A Time When You Changed Your Opinion About Something Important

Part 3 follow-up questions

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

1. 1. At what age do children start to have their own opinions?

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

   Band 6.5

   The 6.5 answer gives a direct claim ("earlier than most people expect") with one simple story about a nephew, using plain time markers ("at two", "at four") and a final "so" summary.

   I think it happens earlier than most people expect, but the way it looks changes over time. My nephew at two refused the blue cup with total conviction, but he had no reason for it. At four, he could explain why he didn't like it. By about three, children have clear ideas about food, clothes and people, and they will defend them. Around seven or eight, they start to have opinions about fairness, which are sometimes stricter than adults'. So a child has opinions from a very young age, but their own independent opinions come a bit later.

   Why this band

   • FC“So a child has opinions from a very young age, but their own independent opinions come a bit later.” — This closing sentence uses "so...but" to restate the point in almost the same words as the opening, a plain wrap-up typical of this band. A 7.5 answer would more likely turn this distinction into a sharper, more original line.
   • LR“children have clear ideas about food, clothes and people” — "Clear ideas" is plain, general vocabulary rather than a more specific word like "preferences", which a higher band would likely choose.
   • GRA“My nephew at two refused the blue cup with total conviction, but he had no reason for it.” — This sentence uses a simple "but"-clause to add a contrast, accurate but structurally plain compared to the dash-linked constructions of higher bands.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer hedges with "I'd say" and uses the semicolon-linked contrast "no reason at all; by four, he could actually explain why", then distinguishes "opinions" from "independent ones" more precisely than the 6.5 version.

   Earlier than we usually give them credit for, I'd say, though the shape of it changes a lot. My nephew at two refused the blue cup with absolute conviction and no reason at all; by four, he could actually explain why. By about three, children have clear preferences about food, clothes and people, and honestly, they'll defend them fiercely. Around seven or eight they start forming views about fairness and other people's behaviour, often stricter than adults' own. What really arrives in the teenage years isn't opinions exactly, but independent ones — views that differ from the family's partly because they differ. So a child has opinions from the moment they can say no.

   Why this band

   • FC“Earlier than we usually give them credit for, I'd say, though the shape of it changes a lot” — The double hedge "I'd say" and "though the shape of it changes a lot" softens a confident opening claim in a natural, spoken way, more textured than the flatter opening of a 6.5 answer.
   • LR“they'll defend them fiercely” — "Fiercely" is a more vivid, precise adverb than the plain "they will defend them" a 6.5 answer would leave unmodified.
   • GRA“My nephew at two refused the blue cup with absolute conviction and no reason at all; by four, he could actually explain why” — A semicolon links two contrasted clauses into one sentence, a moderately complex structure beyond the "but"-joined separate sentences a 6.5 answer would use for the same contrast.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer uses the compact aphorism "the opinion arrived first, the reasoning came later" and closes with the balanced, semicolon-linked distinction between "opinions" and "their own", a sharper final touch than the plainer bands.

   Earlier than we tend to credit them for, though the shape of it keeps changing. My nephew at two refused the blue cup with absolute conviction and absolutely no reason; at four, he could explain exactly why — the opinion arrived first, the reasoning came later. By about three, children have firm preferences about food, clothes and people, and they'll defend them to the death. Around seven or eight they start forming views about fairness and other people's conduct, often stricter than any adult's. What arrives in the teenage years isn't opinions but independent ones — views held partly because they differ from the family's. So a child has opinions from the moment they can say no; they have their own from roughly the moment they can disagree with someone they love.

   Why this band

   • FC“the opinion arrived first, the reasoning came later” — This tight, balanced fragment compresses a whole observation into two parallel mini-clauses with no connecting word, an idiomatic economy well beyond the fuller sentences of lower bands.
   • LR“they'll defend them to the death” — "To the death" is a genuinely idiomatic intensifying phrase, more vivid and distinctive than the plainer adverb "fiercely" a 7.0 answer would use for the same idea.
   • GRA“they have their own from roughly the moment they can disagree with someone they love” — This final clause is joined to the previous one by a semicolon rather than a new sentence, and embeds a relative clause ("someone they love") without a relative pronoun, a flexible, compact construction beyond the plain "so" sentence lower bands close on.

2. 2. Who has the most influence on children's opinions, parents or teachers?

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

   Band 6.5

   The 6.5 answer states a direct opinion ("parents have the most influence... but teachers matter") supported by two personal examples, joined with plain connectors like "but" and "so".

   Parents have the most influence in general, I think, but teachers matter in certain areas. My views on money and family came from my father, even though he never gave me a lecture about it. My love of reading came from one teacher who cared more about books than my parents did. Parents have more time with children, and their influence is often unspoken and hard to resist. Teachers influence areas families don't cover, and a good teacher can change a child's whole life. But if there is a conflict, I think the home usually wins.

   Why this band

   • FC“But if there is a conflict, I think the home usually wins.” — This closing sentence states the conclusion directly with a simple "if"-clause, a plain, separate wrap-up rather than one woven into the argument. A 7.0 answer would more likely explain why the home wins within the same sentence.
   • LR“Parents have more time with children” — This is a plain, literal statement of fact without any distinctive vocabulary for the idea of accumulated influence.
   • GRA“My views on money and family came from my father, even though he never gave me a lecture about it.” — This sentence uses a simple "even though"-clause, accurate but structurally plain compared to the dash-linked constructions of higher bands.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer uses the dash to deliver the vivid detail "he just behaved in front of me for eighteen years" and hedges its conclusion with "I'd say", giving more texture than the flatter 6.5 version.

   Parents, overall, though honestly teachers win in particular places. My views on money, family and how to treat strangers came from my father, without a single lecture — he just behaved in front of me for eighteen years. My love of reading came from one teacher who cared more about books than my parents did. Parents have the advantage of time and of being there before a child can even question anything, so their influence is mostly unspoken and hard to resist. Teachers tend to influence areas the family doesn't cover, and a good teacher can genuinely redirect a child's whole life. But in a conflict, I'd say the home usually wins.

   Why this band

   • FC“he just behaved in front of me for eighteen years” — This dash-linked clause adds a reflective, slightly surprising observation onto the main sentence, a natural spoken elaboration a 6.5 answer's plain "even though"-clause would not attempt.
   • LR“their influence is mostly unspoken and hard to resist” — "Unspoken" is a more precise, evocative word than the plain description a 6.5 answer would give, capturing the idea of influence that isn't directly taught.
   • GRA“Parents have the advantage of time and of being there before a child can even question anything, so their influence is mostly unspoken and hard to resist” — Two parallel "of"-phrases ("of time and of being there...") are joined before a "so"-clause, a moderately complex structure beyond the simple sentences of a 6.5 answer.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer closes not with a plain restatement but with the precise causal clause "because it's where the child returns every evening", giving the final judgement a concrete, image-based justification the other bands lack.

   Parents, overall, though teachers win in particular places. My views on money, family and how to treat strangers came from my father, without a single lecture — he just behaved in front of me for eighteen years. My love of reading came from one teacher who cared more about books than my parents did. Parents have the advantage of time and of being there before the child can question anything; their influence is mostly unspoken and therefore hard to resist. Teachers influence the areas the family doesn't cover, and a single good teacher can redirect a child's whole life. But in a conflict between the two, the home usually wins, simply because it's where the child returns every evening.

   Why this band

   • FC“the home usually wins, simply because it's where the child returns every evening” — The closing reason is folded directly into the final sentence with "simply because", offering a concrete image rather than the plain, separate conclusion a 6.5 or 7.0 answer would give.
   • LR“their influence is mostly unspoken and therefore hard to resist” — "Therefore" links cause and effect within a single compact clause, a more formal, precise connector than the plainer "so" a 6.5 answer would use for the same logic.
   • GRA“Parents have the advantage of time and of being there before the child can question anything; their influence is mostly unspoken and therefore hard to resist” — A semicolon joins two closely related independent clauses into one flowing sentence, a more compact, flexible link than the separate sentences a 6.5 answer would use for the same two ideas.

3. 3. Should teachers ask children's opinions in lessons or classes?

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

   Band 6.5

   The 6.5 answer gives a direct "Yes" opinion supported by one clear classroom story, using plain connectors like "and" and "but" throughout.

   Yes, and my sister's classroom shows why. She started asking one 'what do you think?' question every lesson, and within a term, the class went from silent to arguing. This shows the students did have opinions; they just were not asked for them before. Asking questions teaches children to form an opinion, defend it, and listen when someone disagrees, which no textbook can really teach. It also shows the teacher what students actually understood. There are some limits, like subjects with only one right answer, but a child never asked at school learns that their opinion does not matter.

   Why this band

   • FC“This shows the students did have opinions; they just were not asked for them before.” — This sentence states the lesson of the story directly and plainly, using a semicolon but otherwise simple vocabulary. A 7.0 answer would more likely phrase this insight with a more natural spoken rhythm.
   • LR“It also shows the teacher what students actually understood.” — "Shows the teacher what students actually understood" is a plain, literal phrase rather than a more precise term like "reveals" or "surfaces" for the same idea.
   • GRA“Asking questions teaches children to form an opinion, defend it, and listen when someone disagrees, which no textbook can really teach.” — This sentence lists three verbs joined with commas and "and", then adds a relative clause at the end, accurate but structurally straightforward.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer uses the dash to deliver the sharp contrast "hadn't lacked opinions, they'd just lacked the expectation", and adds the hedge "though" before listing limits, giving a more balanced feel than the 6.5 version.

   Yes, and my sister's classroom shows exactly what happens when they do. She started asking one 'what do you think?' per lesson, insisting on an actual answer, and within a term a silent room had turned into one that argued — the students hadn't lacked opinions, they'd just lacked the expectation that anyone wanted to hear them. Asking teaches children to form a view, defend it, and hear it challenged, skills no textbook really delivers on its own. It also tells the teacher what's actually been understood. The limits are real, though — some subjects have right answers, and thirty opinions take time — but a child never asked at school learns their view doesn't count.

   Why this band

   • FC“the students hadn't lacked opinions, they'd just lacked the expectation that anyone wanted to hear them” — This dash-introduced insight uses a parallel "hadn't lacked... just lacked" structure to reframe the story, a more reflective move than the plain semicolon sentence a 6.5 answer uses for the same point.
   • LR“skills no textbook really delivers on its own” — "Delivers" used with "skills" is a more precise, slightly figurative collocation than the plainer "can really teach" a 6.5 answer would use for the same idea.
   • GRA“The limits are real, though — some subjects have right answers, and thirty opinions take time — but a child never asked at school learns their view doesn't count” — Two dashes bracket a list of limits inside the sentence before it continues with "but", a moderately complex, layered structure beyond the simpler listed sentences of a 6.5 answer.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer names the deeper cultural limit — "a culture where students are taught to receive rather than speak" — and closes with the pointed adverb "quietly learns", adding a layer of nuance the plainer bands skip.

   Yes, and my sister's classroom shows exactly what happens when they do. She started asking one 'what do you think?' per lesson, insisting on an answer, and within a term a silent room had become one that argued — the students hadn't lacked opinions, they'd lacked the expectation that anyone wanted them. Asking teaches children to form a view, defend it, and hear it challenged, skills no textbook delivers. It also tells the teacher what's actually been understood. The limits are real: some subjects have right answers, thirty opinions take time, and in a culture where students are taught to receive rather than speak, it takes patience to build. But a child never asked at school quietly learns that their view doesn't count.

   Why this band

   • FC“in a culture where students are taught to receive rather than speak, it takes patience to build” — This clause introduces a broader, more abstract cultural observation absent from the simpler practical limits a 6.5 or 7.0 answer would list, adding depth to the discourse.
   • LR“a child never asked at school quietly learns that their view doesn't count” — "Quietly learns" is a precise, slightly poignant collocation, more evocative than the flat "learns their view doesn't count" a 7.0 answer would use for the same idea.
   • GRA“some subjects have right answers, thirty opinions take time, and in a culture where students are taught to receive rather than speak, it takes patience to build” — Three clauses are chained with commas and a final "and" into one long, cumulative sentence, a more ambitious structure than the dash-bracketed version a 7.0 answer would use for the same list.

4. 4. Who do most young people discuss their opinions with?

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

   Band 6.5

   The 6.5 answer states the position directly ("talk to their friends first") with one workplace example, using simple if-clauses and plain connectors throughout.

   I think most young people talk to their friends first, often through a screen now. At my studio, the junior designers test every opinion in their group chat before they say it in a meeting. If it survives there, they might say it out loud; if not, nobody hears it at all. Friends feel safe because they are the same age and have no power over you. Siblings and cousins come next, since they are family but without the same authority. Parents usually get the edited version, and teachers get almost nothing.

   Why this band

   • FC“Parents usually get the edited version, and teachers get almost nothing.” — This short closing sentence lists two facts joined with "and", stated plainly without further comment. A 7.5 answer would more likely turn this into a sharper, more pointed observation.
   • LR“Friends feel safe because they are the same age and have no power over you” — This is plain, direct vocabulary ("feel safe", "no power over you") without any more specific or vivid phrasing for the same idea.
   • GRA“If it survives there, they might say it out loud; if not, nobody hears it at all.” — Two parallel if-clauses are joined by a semicolon, a reasonably fluent but still fairly simple structure without further embedding.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer opens with the compact fragment "Friends first" and closes with the reflective cleft "What most young people seem to avoid... is discussing opinions with anyone who can actually judge them", giving the pattern more shape than the 6.5 list.

   Friends first, and increasingly friends on a screen, I'd say. The junior designers at my studio test every opinion in their group chat before saying it out loud in a meeting — if it survives there, they might actually voice it; if not, nobody ever hears it. Friends are safe: the same age, the same problems, and no power over you. Siblings and cousins come next, since they're family without the authority. Parents get the edited version, and teachers get almost nothing. What most young people seem to avoid, honestly, is discussing opinions with anyone who can actually judge them.

   Why this band

   • FC“Friends first, and increasingly friends on a screen, I'd say” — This clipped opening fragment states the answer before the hedge "I'd say", a more natural spoken rhythm than the fuller opening sentence a 6.5 answer would write.
   • LR“Friends are safe: the same age, the same problems, and no power over you” — A colon introduces a compressed list explaining "safe", a more economical way of expressing the idea than the fuller "because"-clause a 6.5 answer would use.
   • GRA“What most young people seem to avoid, honestly, is discussing opinions with anyone who can actually judge them” — This fronted cleft construction ("What... is...") with an inserted "honestly" is a moderately complex structure beyond the simple listed sentences of a 6.5 answer.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer drops repeated verbs for compression ("family without the authority") and adds the extra layer of "online communities" before its closing cleft sentence, giving a fuller, more layered picture than the plainer bands.

   Friends first, and increasingly friends on a screen. The junior designers at my studio test every opinion in their group chat before saying it out loud in a meeting — if it survives there, they might repeat it; if not, nobody ever hears it. Friends are safe: the same age, the same problems, no power over you. Siblings and cousins come next, family without the authority. Parents get the edited version; teachers get almost nothing. Online communities matter for opinions friends might not share, like politics or identity, where a stranger who agrees can feel safer than a friend who might not. What most young people avoid, essentially, is discussing opinions with anyone who can judge them.

   Why this band

   • FC“Siblings and cousins come next, family without the authority.” — The verb is dropped from "family without the authority", turning it into a compressed appositive fragment rather than the full "since they are family but without..." clause a 6.5 answer would write.
   • LR“a stranger who agrees can feel safer than a friend who might not” — This is a precise, slightly wry comparative structure contrasting two relative clauses, more distinctive than the plain description of friends and family a 6.5 answer gives.
   • GRA“Parents get the edited version; teachers get almost nothing.” — A semicolon joins two short parallel clauses without a connecting word, a compact construction more economical than the "and"-joined sentence a 6.5 answer would use for the same two facts.

5. 5. Are there situations when people should not give their real opinions?

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

   Band 6.5

   The 6.5 answer gives a direct rule ("when the opinion cannot change anything"), one personal example, and one professional example, joined with plain connectors like "so" and "also".

   Yes, when the opinion cannot change anything and can only hurt someone. My cousin asked me what I thought of her wedding dress two days before the wedding, after she had already bought it. My real opinion had no purpose except to hurt her, so I said it was beautiful, and I would say that again. Honesty is good when a decision can still be changed. There are also professional situations, like a doctor's private opinion about a patient's choices. In some cultures, a direct opinion can also seem rude, so making it softer is a form of respect.

   Why this band

   • FC“My real opinion had no purpose except to hurt her, so I said it was beautiful, and I would say that again.” — This sentence uses "so" to move directly from reason to action, a plain cause-and-result chain. A 7.0 answer would more likely turn this into a sharper, more reflective statement.
   • LR“My real opinion had no purpose except to hurt her” — "Had no purpose except to hurt her" is a plain, literal way of expressing the idea, without any more precise or evocative phrasing.
   • GRA“There are also professional situations, like a doctor's private opinion about a patient's choices.” — This sentence uses a simple "like"-example attached to a short main clause, accurate but structurally basic compared to higher bands.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer uses the precise verb "wound" instead of a plain word for hurt, and the dash to link cause and reaction directly, giving the reasoning more natural flow than the 6.5 version.

   Yes, honestly, when the opinion can't change anything and can only hurt. My cousin asked what I thought of her wedding dress two days before the wedding, after it had already been bought, altered and photographed, and my real opinion had no job to do except wound her — I said it was beautiful, and I'd say it again. Honesty is really for decisions that are still open. There are professional situations too, like a doctor's private view of a patient's life choices, or an employee's opinion of a client's taste in a meeting. And in some cultures, blunt opinion is simply rudeness, so softening it is more like respect.

   Why this band

   • FC“my real opinion had no job to do except wound her — I said it was beautiful, and I'd say it again” — The dash links the reasoning directly to the resulting action in one flowing sentence, a more natural spoken connection than the "so"-joined sentence a 6.5 answer would use.
   • LR“my real opinion had no job to do except wound her” — "Wound" is a more precise, slightly literary verb than the plain "hurt" a 6.5 answer would repeat, adding emotional weight through word choice.
   • GRA“after it had already been bought, altered and photographed” — This passive participial phrase lists three completed actions without repeating a subject or verb, a moderately complex structure beyond the simple "after she had already bought it" of a 6.5 answer.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer closes with the compact aphorism "Honesty is for decisions still open" and ends on the balanced test "whether the truth serves the other person or only the speaker", a sharper evaluative touch than the plainer bands.

   Yes, when the opinion can't change anything and can only hurt. My cousin asked what I thought of her wedding dress two days before the wedding, after it had been bought, altered and photographed, and my real opinion had no job to do except wound her — I said it was beautiful, and I'd say it again. Honesty is for decisions still open. There are also professional situations: a doctor's private view of a patient's life choices, a judge's politics, an employee's opinion of a client's taste in a client meeting. And in some cultures, blunt opinion is simply rudeness, and softening it is respect. The test is whether the truth serves the other person or only the speaker.

   Why this band

   • FC“The test is whether the truth serves the other person or only the speaker.” — This closing sentence poses the whole issue as a compact, balanced test, a more analytical and idiomatic move than the plain final sentence a 6.5 answer would end on.
   • LR“Honesty is for decisions still open.” — This is a tightly compressed aphorism, dropping the relative pronoun ("decisions still open" instead of "decisions that are still open"), more distinctive than the fuller phrasing a 7.0 answer would use.
   • GRA“a doctor's private view of a patient's life choices, a judge's politics, an employee's opinion of a client's taste in a client meeting” — Three parallel noun phrases are listed with commas and no connecting verb, a compact, high-density structure beyond the "like"-example a 6.5 answer would give for the same idea.

6. 6. Does culture affect the way people express their opinions?

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

   Band 6.5

   The 6.5 answer gives one clear workplace contrast (German client vs. Vietnamese colleague) told in short sentences with plain connectors like "but" and "and".

   Yes, a lot, and I see this every week at work. Our German client writes 'this is wrong, change it', but my Vietnamese colleague, meaning the same thing, writes 'perhaps we could consider another direction'. Each side finds the other's style a little strange. In many Asian cultures, including mine, opinions are made softer to protect the other person's feelings, and disagreeing directly with someone senior can seem rude. In other cultures, being direct is seen as respect, and being too soft looks dishonest. Culture also decides who is allowed to have an opinion, like the young or juniors.

   Why this band

   • FC“Each side finds the other's style a little strange.” — This short sentence states the observation plainly and directly, without any elaboration. A 7.0 answer would more likely add a reflective comment onto this same idea.
   • LR“opinions are made softer to protect the other person's feelings” — "Made softer" is a plain, literal phrase rather than a more vivid or specific verb for the same idea.
   • GRA“In many Asian cultures, including mine, opinions are made softer to protect the other person's feelings, and disagreeing directly with someone senior can seem rude.” — This sentence joins two clauses with "and", accurate but structurally plain, without any embedded or fronted construction.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer uses the vivid collocation "wrapped in softness" and "slightly shocking" instead of plain description, and the dash to list who may not have an opinion, adding more texture than the 6.5 version.

   Enormously, and honestly I live between two versions of this every week. Our German client writes 'this is wrong, change it'; my Vietnamese colleague, meaning exactly the same thing, writes 'perhaps we could consider another direction', and each finds the other's style slightly shocking. In many Asian cultures, including mine, opinions are wrapped in softness to protect the other person's face, and disagreeing with a senior directly is close to an insult. In others, directness is respect and softness looks like evasion. Culture also decides who may have an opinion at all — the young, women, juniors — and where it may be said.

   Why this band

   • FC“honestly I live between two versions of this every week” — The spoken connector "honestly" plus the image "live between two versions" gives a reflective, personal framing a 6.5 answer's plainer opening would not attempt.
   • LR“opinions are wrapped in softness to protect the other person's face” — "Wrapped in softness" is a more vivid, image-based collocation than the plain "made softer" a 6.5 answer would use for the same idea.
   • GRA“Culture also decides who may have an opinion at all — the young, women, juniors — and where it may be said” — A dash-bracketed list interrupts the main clause before it continues with "and", a moderately complex structure beyond the simple two-clause sentences of a 6.5 answer.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer closes with the precise metaphor "they just carry the honesty in different packaging", a compact, image-based evaluative line that neither plainer band reaches for.

   Enormously, and I live between two versions every week. Our German client writes 'this is wrong, change it'; my Vietnamese colleague, meaning exactly the same thing, writes 'perhaps we could consider another direction', and each finds the other's style slightly shocking. In many Asian cultures, including mine, opinions are wrapped in softness to protect the other person's face, and disagreeing with a senior directly is close to an insult. In others, directness is respect and softness looks like evasion. Culture also decides who may have an opinion at all — the young, women, juniors — and where it may be said. Neither style is more honest; they just carry the honesty in different packaging.

   Why this band

   • FC“Neither style is more honest; they just carry the honesty in different packaging.” — This closing sentence uses a semicolon and an extended metaphor ("different packaging") to make a final judgement, a more idiomatic and economical move than the plain observation a 6.5 answer ends on.
   • LR“they just carry the honesty in different packaging” — "Different packaging" is a genuinely idiomatic, image-based metaphor for the idea of style versus substance, well beyond the plain vocabulary of lower bands.
   • GRA“my Vietnamese colleague, meaning exactly the same thing, writes 'perhaps we could consider another direction'” — The participial phrase "meaning exactly the same thing" is inserted between the subject and verb, a compact construction more flexible than a full relative clause like "who means exactly the same thing".

7. 7. How much does social media influence people's opinions today?

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

   Band 6.5

   The 6.5 answer gives a direct claim ("more than it should") supported by one story about an aunt, told in short, plainly connected sentences.

   A great deal, and often more than it should. My aunt refused to go to a Da Nang hospital for a year because of one viral post about a bad experience there. She only changed her mind after her own visit went well. One stranger's story had more effect on her than everything else. Social media shapes opinions by choosing what people see and showing it again and again, so a view can feel universal when it is really just one small part of the internet. It has the strongest effect on topics people have no direct experience of.

   Why this band

   • FC“One stranger's story had more effect on her than everything else.” — This short sentence states the lesson of the story plainly and directly, without further elaboration. A 7.0 answer would more likely fold this observation into the sentence describing the story itself.
   • LR“Social media shapes opinions by choosing what people see and showing it again and again” — "Showing it again and again" is a plain, literal phrase built from repetition rather than a single precise verb like "repeating" or "amplifying".
   • GRA“She only changed her mind after her own visit went well.” — This is a simple sentence with one "after"-clause, accurate but structurally plain compared to the reversed or dash-linked constructions of higher bands.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer uses the natural verb "outweighed" and the dash to connect story and lesson directly, adding the extra contrast "stronger... weaker" that the 6.5 version leaves out.

   A great deal, and honestly often more than the evidence deserves. My aunt refused to use a Da Nang hospital for a year because of one viral post about a bad experience there, and changed her mind only after her own visit went perfectly well — a single stranger's story had outweighed everything else. Social media shapes opinion by choosing what people see, repeating it, and surrounding them with others who agree, so a view feels universal when it's really just a corner of the internet. It's strongest on topics people have no direct experience of, and weaker where they do — their own street, their own job.

   Why this band

   • FC“honestly often more than the evidence deserves” — The spoken connector "honestly" is inserted into the opening claim as a natural, mid-sentence qualifier, a more conversational move than the flatter "often more than it should" a 6.5 answer would state separately.
   • LR“a single stranger's story had outweighed everything else” — "Outweighed" is a more precise, evocative verb than the plain "had more effect on her than" a 6.5 answer would use for the same comparison.
   • GRA“It's strongest on topics people have no direct experience of, and weaker where they do — their own street, their own job” — A dash introduces a compressed appositive list ("their own street, their own job") at the end of the sentence, a more compact construction than a full explanatory clause would be.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer closes with the quietly unsettling observation "we have direct experience of less and less", a reflective final touch that extends the argument beyond the plainer bands' conclusions.

   A great deal, and often more than the evidence deserves. My aunt refused to use a Da Nang hospital for a year because of one viral post about a bad experience there, and changed her mind only after her own visit went perfectly well — a single stranger's story had outweighed everything else. Social media shapes opinion by choosing what people see, repeating it, and surrounding them with others who agree, so a view feels universal when it's just a corner of the internet. It's strongest on topics people have no direct experience of; where people do have experience, its influence is weaker. The danger, though, is that we have direct experience of less and less.

   Why this band

   • FC“The danger, though, is that we have direct experience of less and less.” — This closing sentence generalises the whole argument into a wider, slightly ominous observation, a more reflective move than the descriptive final sentence a 6.5 or 7.0 answer would give.
   • LR“we have direct experience of less and less” — "Less and less" as a closing idiom captures a gradual trend precisely, a more distinctive phrase than the plainer comparative structures used earlier in the answer.
   • GRA“It's strongest on topics people have no direct experience of; where people do have experience, its influence is weaker.” — A semicolon joins two parallel, contrasted clauses into one sentence, a more compact link than the "and weaker where they do" phrase a 7.0 answer tacks onto the same sentence.

8. 8. Does society need more people who aren't afraid to express unpopular opinions?

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

   Band 6.5

   The 6.5 answer gives a direct "Yes, but" opinion supported by one workplace example, using plain connectors like "but" and "because" throughout.

   Yes, but only if they are also willing to be wrong. A junior designer at our studio finally said that the client's favourite feature was useless. This made her unpopular for about a week, but she turned out to be right, and the whole project improved because of it. A society that punishes unpopular opinions stops learning, because every important change started as an idea most people rejected. But there is a difference between an unpopular opinion with real evidence and one said just for attention, and the internet has a lot of the second kind.

   Why this band

   • FC“This made her unpopular for about a week, but she turned out to be right, and the whole project improved because of it.” — This sentence chains three clauses with "but" and "and", stating the outcome plainly and directly. A 7.0 answer would more likely compress this sequence with a dash instead.
   • LR“A society that punishes unpopular opinions stops learning” — "Stops learning" is a plain, general verb phrase rather than a more vivid or specific way of describing intellectual stagnation.
   • GRA“But there is a difference between an unpopular opinion with real evidence and one said just for attention, and the internet has a lot of the second kind.” — This long sentence uses "and" twice to add ideas one after another, accurate but relying on simple coordination rather than more compressed structures.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer uses the vivid phrase "risked the room's disapproval" and a semicolon to link cause and consequence, giving the argument a tighter shape than the coordinated sentences of the 6.5 version.

   Yes, provided they're also willing to be wrong. A junior designer at our studio finally said out loud that the client's favourite feature was useless, which made her unpopular for about a week and turned out to be correct — the project improved because one person risked the room's disapproval. Societies that punish unpopular opinions stop learning; every important correction, from medicine to politics, began as a view most people rejected. But there's a real difference between an unpopular opinion held with evidence and one held for attention, and honestly the internet has produced a lot of the second kind.

   Why this band

   • FC“risked the room's disapproval” — This is a natural, slightly figurative collocation describing social risk, more vivid than the plain "made her unpopular" a 6.5 answer would use for the same idea.
   • LR“every important correction, from medicine to politics, began as a view most people rejected” — "Correction" is a more precise, abstract noun than the plain "important change" a 6.5 answer would use, and the appositive "from medicine to politics" adds range with few words.
   • GRA“Societies that punish unpopular opinions stop learning; every important correction, from medicine to politics, began as a view most people rejected” — A semicolon links a general claim to its supporting evidence in one sentence, a more compact structure than the separate "because"-clause a 6.5 answer would use for the same link.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer replaces "a lot of" with the more idiomatic "no shortage of" and closes on a fronted cleft sentence balancing speaking with listening, a more deliberate final structure than the plainer bands use.

   Yes, provided they're also willing to be wrong. A junior designer at our studio finally said out loud that the client's favourite feature was useless, which made her unpopular for about a week and turned out to be correct — the project improved because one person risked the room's disapproval. Societies that punish unpopular opinions stop learning; every important correction, from medicine to politics, began as a view most people rejected. But there's a difference between an unpopular opinion held with evidence and one held purely for attention, and the internet has produced no shortage of the second kind. What we actually need is more people willing to say the uncomfortable thing, and then genuinely listen to the reply.

   Why this band

   • FC“the internet has produced no shortage of the second kind” — "No shortage of" is a genuinely idiomatic negative construction standing in for the plainer "a lot of" a 6.5 or 7.0 answer would use for the same quantity.
   • LR“one person risked the room's disapproval” — "The room's disapproval" personifies the group as a single entity, a more vivid, less-common collocation than a plain phrase like "other people's disapproval".
   • GRA“What we actually need is more people willing to say the uncomfortable thing, and then genuinely listen to the reply” — This fronted cleft construction ("What we actually need is...") followed by a reduced relative ("willing to say..." instead of "who are willing to say") is a compact, flexible closing structure beyond the plain sentences of lower bands.

9. 9. Is it increasingly difficult to distinguish fact from opinion?

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

   Band 6.5

   The 6.5 answer states a direct "Yes" opinion with one clear cause ("how information is presented") and one workplace example, using simple connectors like "and" and "but".

   Yes, and it is because of how information is presented, not people getting less clever. A client once showed us a 'statistic' about user behaviour that turned out to be one influencer's guess, repeated so many times that it looked like real data. Anyone can use the same fonts, charts and confident tone now, and websites do not usually show where information came from. Real facts are also often argued about, which makes people think everything is just opinion. The skill of asking 'how do you know?' is very important now, but schools do not teach it much.

   Why this band

   • FC“The skill of asking 'how do you know?' is very important now, but schools do not teach it much.” — This closing sentence pairs two ideas with "but" in a plain, direct way. A 7.5 answer would more likely compress this contrast into a single, more pointed sentence instead.
   • LR“repeated so many times that it looked like real data” — "Looked like real data" is a plain, literal phrase rather than a more figurative expression, such as clothing or costume imagery, for the same idea.
   • GRA“Anyone can use the same fonts, charts and confident tone now, and websites do not usually show where information came from.” — This sentence joins two clauses with "and", accurate but structurally plain, without any fronted or embedded construction.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer uses the natural collocation "picked up the look of real data" and the reflective aside "when I actually traced it", giving the example more texture than the plain retelling in the 6.5 version.

   Yes, and honestly I think it's presentation rather than people getting less careful. A client once showed us a 'statistic' about user behaviour that turned out, when I actually traced it, to be one influencer's guess repeated across enough posts that it had picked up the look of real data. The same fonts, charts and confident tone are available to anyone now, and platforms rarely distinguish between them. Sources get stripped away as things are shared, and genuine facts are often disputed too, which pushes people to conclude that everything's just opinion. The skill of asking 'how do you know?' has never mattered more, and it's not something schools spend much time on.

   Why this band

   • FC“when I actually traced it” — This brief parenthetical aside inserted mid-sentence signals personal verification in a natural, spoken way, something a 6.5 answer's plainer "when I checked it" states more flatly.
   • LR“it had picked up the look of real data” — "Picked up the look of" is a more natural, idiomatic phrase than the plain "looked like" a 6.5 answer would use for the same disguise.
   • GRA“one influencer's guess repeated across enough posts that it had picked up the look of real data” — A result clause ("repeated across enough posts that it had picked up...") is embedded without a comma, a moderately complex construction beyond the simpler "repeated so many times that" phrasing of a 6.5 answer.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer uses the vivid extended metaphor "opinions now travel in the clothing of facts" as its central image, giving the argument a memorable centre-point the plainer bands lack.

   Yes, and the reason is presentation rather than people getting slower. A client once showed us a 'statistic' about how users behave that turned out, when I traced it, to be one influencer's guess, repeated across enough posts that it had acquired the look of data — opinions now travel in the clothing of facts. The same fonts, charts and confident tone are available to anyone, and platforms don't distinguish. Sources are stripped away as things are shared. And genuine facts are now often disputed, which makes people conclude that everything is opinion. The skill of asking 'how do you know?' has never mattered more, and it's not one schools spend much time on.

   Why this band

   • FC“opinions now travel in the clothing of facts” — This extended metaphor personifies opinions as dressed-up travellers, a genuinely idiomatic and memorable image well beyond the literal phrasing ("looked like real data") of a 6.5 answer.
   • LR“it had acquired the look of data” — "Acquired" is a more precise, formal verb than the plainer "picked up" a 7.0 answer would use for the same process of gaining a false appearance.
   • GRA“one influencer's guess, repeated across enough posts that it had acquired the look of data — opinions now travel in the clothing of facts” — A dash connects the specific example directly to a general, metaphorical statement in the same sentence, a flexible, compact link beyond the separate sentences lower bands would use for example and conclusion.