talented young athletes are chasing a very small number of professional places, so even being genuinely skilled is not enough anymore. It also needs years of expensive training and coaching, often at bigger centres many families can't afford. I read about a badminton player from a Da Nang club who had to move to Hanoi just for better facilities. Injuries are another big problem, since one serious injury can end a career that took ten years to build. Put all that together with the constant mental pressure, and it is clear why so few people make it.

   Why this band

   • FC“Put all that together with the constant mental pressure, and it is clear why so few people make it.” — This closing sentence, starting with the plain imperative 'Put all that together', gives a straightforward final summary using basic coordination.
   • LR“The main reason is simply the level of competition” — This is plain, functional phrasing, using the basic noun phrase 'the level of competition' rather than the more vivid 'sheer weight of competition' used at higher bands.
   • GRA“Injuries are another big problem, since one serious injury can end a career that took ten years to build.” — This sentence uses a single 'since' clause, a basic way of explaining a cause.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer uses the vivid phrase 'sheer competition' and closes with the imperative-style 'Combine all that with the mental pressure of constant evaluation', a step up from the 6.5 answer's plainer statements.

   The main reason is sheer competition — thousands of talented young athletes are chasing a very small number of professional spots, so even being genuinely skilled isn't enough anymore. It also requires years of expensive training, proper coaching, and often relocating to bigger training centres, which not every family can afford. I read about a badminton player from a local Da Nang club who had to move to Hanoi for better facilities just to have a realistic shot at national selection. Injuries are another major obstacle, since a single serious one can end a career that took a decade to build. Combine all that with the mental pressure of constant evaluation, and it's clear why so few make it.

   Why this band

   • FC“Combine all that with the mental pressure of constant evaluation, and it's clear why so few make it.” — This closing imperative-style construction ('Combine...and...') is a more compressed, rhetorical way of summarising than the plain 'Put all that together...' sentence used at 6.5.
   • LR“It also requires years of expensive training, proper coaching, and often relocating to bigger training centres” — This uses the more formal, precise verb 'relocating', a step up from the plainer 'moving' phrasing used at 6.5.
   • GRA“thousands of talented young athletes are chasing a very small number of professional spots, so even being genuinely skilled isn't enough anymore” — This sentence embeds a gerund-phrase subject ('being genuinely skilled') within a 'so' result clause, more complex than the simple sentences used at 6.5.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer uses the vivid phrase 'vanishingly small' for the number of professional spots and closes with the idiom 'it's no mystery why so few ever make it', showing its most idiomatic, evaluative phrasing.

   The main reason is sheer weight of competition — thousands of talented young athletes chasing a vanishingly small number of professional spots, so raw skill alone stopped being enough long ago. It also demands years of costly training, proper coaching, and often uprooting to bigger training centres, which not every family can stretch to. I read about a badminton player from a local Da Nang club who had to relocate to Hanoi for better facilities just to stand a realistic chance at national selection. Injuries pose another major obstacle, since a single serious one can end a career that took a decade to build. Add the mental pressure of constant evaluation on top of all that, and it's no mystery why so few ever make it.

   Why this band

   • FC“Add the mental pressure of constant evaluation on top of all that, and it's no mystery why so few ever make it.” — The closing idiom 'it's no mystery why' is a more vivid, evaluative way of expressing the conclusion than the plainer 'it's clear why' phrasing used at 7.0.
   • LR“thousands of talented young athletes chasing a vanishingly small number of professional spots” — 'Vanishingly small' is a vivid, less common intensifying phrase, more striking than the plainer 'a very small number' used at 6.5 and 7.0.
   • GRA“which not every family can stretch to” — The idiomatic verb phrase 'stretch to' replaces the plainer 'afford' used at 6.5/7.0, a more figurative and compressed choice within the same relative clause structure.

6. 6. How is technology becoming more important in sport?

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

   Band 6.5

   The 6.5 answer opens with 'It is becoming central, honestly' and lists examples with simple connectors like 'Even' and 'also', giving one workplace example.

   It is becoming central, honestly, not just an extra thing anymore. Wearable devices now track heart rate, sleep, and recovery, which lets coaches adjust training instead of guessing. Video analysis software breaks down technique frame by frame, something that used to need an expert's eyes alone. Even match decisions have changed, with VAR in football checking incidents referees might miss. At my studio, we worked on a fitness-tracking app for a client last year, and amateur athletes now expect as much data as professionals. The only downside is that smaller clubs without money can fall further behind teams that have this technology.

   Why this band

   • FC“The only downside is that smaller clubs without money can fall further behind teams that have this technology.” — This closing sentence, starting with 'The only downside is', gives a plain concluding statement using a simple relative clause.
   • LR“something that used to need an expert's eyes alone” — This is plain, functional phrasing, using the basic verb 'need' rather than the more precise 'require'/'demand' used at higher bands.
   • GRA“Wearable devices now track heart rate, sleep, and recovery, which lets coaches adjust training instead of guessing.” — This sentence adds a relative 'which' clause onto a simple listing sentence, a basic way of adding a consequence.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer uses the more precise verb 'fine-tune' for training adjustments and closes with the more formal 'teams with access to this technology', a step up from the 6.5 answer's plainer phrasing.

   It's becoming central, honestly, not just an add-on anymore. Wearable devices now track heart rate, sleep, and recovery, letting coaches fine-tune training instead of guessing. Video analysis software breaks down technique frame by frame, which used to require expert eyes alone. Even decision-making during matches has changed, with technology like VAR in football reviewing incidents that referees might miss in real time. At my studio, we actually worked on a fitness-tracking app interface for a client last year, and it was interesting seeing how much data amateur athletes now expect access to, not just professionals. The only downside is that smaller clubs without funding can fall further behind teams with access to this technology.

   Why this band

   • FC“it was interesting seeing how much data amateur athletes now expect access to, not just professionals” — The gerund phrase 'seeing how much data...' functions as the object of 'interesting', a more compact construction than the 'to see how much' infinitive phrase used at 6.5.
   • LR“letting coaches fine-tune training instead of guessing” — 'Fine-tune' is a vivid, more precise verb than the plainer 'adjust' used for the same idea at 6.5.
   • GRA“Video analysis software breaks down technique frame by frame, which used to require expert eyes alone.” — This sentence uses the more formal verb 'require' inside a relative 'which' clause, a step up from the plainer 'need' used in the equivalent sentence at 6.5.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer uses the precise verb 'dissects' for video analysis and closes with the compact phrase 'this technology at their disposal', showing its most precise, idiomatic phrasing.

   It's becoming central, honestly, no longer some optional add-on. Wearable devices now track heart rate, sleep and recovery, letting coaches fine-tune training rather than rely on guesswork. Video analysis software dissects technique frame by frame, work that used to demand expert eyes alone. Even in-match decision-making has shifted, with technology like VAR in football reviewing incidents referees might otherwise miss in real time. At my studio, we actually worked on a fitness-tracking app interface for a client last year, and it was striking how much data amateur athletes now expect access to, not just professionals. The one drawback is that smaller clubs without funding risk falling further behind teams with this technology at their disposal.

   Why this band

   • FC“The one drawback is that smaller clubs without funding risk falling further behind teams with this technology at their disposal.” — The idiom 'at their disposal' is a more compact, formal way of expressing access than the plainer 'with access to this technology' phrasing used at 7.0.
   • LR“Video analysis software dissects technique frame by frame” — 'Dissects' is a vivid, less common verb, more precise than the plainer 'breaks down' used for the same idea at 6.5 and 7.0.
   • GRA“letting coaches fine-tune training rather than rely on guesswork” — The noun 'guesswork' replaces the verb phrase 'instead of guessing' used at 6.5/7.0, a more compressed nominalisation within the same participial structure.

7. 7. Do you think professional sportspeople deserve the high salaries they receive?

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

   Band 6.5

   The 6.5 answer opens with 'To some extent, yes' and lists reasons with simple connectors like 'also' and 'That said', a straightforward balanced structure.

   To some extent, yes, mainly because their careers are short and physically hard, and only a small number of people ever reach the top level in the first place. The salaries also reflect the money they bring in through ticket sales, sponsorships and broadcasting rights. That said, the gap between the highest-paid sportspeople and, say, nurses or teachers does seem unfair when you think about long-term value to society. Popular sports like football also attract far more money than equally demanding ones. So I would say top athletes in popular sports probably deserve high pay, but the overall pay across different sports feels quite unfair.

   Why this band

   • FC“So I would say top athletes in popular sports probably deserve high pay, but the overall pay across different sports feels quite unfair.” — This closing sentence, starting with 'So', gives a plain sequential summary balancing two ideas with 'but'.
   • LR“does seem unfair when you think about long-term value to society” — This is plain, functional phrasing, using the basic adjective 'unfair' rather than the more precise 'disproportionate' used at higher bands.
   • GRA“only a small number of people ever reach the top level in the first place” — This is a simple sentence using the basic quantifier phrase 'a small number of', a plain way of expressing scarcity.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer uses the more formal adjective 'disproportionate' and closes with 'the overall distribution across different sports feels quite unfair', a step up from the 6.5 answer's plainer phrasing.

   To an extent, yes, mainly because their careers are short and physically demanding, and only a small percentage ever reach that top level in the first place. The salaries also reflect how much revenue they generate through ticket sales, sponsorships, and broadcasting rights, so in a market sense, it's not unreasonable. That said, the gap between the highest-paid sportspeople and, say, nurses or teachers does seem disproportionate when you think about long-term social value. Also, popular sports like football attract far more money than equally demanding sports that just don't get the same audience. So I'd say top athletes in popular sports probably deserve high pay, but the overall distribution across different sports feels quite unfair.

   Why this band

   • FC“the gap between the highest-paid sportspeople and, say, nurses or teachers does seem disproportionate when you think about long-term social value” — This sentence uses the more precise, formal adjective 'disproportionate', a step up from the plainer 'unfair' used for the same idea at 6.5.
   • LR“The salaries also reflect how much revenue they generate through ticket sales, sponsorships, and broadcasting rights” — 'Revenue' is a more formal, precise noun than the plainer 'money' used for the same idea at 6.5.
   • GRA“only a small percentage ever reach that top level in the first place” — This uses the more precise quantifier 'a small percentage' rather than the vaguer 'a small number of people' phrasing used at 6.5.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer uses the vivid phrase 'hoover up' for popular sports attracting money and closes with the compact phrase 'considerably less fair', showing its most idiomatic, evaluative phrasing.

   To an extent, yes, mainly because their careers are short and punishing, and only a sliver of hopefuls ever reach that top tier at all. The salaries also track how much revenue they generate through ticket sales, sponsorships and broadcasting rights, so in market terms, it isn't unreasonable. That said, the gulf between the highest-paid sportspeople and, say, nurses or teachers looks distinctly disproportionate once you weigh in long-term social value. Popular sports like football also hoover up far more money than equally demanding sports that simply lack the same audience. So top athletes in popular sports probably do deserve high pay, but the distribution of pay across sports as a whole feels considerably less fair. Nobody in sport seems keen to fix that imbalance any time soon.

   Why this band

   • FC“So top athletes in popular sports probably do deserve high pay, but the distribution of pay across sports as a whole feels considerably less fair.” — The intensifying phrase 'considerably less fair' is a more precise, graded evaluation than the flatter 'feels quite unfair' phrasing used at 6.5 and 7.0.
   • LR“Popular sports like football also hoover up far more money than equally demanding sports” — 'Hoover up' is a vivid, idiomatic phrasal verb, more striking than the plainer 'attract' used for the same idea at 6.5 and 7.0.
   • GRA“only a sliver of hopefuls ever reach that top tier at all” — The metaphorical noun 'a sliver of hopefuls' is a more vivid, compressed way of expressing scarcity than the plain quantifier phrase used at 6.5 and 7.0.

8. 8. Why do some sports receive little global recognition?

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

   Band 6.5

   The 6.5 answer opens with 'Mostly because of media coverage and money, honestly' and lists further reasons with simple connectors like 'also' and 'because', giving one example (đá cầu).

   Mostly because of media coverage and money, honestly, rather than the sport itself having no value. Football and basketball dominate broadcasting deals, so other sports struggle to reach a wide audience even when the competition level is high. Traditional sports specific to certain regions, like đá cầu here in Vietnam, rarely get international coverage because they stay tied to one area. Sponsorship naturally follows viewership, so popular sports keep growing while others stay underfunded. Language differences and time-zone problems for live broadcasts also play a part. I think it is less about the sport being less exciting and more about history and money.

   Why this band

   • FC“I think it is less about the sport being less exciting and more about history and money.” — This closing sentence, starting with 'I think', is a plain final restatement rather than a more evaluative synthesis.
   • LR“Language differences and time-zone problems for live broadcasts also play a part.” — This is plain, functional phrasing, using the basic noun 'differences' rather than the more precise 'barriers'/'mismatches' used at higher bands.
   • GRA“Football and basketball dominate broadcasting deals, so other sports struggle to reach a wide audience even when the competition level is high.” — This sentence uses a simple 'so' result clause plus one 'even when' clause, a basic way of building a longer sentence.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer uses the more formal noun 'funding' and closes with the precise phrase 'historical momentum and money', a step up from the 6.5 answer's plainer phrasing.

   Mostly because of media coverage and funding, honestly, rather than the sport itself lacking value. Football and basketball dominate broadcasting deals, so other sports struggle to reach a wide audience even when the competition level is high. Traditional sports specific to certain regions, like đá cầu here in Vietnam, rarely get international coverage because they're culturally tied to one area rather than played globally. Sponsorship money naturally follows viewership, which creates a cycle where popular sports keep growing and less popular ones stay underfunded and under-broadcast. Language barriers and time-zone differences for live broadcasts play a role too. I think it's less about the sport being less exciting and more about historical momentum and money.

   Why this band

   • FC“Mostly because of media coverage and funding, honestly, rather than the sport itself lacking value.” — The concessive tag 'rather than the sport itself lacking value', appended directly to the opening claim, is a more deliberate framing move than the plainer opening used at 6.5.
   • LR“Language barriers and time-zone differences for live broadcasts play a role too” — 'Language barriers' is a more precise, formal collocation than the plainer 'Language differences' phrasing used at 6.5.
   • GRA“Sponsorship money naturally follows viewership, which creates a cycle where popular sports keep growing and less popular ones stay underfunded and under-broadcast.” — This sentence embeds a relative 'which' clause containing a further 'where' clause, a more complex nested structure than the simple sentences used at 6.5.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer uses the vivid verb 'hog' for broadcasting deals and the idiom 'razor-sharp' for competition level, closing with the compact phrase 'a matter of historical momentum and money', showing its most idiomatic, vivid phrasing.

   Mostly down to media coverage and funding, honestly, rather than any real shortfall in the sport's own value. Football and basketball hog the broadcasting deals, so other sports struggle to reach a wide audience even when the competition itself is razor-sharp. Traditional sports specific to certain regions, like đá cầu here in Vietnam, rarely draw international coverage because they're culturally rooted in one place rather than played worldwide. Sponsorship money naturally chases viewership, which sets up a cycle where popular sports keep snowballing and the rest stay underfunded and under-broadcast. Language barriers and time-zone mismatches for live broadcasts play their part too. It's less about the sport being less exciting, I'd argue, and more a matter of historical momentum and money.

   Why this band

   • FC“It's less about the sport being less exciting, I'd argue, and more a matter of historical momentum and money.” — The parenthetical 'I'd argue', inserted mid-sentence into the closing claim, is a more deliberate evaluative move than the plain 'I think' opener used at 6.5 and 7.0.
   • LR“Football and basketball hog the broadcasting deals” — 'Hog' is a vivid, less common verb, more striking than the plainer 'dominate' used for the same idea at 6.5 and 7.0.
   • GRA“even when the competition itself is razor-sharp” — The idiomatic adjective 'razor-sharp' replaces the plainer 'high' used at 6.5/7.0, a more figurative and compressed word choice within the same clause structure.

9. 9. Do you think governments or private companies should fund major sporting events?

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

   Band 6.5

   The 6.5 answer opens with 'I think it should be a mix of both, honestly' and gives supporting reasons with simple connectors like 'But' and 'while', a straightforward balanced structure.

   I think it should be a mix of both, honestly. Governments are often necessary for big events because of infrastructure — building or upgrading stadiums, transport, and security needs public money that private companies alone would not spend. But private sponsorship brings in important funding and often runs things more efficiently, since companies want a good return on their investment. Government funding suits lasting public facilities, while private companies suit funding the event itself, like broadcasting. Relying only on government risks wasting public money on facilities nobody uses later, while relying only on private funding risks the event serving profit more than the community.

   Why this band

   • FC“Relying only on government risks wasting public money on facilities nobody uses later, while relying only on private funding risks the event serving profit more than the community.” — This closing sentence uses simple coordination with 'while', a plain way of balancing two risks against each other.
   • LR“private sponsorship brings in important funding” — This is plain, functional phrasing, using the basic adjective 'important' rather than the more precise 'essential' used at higher bands.
   • GRA“Governments are often necessary for big events because of infrastructure — building or upgrading stadiums, transport, and security needs public money that private companies alone would not spend.” — This sentence adds a dash-marked list before a relative 'that' clause, a fairly basic way of extending a sentence with examples.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer uses the more formal noun 'infrastructure' and closes with the balanced phrase 'profit over community interest', a step up from the 6.5 answer's plainer phrasing.

   I think it should be a combination of both, honestly. Governments are often necessary for large-scale events because of infrastructure — building or upgrading stadiums, transport, and security requires public investment that private companies alone wouldn't undertake. But private sponsorship brings in essential funding and often runs things more efficiently, since companies want a good return on their investment. I'd say government funding makes sense for building lasting public facilities that communities use afterward, while private companies are better suited to funding the event operations themselves, like broadcasting and marketing. Relying entirely on government risks wasted public money on facilities nobody uses later, while relying entirely on private funding risks the event serving profit over community interest.

   Why this band

   • FC“Relying entirely on government risks wasted public money on facilities nobody uses later, while relying entirely on private funding risks the event serving profit over community interest.” — This closing sentence uses the parallel structure 'Relying entirely on X risks Y, while relying entirely on Z risks W', a more deliberately balanced construction than the simpler version used at 6.5.
   • LR“private sponsorship brings in essential funding and often runs things more efficiently” — 'Essential' is a more precise, formal adjective than the plainer 'important' used for the same idea at 6.5.
   • GRA“Governments are often necessary for large-scale events because of infrastructure — building or upgrading stadiums, transport, and security requires public investment that private companies alone wouldn't undertake.” — This sentence uses the more formal verb 'undertake' inside a relative 'that' clause, a step up from the plainer 'would not spend' used in the equivalent sentence at 6.5.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer opens with the compact fragment 'A combination of both, I'd say, honestly' and closes with the vivid verb 'squandering', showing its most idiomatic, compressed phrasing.

   A combination of both, I'd say, honestly. Governments tend to be indispensable for large-scale events because of infrastructure — stadiums, transport, security — which requires public investment that private companies alone would rarely take on. Private sponsorship, though, brings in essential funding and often runs the operation more efficiently, since companies expect a decent return on what they put in. Government funding, I'd argue, makes most sense for building lasting public facilities communities go on using, while private companies are better suited to funding the event's day-to-day running, broadcasting and marketing among them. Leaning entirely on government risks squandering public money on facilities nobody ever uses again, while leaning entirely on private funding risks the event serving profit ahead of the community it's meant for.

   Why this band

   • FC“A combination of both, I'd say, honestly.” — This compact fragment opener, using the noun phrase 'A combination of both' as the answer itself, is tighter than the full sentence used for the same claim at 6.5 and 7.0.
   • LR“Leaning entirely on government risks squandering public money on facilities nobody ever uses again” — 'Squandering' is a vivid, less common verb, more precise than the plainer 'wasted'/'wasting' used for the same idea at 6.5 and 7.0.
   • GRA“Governments tend to be indispensable for large-scale events because of infrastructure — stadiums, transport, security — which requires public investment that private companies alone would rarely take on” — This sentence embeds a dash-marked appositive list directly between the noun and its relative clause, a more compressed structure than the equivalent sentence used at 7.0.

10. 10. What sports are the most popular in your country?

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

    Band 6.5

    Opens with a short, direct claim and lists each supporting fact in its own plain sentence.

    Football is definitely the most popular sport here. If you walk around Da Nang on a weekend evening, you'll see groups of young men playing on small pitches near the river. Even in my building, people gather at the café to watch matches on TV. Last month, I saw a big crowd at Vincom Mall watching the national team play in the SEA Games. Besides football, badminton is also popular, especially with older people, who often play in the parks early in the morning.

    Why this band

    • FC“Football is definitely the most popular sport here.” — This opening states the answer directly in one short sentence, typical of 6.5's plain style. The 7.0 version adds a hedge and intensifier ('by quite a distance'), and 7.5 opens with a stronger adverb ('unquestionably'), each adding more evaluative weight to the same claim.
    • LR“small pitches near the river” — This is a plain, functional description. 7.0 adds a descriptive adjective ('small, floodlit pitches'), and 7.5 keeps a similar phrase but embeds it in a longer, more fluent sentence, showing that precision can come from both word choice and sentence integration.
    • GRA“Besides football, badminton is also popular, especially with older people, who often play in the parks early in the morning.” — This sentence uses a relative clause attached simply to the end, correct but standard. 7.5 achieves a similar structure but adds a further concluding sentence that ties the whole answer together, showing a longer overall argument.

    Band 7.0

    Adds the hedge 'Honestly' and the intensifier 'by quite a distance' to the opening claim, giving it a more considered, spoken tone.

    Honestly, football is definitely the most popular sport here, by quite a distance. If you walk around Da Nang on a weekend evening, you'll see groups of mostly young men playing on small, floodlit pitches near the river. Even in my own building, people often gather at the café downstairs to watch matches on TV. Actually, last month I was at Vincom Mall and noticed a huge crowd cheering for the national team during the SEA Games. Besides football, badminton is also big, especially among older people, who you'll often spot playing in the parks early in the morning.

    Why this band

    • FC“Honestly, football is definitely the most popular sport here, by quite a distance.” — The hedge 'Honestly' plus the added phrase 'by quite a distance' makes the claim sound more like a considered judgement than a flat fact, a step beyond 6.5's bare statement. It doesn't yet reach 7.5's more confident single adverb ('unquestionably'), which achieves the same effect more economically.
    • LR“a huge crowd cheering for the national team” — This is a clear, functional description of the scene. 7.5 extends the same image with a more specific, vivid detail ('cheering in front of an electronics store'), showing a more precise eye for description.
    • GRA“Actually, last month I was at Vincom Mall and noticed a huge crowd cheering for the national team during the SEA Games.” — This sentence links time, place and action in one clause chain, correct and reasonably fluent. 7.5 extends a similar sentence further with an additional embedded detail, showing more layered description within one sentence.

    Band 7.5

    Closes with a concessive 'while' sentence that pulls the whole answer together, something neither lower band attempts.

    Football is unquestionably the most popular sport here, by quite some distance. Wander around Da Nang on a weekend evening and you'll spot groups of mostly young men playing on small, floodlit pitches near the Han River, and even in my own building people gather at the café downstairs to watch V-League or European matches. Actually, just last month I happened to be at Vincom Mall and stumbled on a huge crowd cheering in front of an electronics store during a SEA Games match. Beyond football, badminton is also thriving, particularly among older people, who you'll often catch playing in the parks at dawn. So while football grabs all the headlines, other sports are quietly catching on too.

    Why this band

    • FC“So while football grabs all the headlines, other sports are quietly catching on too.” — This closing sentence uses a concessive 'while' clause to summarise the whole answer in one balanced statement, giving a clear sense of conclusion. Neither 6.5 nor 7.0 closes with this kind of summarising, balanced sentence; both simply add badminton as a final fact.
    • LR“grabs all the headlines” — This is a natural, idiomatic collocation for media attention, well beyond the plain vocabulary used at 6.5 and 7.0. It shows the kind of precise, native-like phrasing that characterises 7.5 lexis.
    • GRA“Wander around Da Nang on a weekend evening and you'll spot groups of mostly young men playing on small, floodlit pitches near the Han River, and even in my own building people gather at the café downstairs to watch V-League or European matches.” — This long sentence uses an imperative-conditional opening plus a coordinated second clause, managing far more content in one unit than the shorter sentences at 6.5 or 7.0. That control over a long, multi-part sentence without losing clarity is a hallmark of 7.5 grammar.

11. 11. Are there any popular team sports in your country?

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

    Band 6.5

    Closes with a short, plain sentence summing up the whole answer, in keeping with 6.5's direct style.

    Yes, team sports are very popular here, especially football. In Da Nang and even smaller cities, you often see people playing football on school fields or empty lots. Last month, I passed Tien Son Stadium and saw an amateur league match between different districts. The crowd was surprisingly big, with families, kids and food stalls nearby. Football is popular partly because it's easy to organise and partly because it's shown everywhere on TV. Volleyball is also common, though less popular. Overall, team sports really bring people together, both players and fans.

    Why this band

    • FC“Overall, team sports really bring people together, both players and fans.” — This closing sentence sums up the whole answer plainly and briefly, suiting 6.5's direct style. The higher bands extend the same closing idea with a parallel 'as players and as fans/spectators' structure, giving it a slightly more polished, balanced rhythm.
    • LR“surprisingly big” — A simple, common intensifier-adjective pair. 7.5 upgrades this to 'surprisingly large', a marginally more formal register choice, and surrounds it with richer sentence detail overall.
    • GRA“Last month, I passed Tien Son Stadium and saw an amateur league match between different districts.” — A single, clear sentence with basic coordination. 7.0 extends the same sentence with an added consequence clause about the crowd joined by a dash, and 7.5 adds a further descriptive clause, showing progressively more layered sentence-building for the same event.

    Band 7.0

    Adds the hedge 'Honestly' and the intensifier 'genuinely' to the opening, giving the claim a more personal, weighed quality.

    Honestly, team sports are genuinely popular here, especially football. In Da Nang, or even smaller cities like Hue, you'll often see people playing on school fields or informal pitches in empty lots. Last month I passed Tien Son Stadium and came across an amateur league match between teams from different districts, and the crowd was surprisingly big — families, kids, even a few food stalls set up nearby. I'd say football is popular partly because it's so easy to set up a game, but also because it's broadcast everywhere. Volleyball is fairly common, though not quite at the same level. Overall, team sports bring people together, both as players and as fans.

    Why this band

    • FC“Honestly, team sports are genuinely popular here, especially football.” — The hedge 'Honestly' and intensifier 'genuinely' make this read as a personal, weighed judgement rather than a flat fact, a step beyond 6.5's plain opening. 7.5 achieves a similarly confident tone without the explicit hedge, relying on word order alone ('football above all').
    • LR“a few food stalls set up nearby” — This concrete detail is reused closely from the original material and phrased plainly here. At 7.5 the same detail follows a more vivid framing verb ('stumbled on'), giving the whole scene slightly more narrative colour.
    • GRA“I'd say football is popular partly because it's so easy to set up a game, but also because it's broadcast everywhere.” — This uses a 'partly... but also' structure to give two linked reasons in one sentence, more developed than a simple listing. It closely matches 7.5's version, the main difference being 7.5's stronger closing detail ('broadcast absolutely everywhere the national team plays').

    Band 7.5

    Uses the more formal word 'spectators' in place of 'fans' at the close, giving the final line a slightly more considered register.

    Team sports are genuinely popular here, football above all. Wander around Da Nang, or even smaller cities like Hue, and you'll often spot people playing on school fields or informal pitches carved out of empty lots. Last month, for instance, I happened to pass Tien Son Stadium and stumbled on an amateur league match between teams from different districts — the crowd was surprisingly large, with families, kids and even a few food stalls set up nearby. I'd say football thrives partly because it's so easy to organise and partly because it's broadcast absolutely everywhere the national team plays. Volleyball holds its own too, if not quite at the same level. Overall, team sports bring people together here, both as players and as spectators.

    Why this band

    • FC“Overall, team sports bring people together here, both as players and as spectators.” — This closing echoes the structure used at the lower bands but chooses the more formal, precise word 'spectators' over 'fans', giving the final line a slightly more considered register. It reads as a deliberate, polished wrap-up rather than a simple restatement.
    • LR“carved out of empty lots” — This is a vivid, almost literary way of describing informal pitches, well beyond the plain 'empty lots' used at 6.5 and 7.0. It shows the kind of precise, image-rich vocabulary that distinguishes 7.5.
    • GRA“Last month, for instance, I happened to pass Tien Son Stadium and stumbled on an amateur league match between teams from different districts — the crowd was surprisingly large, with families, kids and even a few food stalls set up nearby.” — This single sentence carries the whole anecdote — time, chance encounter, and a dash-linked description of the crowd — in one continuous unit, considerably more ambitious than the shorter, separated sentences at 6.5. Managing this much content without losing clarity is a clear sign of wide grammatical range.

12. 12. Some people say that all students enjoy taking part in sports. Do you agree or disagree?

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

    Band 6.5

    States the disagreement in a short, direct sentence at the start, without the softening hedges the higher bands add.

    I disagree with that idea. Not every student is naturally interested in sports. For example, in high school in Hue, my close friend Trang always dreaded the annual sports day. She preferred reading and painting, and she found group sports stressful. I remember her sitting on the sidelines, sketching in her notebook, while the rest of us played volleyball or football. Of course, some students loved the excitement, but others only joined because it was compulsory. So I think it's normal for some students to enjoy sports, while others simply don't.

    Why this band

    • FC“I disagree with that idea.” — A short, direct statement of position right at the start, typical of 6.5's plain style. The higher bands soften this with hedges ('Honestly, I disagree' / 'I'd have to disagree... to be honest'), giving the same opinion a more considered, spoken feel.
    • LR“she found group sports stressful” — This is a plain, functional statement. 7.5 sharpens the same idea into a small contrast ('found group sports stressful rather than fun'), which is more precise and evaluative for the identical content.
    • GRA“I remember her sitting on the sidelines, sketching in her notebook, while the rest of us played volleyball or football.” — This sentence uses a 'while' clause to contrast two simultaneous actions, correct and reasonably developed for 6.5. Both higher bands use the same structure but 7.5 replaces the verb 'sitting' with 'camped', showing a more vivid grammatical choice within an otherwise similar clause.

    Band 7.0

    Adds 'Honestly' before the disagreement, giving it a more personal, spoken quality than a bare statement.

    Honestly, I disagree with that idea. Not every student is naturally drawn to sports, or feels comfortable taking part. For example, when I was in high school in Hue, my close friend Trang always dreaded the annual sports day — she preferred reading and painting to anything athletic, and honestly found group sports quite stressful. I remember her sitting on the sidelines, sketching in her notebook, while the rest of us played volleyball or football. Of course, some students genuinely loved the excitement, but others only joined in because it was compulsory. So I'd say it's quite normal for some students to enjoy sports, while others just don't connect with it.

    Why this band

    • FC“Honestly, I disagree with that idea.” — Adding 'Honestly' up front gives this opening a more personal, spoken quality than 6.5's bare statement of disagreement. It's very close to 7.5's opening, though 7.5 restructures the sentence further with 'I'd have to disagree... to be honest', a slightly more natural placement of the hedge.
    • LR“preferred reading and painting to anything athletic” — 'Preferred X to Y' is a solid, correctly used comparative structure. 7.5 keeps this exact phrasing too, showing that at these two upper bands lexical range often comes from the sentence built around a phrase rather than constant new vocabulary.
    • GRA“she preferred reading and painting to anything athletic, and honestly found group sports quite stressful” — This links two related ideas with 'and' inside one sentence about Trang's character, more developed than a simple listing. 7.5 achieves a similar link but drops the hedge 'honestly' in favour of the stronger word 'genuinely' plus an added contrast ('rather than fun'), showing slightly more grammatical ambition.

    Band 7.5

    Closes with 'perfectly normal' and 'simply never', giving the final judgement more conviction than the plainer wording of the lower bands.

    I'd have to disagree with that idea, to be honest. Not every student is naturally drawn to sports, or even feels comfortable taking part. My close friend Trang, for instance, dreaded the annual sports day throughout high school in Hue — she preferred reading and painting to anything athletic, and genuinely found group sports stressful rather than fun. I still remember her camped on the sidelines, sketching away in her notebook, while the rest of us played volleyball or football. Some students, of course, thrived on the excitement, but plenty of others only joined in because it was compulsory. So I'd say it's perfectly normal for some students to enjoy sport, while others simply never connect with that kind of activity.

    Why this band

    • FC“So I'd say it's perfectly normal for some students to enjoy sport, while others simply never connect with that kind of activity.” — This closing sentence uses 'perfectly normal' and 'simply never' to state the conclusion with more conviction than the lower bands' plainer 'quite normal' and 'just don't'. It reads as a more assured, rounded-off final judgement.
    • LR“camped on the sidelines” — 'Camped on the sidelines' is a vivid, idiomatic way of describing someone staying apart from the action, well beyond the plain 'sitting on the sidelines' used at 6.5 and 7.0. It shows the kind of natural, image-based vocabulary rewarded at 7.5.
    • GRA“Some students, of course, thrived on the excitement, but plenty of others only joined in because it was compulsory.” — The inserted parenthetical 'of course' plus the contrastive 'but plenty of others' gives this sentence more internal shape than the flatter versions at 6.5 and 7.0. This kind of controlled parenthetical insertion within a balanced contrast sentence marks the wider grammatical range expected at 7.5.

13. 13. Are boys more willing to take part in sports than girls?

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

    Band 6.5

    Uses the plain verb 'getting smaller' for the shift, keeping the description functional rather than vivid.

    I think, traditionally, boys were more likely to join sports. But I feel that gap is getting smaller, especially in big cities like Da Nang. Last autumn, I joined a badminton club near the Han River, and about half the new members were women, including a university student called Ha. She told me she started playing to stay active, but after a few months she was beating most of the guys, including me. So while boys might still be pushed into sports more by family, girls are just as keen if they get the chance.

    Why this band

    • FC“But I feel that gap is getting smaller, especially in big cities like Da Nang.” — This states the shift plainly with a common verb. 7.0 keeps a very similar structure, and 7.5 replaces the verb entirely with the more vivid 'narrowing fast', giving the same observation more energy.
    • LR“she started playing to stay active” — This is simple, everyday phrasing. 7.5 intensifies the surrounding description with 'unstoppably energetic' for Ha herself, showing that lexical range at the higher band often shows up in the describing words around an idea, not just the idea itself.
    • GRA“So while boys might still be pushed into sports more by family, girls are just as keen if they get the chance.” — A single 'while' sentence balancing two groups, correct and reasonably fluent for 6.5. Both higher bands use the same basic structure, but 7.5 adds a second cause ('by family or tradition') and a comma-fronted final clause, extending the sentence further.

    Band 7.0

    Uses the double hedge 'Honestly... did seem' to qualify the opening claim more carefully than a flat statement.

    Honestly, traditionally boys did seem more likely to join sports, at least in my own experience growing up. But I feel that gap is shrinking, especially in bigger cities like Da Nang. Last autumn I joined a badminton club near the Han River, and I noticed about half the new members were women, including an energetic university student named Ha. She told me she'd started playing just to stay active, but after a couple of months she was beating most of the guys — including me, to be fair. So while boys might still be pushed into sports more by family, I'd say girls are equally keen if they have the chance.

    Why this band

    • FC“Honestly, traditionally boys did seem more likely to join sports, at least in my own experience growing up.” — The double hedge makes this claim sound carefully qualified rather than assumed, a step up from 6.5's more matter-of-fact 'I think, traditionally'. 7.5 achieves a similar cautious tone with 'probably' instead, a slightly more economical choice.
    • LR“including me, to be fair” — This spoken aside adds a self-deprecating, natural touch. 7.5 keeps a nearly identical phrase ('myself included, to be fair'), showing that at this level, small variations in a well-chosen phrase mark the difference between bands.
    • GRA“she'd started playing just to stay active, but after a couple of months she was beating most of the guys” — This uses a past perfect followed by a 'but' contrast in simple past, a fluent and correct structure. 7.5 keeps the same basic shape but swaps 'but' for 'yet' and adds 'within a couple of months', a marginally more compact and formal variant.

    Band 7.5

    Closes with the emphatic pairing 'every bit as keen', giving the final comparison more balance than the plainer endings of the lower bands.

    Traditionally, boys probably were more likely to take up sport, at least going by my own childhood. But I'd say that gap has been narrowing fast, especially in bigger cities like Da Nang. Last autumn, for instance, I joined a badminton club near the Han River and noticed that roughly half the new members were women, including an unstoppably energetic university student named Ha. She told me she'd taken it up purely to stay active, yet within a couple of months she was beating most of the guys, myself included, to be fair. So while boys might still be nudged toward sport a little more by family or tradition, girls these days seem every bit as keen, given the chance.

    Why this band

    • FC“So while boys might still be nudged toward sport a little more by family or tradition, girls these days seem every bit as keen, given the chance.” — The phrase 'every bit as keen' gives the closing comparison more emphatic balance than the plainer 'just as keen' used at 6.5 or 'equally keen' at 7.0. It reads as a more confident, rhetorically shaped final judgement.
    • LR“nudged toward sport” — 'Nudged toward' is a precise, gentle metaphor for subtle social pressure, more nuanced than the plainer 'pushed into' used at both lower bands. It shows the kind of careful, exact word choice expected at 7.5.
    • GRA“including an unstoppably energetic university student named Ha” — This packs a compound adjective into a reduced relative clause acting as an appositive, more compact and descriptive than the simpler noun phrases at 6.5 and 7.0. This kind of dense, economical modification is a marker of flexible grammatical control.

14. 14. What qualities does someone need to become an excellent athlete?

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

    Band 6.5

    States the contrast between dedication and resilience as a plain, separate sentence, without extra detail.

    I think becoming an excellent athlete needs discipline, resilience, and a strong sense of purpose. My old university classmate Nam was on the football team in Hanoi. He woke up at five every morning to train, even during exam season, when most of us struggled to get out of bed. His dedication was impressive, but what stood out more was how he handled losing a match. Instead of feeling discouraged, he watched recordings, found his mistakes, and tried again. Talent helps, but without that kind of perseverance, I don't think anyone could reach a high level.

    Why this band

    • FC“His dedication was impressive, but what stood out more was how he handled losing a match.” — This sentence states the contrast directly and simply, suiting 6.5's plain style. The higher bands develop the same contrast with a colon and a short list of actions, giving the point more concrete detail.
    • LR“His dedication was impressive” — A simple, correct adjective choice. 7.5 extends this with 'impressive in itself', a small but more precise qualifying phrase that sharpens the same judgement.
    • GRA“He woke up at five every morning to train, even during exam season, when most of us struggled to get out of bed.” — This sentence embeds a time clause and a relative clause in one unit, reasonably developed for 6.5. Both higher bands use a similar structure but 7.5 adds a stronger verb and an intensified final phrase, extending the sentence further.

    Band 7.0

    Adds 'Honestly' before the opinion and links Nam's training habit to exam season with a dash rather than a new sentence.

    Honestly, I think becoming an excellent athlete takes a mix of discipline, resilience, and a strong sense of purpose. My old university classmate Nam, for instance, was on the football team in Hanoi, and he used to wake up at five every morning to train — even during exam season, when most of us struggled to get out of bed. His dedication was impressive enough, but what stood out even more was his ability to bounce back after losing. Rather than getting discouraged, he'd watch recordings, work out his mistakes, and keep trying. Talent obviously helps, but without that kind of perseverance and self-motivation, I doubt anyone could reach a high level.

    Why this band

    • FC“Honestly, I think becoming an excellent athlete takes a mix of discipline, resilience, and a strong sense of purpose.” — The hedge 'Honestly' gives this opening claim a more personal, spoken quality than 6.5's flatter 'I think'. 7.5 reaches a similar effect by moving the hedge to a later position ('I'd say'), a subtly more natural, less front-loaded structure.
    • LR“his ability to bounce back after losing” — This is a clear, functional noun phrase. 7.5 extends it slightly to 'his ability to bounce back after a defeat', using the more formal noun 'defeat' in place of the verb phrase 'losing', a small but noticeable lexical upgrade.
    • GRA“Rather than getting discouraged, he'd watch recordings, work out his mistakes, and keep trying.” — This uses a fronted 'Rather than' clause followed by a three-item list, a fluent and correct structure. 7.5 keeps this basic shape but replaces the opening with a colon after 'a defeat', integrating the list more tightly into the previous clause.

    Band 7.5

    Closes with the doubled intensifiers 'ever' and 'genuinely', giving the final claim more rhetorical weight than the plainer endings below.

    Becoming an excellent athlete, I'd say, takes a mix of discipline, resilience and a genuine sense of purpose. My old university classmate Nam is a good example — he played on the football team in Hanoi and used to drag himself out of bed at five every morning to train, even during exam season, when most of us could barely manage to get up at all. His dedication was impressive in itself, but what stood out even more was his ability to bounce back after a defeat: instead of sulking, he'd study the recordings, pinpoint his mistakes and go again. Talent obviously helps, but without that kind of perseverance and self-motivation, I doubt anyone could ever reach a genuinely high level.

    Why this band

    • FC“Talent obviously helps, but without that kind of perseverance and self-motivation, I doubt anyone could ever reach a genuinely high level.” — The doubled intensifiers give this closing claim more rhetorical weight than the plainer versions at 6.5 and 7.0. It reads as a stronger, more considered final judgement rather than a simple restatement.
    • LR“drag himself out of bed at five every morning” — 'Drag himself out of bed' is a vivid, idiomatic phrase for reluctant early rising, well beyond the plain 'woke up' used at the lower bands. It shows the kind of natural, physical imagery that marks 7.5 vocabulary.
    • GRA“his ability to bounce back after a defeat: instead of sulking, he'd study the recordings, pinpoint his mistakes and go again” — The colon here integrates a three-part list directly into the preceding clause without a separate sentence, a more compact structure than the 'Rather than' opening used at 7.0. This kind of flexible punctuation choice to fold ideas together is characteristic of 7.5 grammar.

15. 15. Do you agree that it is not easy to become a sports star?

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

    Band 6.5

    States the concession plainly with a short 'even' sentence, matching 6.5's simple, list-like structure.

    I definitely agree that becoming a sports star is not easy at all. Even if someone is talented, the level of commitment needed is huge. Years ago, my university roommate Quang joined the volleyball team and wanted to compete in the national student tournament. He trained twice a day, even during exams, and gave up most of his weekends and social life. Even with all that hard work, only a few players ever get noticed. So while it sounds glamorous, the reality is a lot of pressure and missing out on normal life.

    Why this band

    • FC“I definitely agree that becoming a sports star is not easy at all.” — A short, direct agreement stated plainly, typical of 6.5's style. Both higher bands rephrase this with stronger, more idiomatic negation, giving the same opening more rhetorical punch.
    • LR“the level of commitment needed is huge” — 'Huge' is a common, general intensifier. The higher bands replace it with more precise phrasing, and 7.5 sharpens the whole clause further with 'counts for little without', a more sophisticated way of making the identical point.
    • GRA“Even with all that hard work, only a few players ever get noticed.” — A short concessive sentence with 'even', correct and clear. 7.5 extends the same concessive idea into a longer sentence with added qualifying detail, all within one unit.

    Band 7.0

    Replaces 'not easy at all' with the idiom 'far from easy', a step up from a plain negation.

    Honestly, I definitely agree that becoming a sports star is far from easy. Even if someone is talented, the level of commitment and sacrifice needed is intense. Years ago, my university roommate in Hanoi, Quang, joined the volleyball team and aimed to compete in the national student tournament — I watched him train twice a day, even during exam periods, giving up most of his weekends and social life just to keep up with the schedule. Even with all that effort, only a few players ever make it to the top. So while it looks glamorous, the reality involves a lot of pressure and missing out on normal experiences.

    Why this band

    • FC“Honestly, I definitely agree that becoming a sports star is far from easy.” — The hedge 'Honestly' combined with the idiom 'far from easy' gives this a more natural, spoken-argument tone than 6.5's flatter 'not easy at all'. 7.5 reaches a similarly strong effect through 'wholeheartedly agree... anything but easy', a slightly more emphatic pairing.
    • LR“giving up most of his weekends and social life” — This is a clear, functional description of sacrifice. 7.5 intensifies the verb to 'sacrificing', a more precise and slightly more formal word choice for the same idea.
    • GRA“I watched him train twice a day, even during exam periods, giving up most of his weekends and social life just to keep up with the schedule” — This sentence uses a participial phrase to add extra information without starting a new clause, a fairly advanced structure. 7.5 uses an almost identical participial construction, showing that at this level the grammar itself can be very similar and it is precision of word choice that separates the bands.

    Band 7.5

    Expands the closing consequence into a three-item list rather than the shorter phrase used at the lower bands, giving the conclusion more weight.

    I'd wholeheartedly agree that becoming a sports star is anything but easy. Even genuine talent counts for little without an intense level of commitment and sacrifice. A few years back, for instance, my university roommate in Hanoi, Quang, joined the volleyball team with his sights set on the national student tournament — I watched him train twice a day, exam periods included, sacrificing most of his weekends and social life just to keep pace with the schedule. And even after all that effort, only a handful of players ever make it anywhere near the top. So while it might look glamorous from the outside, the reality is relentless pressure, the constant risk of injury, and missing out on an ordinary life.

    Why this band

    • FC“So while it might look glamorous from the outside, the reality is relentless pressure, the constant risk of injury, and missing out on an ordinary life.” — This closing sentence expands the consequence into a three-item list rather than the shorter phrase used at 6.5 and 7.0, giving the conclusion more weight and specificity. It reads as a fuller, more considered final judgement.
    • LR“Even genuine talent counts for little without an intense level of commitment” — 'Counts for little' is a precise, idiomatic way of saying something isn't enough on its own, well beyond the plain 'the level of commitment needed is huge' used at 6.5. It shows the kind of natural, evaluative phrasing expected at 7.5.
    • GRA“joined the volleyball team with his sights set on the national student tournament” — The idiom 'with his sights set on' functions as a compact adverbial phrase replacing a full clause like 'and aimed to compete in', showing more economical sentence construction. This kind of phrase-for-clause substitution is a marker of flexible, higher-level grammar.

16. 16. Should children learn many different sports?

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

    Band 6.5

    Gives the main reason as a single plain sentence with a short example list, without extra supporting clauses.

    Yes, I think it's good for children to try different sports while they are young. The main reason is that every sport builds different skills, like teamwork in football or balance in swimming. When I was about ten, my cousin Phuong and I joined a summer program at a community centre in Hue, where we tried table tennis, basketball, and some martial arts. I remember feeling much more confident and adaptable by the end of that summer. Of course, some might focus on one sport if talented, but early exposure helps them find what they enjoy.

    Why this band

    • FC“The main reason is that every sport builds different skills, like teamwork in football or balance in swimming.” — This gives the main reason as a single clear sentence with a short example list, suiting 6.5's plain, functional style. 7.5 extends the identical idea with a dash-set list and an additional clause about children not knowing in advance what will suit them, giving the reasoning more depth.
    • LR“I remember feeling much more confident and adaptable” — This is plain but accurate vocabulary. Both higher bands intensify this to 'noticeably more confident and adaptable', a small but more precise adverb choice that sharpens the claim.
    • GRA“I remember feeling much more confident and adaptable by the end of that summer.” — A simple sentence stating a personal result, correct and clear. 7.5 folds a very similar clause into a longer sentence using 'and', joining it directly to the description of the program rather than starting a new sentence, showing tighter sentence control.

    Band 7.0

    Replaces 'really good' with the intensifier 'genuinely beneficial', giving the opening claim a slightly more considered tone.

    Yes, I think it's genuinely beneficial for children to try a range of sports while they're young. The main reason is that every sport develops different skills — teamwork in football, coordination in badminton, balance in swimming. When I was around ten, my cousin Phuong and I joined a summer program at a community centre in Hue, rotating between table tennis, basketball and even a bit of martial arts. I remember feeling noticeably more confident and adaptable by the end of that summer. Of course, some kids might prefer to focus on just one sport if they show real talent, but that early exposure can really help them discover what they enjoy.

    Why this band

    • FC“Yes, I think it's genuinely beneficial for children to try a range of sports while they're young.” — The intensifier 'genuinely' gives this opening claim a slightly more considered tone than 6.5's plainer 'really good'. 7.5 pushes the claim further with an added qualifying clause ('rather than specialising too early'), extending the same opinion into a more developed statement.
    • LR“rotating between table tennis, basketball and even a bit of martial arts” — 'Rotating between' is a precise, natural verb for describing how the activities were structured, a step up from 6.5's plainer 'tried'. 7.5 reuses this exact phrase, showing that at the top two bands a well-chosen phrase can recur while the surrounding sentence grows more complex.
    • GRA“Of course, some kids might prefer to focus on just one sport if they show real talent, but that early exposure can really help them discover what they enjoy.” — This uses a conditional clause plus a 'but' contrast, a fluent, well-controlled sentence. 7.5 extends a very similar sentence with the word 'admittedly' and a broader final clause, showing slightly wider range.

    Band 7.5

    Adds the clause 'and children rarely know in advance which one will click', deepening the reasoning beyond the simple skill-building point made below.

    Yes, I'd say it's genuinely beneficial for children to sample a range of sports while they're young, rather than specialising too early. The main reason is that each sport hones a different skill — teamwork in football, coordination in badminton, balance in swimming — and children rarely know in advance which one will click. When I was around ten, my cousin Phuong and I joined a summer program at a community centre in Hue, rotating between table tennis, basketball and even a bit of martial arts, and I still remember feeling noticeably more confident and adaptable by the end of that summer. Some children, admittedly, might prefer to focus on a single sport if a strong talent emerges early, but that broad exposure tends to help most children discover what they're genuinely good at.

    Why this band

    • FC“and children rarely know in advance which one will click” — This added clause gives an extra reason beyond the simple skill-building point made at the lower bands, deepening the argument rather than just restating it. It shows the kind of extended reasoning that distinguishes a 7.5 response from a merely correct one.
    • LR“rather than specialising too early” — 'Specialising' is a precise, slightly more academic verb than the everyday language used at 6.5 and 7.0 for the same idea of focusing on one sport. It shows a wider, more topic-appropriate vocabulary range.
    • GRA“each sport hones a different skill — teamwork in football, coordination in badminton, balance in swimming — and children rarely know in advance which one will click” — This sentence uses a dash-set list embedded inside a longer clause, followed by a further coordinated clause, managing three layers of information in one unit. This kind of dense, well-controlled sentence structure is well beyond the simpler, shorter sentences at 6.5 and 7.0.

17. 17. What can children learn from doing sports?

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

    Band 6.5

    States the overall point plainly with a simple 'not just... but also' pairing, without naming the specific lessons.

    I think children can learn a lot from playing sports, especially teamwork, discipline, and how to handle winning and losing. In grade six, my younger sister Vy joined her school's basketball team in Hue. She was shy at first, but during the semester she learned to communicate with her teammates and became more confident speaking up. I remember she told me about a match her team lost badly, and she felt disappointed, but her coach helped them focus on what they did well. So sports teach kids not just physical skills, but also life lessons.

    Why this band

    • FC“So sports teach kids not just physical skills, but also life lessons.” — This closing sentence states the overall point plainly using a simple 'not just... but also' pairing, fitting 6.5's direct style. The higher bands extend this same structure by naming the specific life lessons, making the conclusion more precise.
    • LR“she felt disappointed” — A plain, direct emotional statement. Both higher bands intensify this to 'genuinely disappointed' or use a concessive 'although she was disappointed', giving the same emotion slightly more nuance.
    • GRA“I remember she told me about a match her team lost badly, and she felt disappointed, but her coach helped them focus on what they did well.” — This sentence chains three clauses with 'and' and 'but', clear but fairly loosely joined. 7.5 tightens a similar sentence using a semicolon and a concessive 'although' clause instead, showing more controlled subordination.

    Band 7.0

    Adds the concessive 'although she was disappointed' clause instead of a plain 'and she felt disappointed', showing more controlled subordination.

    Honestly, I think children can learn quite a lot from playing sports, especially teamwork, discipline, and how to handle both winning and losing. When I was in grade six, my younger sister Vy joined her school's basketball team in Hue. She was pretty shy at first, but over the semester she learned to communicate with her teammates and grew more confident about speaking up. I remember her telling me about one match her team lost badly, and although she was disappointed, her coach helped them focus on what they'd done well and how to improve. So I'd say sports teach kids not just physical skills, but also lessons in perseverance and cooperation.

    Why this band

    • FC“Honestly, I think children can learn quite a lot from playing sports, especially teamwork, discipline, and how to handle both winning and losing.” — The hedge 'Honestly' and the fuller phrase 'both winning and losing' make this opening slightly more careful and complete than 6.5's shorter version. 7.5 drops the explicit hedge but adds the evaluative adverb 'gracefully', achieving a similarly considered tone more economically.
    • LR“grew more confident about speaking up” — This is a natural, correct verb phrase. 7.5 varies the equivalent idea with 'gradually found her voice', a more idiomatic and figurative way of describing the same development.
    • GRA“I remember her telling me about one match her team lost badly, and although she was disappointed, her coach helped them focus on what they'd done well and how to improve.” — This sentence uses a gerund plus a concessive 'although' clause, a more sophisticated structure than the simpler coordination at 6.5. It closely resembles 7.5's grammar, the main difference being 7.5's use of a semicolon instead of 'and' to separate the anecdote from the concessive clause.

    Band 7.5

    Uses the verb 'argue' in the closing sentence, framing the conclusion as a defended claim rather than a simple statement.

    I'd say children can pick up a surprising amount from playing sports, particularly teamwork, discipline, and how to handle both winning and losing gracefully. My younger sister Vy, for instance, joined her school's basketball team in Hue back in grade six — she was fairly shy to begin with, but over the semester she learned to communicate more confidently with her teammates and gradually found her voice. I remember her describing one match her team lost badly; although she was genuinely disappointed, her coach steered the team toward focusing on what they'd done well rather than dwelling on the loss. So I'd argue sports teach children not just physical skills, but genuine lessons in perseverance and cooperation.

    Why this band

    • FC“So I'd argue sports teach children not just physical skills, but genuine lessons in perseverance and cooperation.” — The verb 'argue' frames this closing as a considered claim being defended, rather than simply stated, giving it more rhetorical weight than 6.5's plain statement or 7.0's softer 'I'd say'. It reads as a confident, well-supported conclusion.
    • LR“gradually found her voice” — This is a vivid, idiomatic metaphor for growing confidence, well beyond the literal 'more confident speaking up' used at 6.5. It shows the kind of natural, figurative language that marks 7.5 lexical resource.
    • GRA“I remember her describing one match her team lost badly; although she was genuinely disappointed, her coach steered the team toward focusing on what they'd done well rather than dwelling on the loss.” — This sentence uses a semicolon to join the anecdote to a concessive clause, followed by a further contrastive phrase, managing more layers of meaning in one sentence than either lower band. That layered, semicolon-linked structure is characteristic of wide grammatical range.

18. 18. How is technology used in sports?

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

    Band 6.5

    States the tool's benefit in a short, direct sentence, without the more specific verbs the higher bands use.

    Technology is used in almost every part of sports, from training to competitions. My friend Huy, who plays tennis at a local club in Da Nang, uses a smart sensor on his racket. It tracks things like swing speed, angle, and where the ball hits the racket. After his matches, he checks the data on an app, and uses video from his GoPro to improve his training. I think these tools help him notice mistakes he might miss otherwise. Gadgets can't replace real coaching, but they do give athletes more information about how they are performing.

    Why this band

    • FC“I think these tools help him notice mistakes he might miss otherwise.” — A short, direct statement of the tool's benefit, typical of 6.5's plain reasoning. The higher bands express the same idea with more specific verbs, giving the point more precision.
    • LR“checks the data on an app” — This is plain, functional vocabulary for a common action. 7.5 upgrades the equivalent phrase to 'pores over the stats on an app', a more vivid, idiomatic verb for close, careful checking.
    • GRA“After his matches, he checks the data on an app, and uses video from his GoPro to improve his training.” — This sentence joins two actions loosely with 'and also', clear but simple coordination. 7.5 tightens a similar idea using the more formal verb phrase 'cross-references them with', combining both actions into a single tighter clause.

    Band 7.0

    Adds the hedge 'Honestly' and the phrase 'right through to' to give the opening a more spoken rhythm than a flat statement.

    Honestly, technology shows up in almost every part of sports these days, from training right through to competitions. A friend named Huy, who plays tennis at a local club in Da Nang, uses a smart sensor attached to his racket, which tracks things like swing speed, angle, and even the exact impact point every time he hits the ball. After his matches, he checks the stats on an app and combines that with video replays from his GoPro to adjust his training. I'd say these tools help him spot weaknesses he might otherwise miss. Gadgets can't replace real coaching, but they do give athletes more insight into how they're actually performing.

    Why this band

    • FC“Honestly, technology shows up in almost every part of sports these days, from training right through to competitions.” — The hedge 'Honestly' plus the phrase 'right through to' gives this opening more spoken rhythm than 6.5's flatter version. 7.5 achieves a similarly natural rhythm without the explicit hedge, using the verb 'threads through' instead for a more vivid effect.
    • LR“the exact impact point every time he hits the ball” — This is a precise, functional description. 7.5 compresses the same idea into 'the exact point of impact on every single shot', a marginally tighter and more idiomatic phrasing of the identical detail.
    • GRA“which tracks things like swing speed, angle, and even the exact impact point every time he hits the ball” — This relative clause attaches directly to 'a smart sensor', efficiently adding detail without a new sentence, a reasonably advanced structure. 7.5 uses a similar relative clause but integrates it even more tightly by dropping 'which' in favour of 'that', a marginally more compact and fluent variant.

    Band 7.5

    Closes with the paired adverbs 'obviously' and 'undeniably', framing the final contrast with more rhetorical confidence than the plainer endings below.

    Technology, I'd say, now threads through almost every part of sport, from training right through to competition day. A friend of mine, Huy, who plays tennis at a local club here in Da Nang, uses a smart sensor clipped to his racket that tracks swing speed, angle and even the exact point of impact on every single shot. After matches, he pores over the stats on an app and cross-references them with video replays from his GoPro to fine-tune his training. I'd say these tools help him catch weaknesses that would otherwise slip past unnoticed. Gadgets obviously can't replace real coaching, but they undeniably give athletes far deeper insight into how they're actually performing.

    Why this band

    • FC“Gadgets obviously can't replace real coaching, but they undeniably give athletes far deeper insight into how they're actually performing.” — The paired adverbs 'obviously' and 'undeniably' frame this closing contrast with more rhetorical confidence than the plainer versions at 6.5 and 7.0. It reads as a firmly argued, balanced conclusion rather than a simple final fact.
    • LR“threads through almost every part of sport” — 'Threads through' is a precise, slightly literary metaphor for something being present throughout a system, well beyond the plain 'is used in almost every part of' at 6.5. It exemplifies the kind of natural, image-based vocabulary expected at 7.5.
    • GRA“A friend of mine, Huy, who plays tennis at a local club here in Da Nang, uses a smart sensor clipped to his racket that tracks swing speed, angle and even the exact point of impact on every single shot.” — This sentence nests an appositive, a relative clause, a past participle phrase and a further relative clause all within one unit. Managing four layers of modification without losing clarity is a clear marker of the wide grammatical range expected at 7.5.