A Time When You Had to Change a Plan You Had Made

Part 3 follow-up questions

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

1. 1. What kinds of plans do people make regularly?

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

   Band 6.5

   The 6.5 answer moves from small examples to big ones ("from small to big") using plain connectors like "and" and "so", closing with a direct observation about long-term plans.

   People make plans at every level. My mother writes a weekly market plan on the fridge, and my studio writes a quarterly plan on a wall, so both are really just lists of what to do and when. Daily plans, like meals or the route to work, are so normal we do not even call them plans. Weekly plans usually cover work, exercise and who collects the children. Then there are yearly plans, like holidays or savings. Long plans about a career or a house are made too, but people change them often and rarely write them down.

   Why this band

   • FC“so both are really just lists of what to do and when” — This clause states the comparison plainly and directly with "so", rather than building toward it. A 7.5 answer would more likely delay this observation for effect instead of stating it immediately.
   • LR“so normal we do not even call them plans” — This is plain, everyday phrasing for the idea of routine, without any more distinctive or figurative vocabulary.
   • GRA“Long plans about a career or a house are made too, but people change them often and rarely write them down.” — This sentence chains three ideas with "but" and "and", accurate but structurally plain compared to the dash-linked constructions of higher bands.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer opens with the compact fragment "Plans at every scale" and uses a semicolon plus dash to link the mother's and the studio's plans directly, giving the comparison more natural flow than the 6.5 list.

   Plans at every scale, honestly, and they look surprisingly alike. My mother writes a weekly market plan on the fridge; my studio writes a quarterly roadmap on a wall — both lists of what to buy or do, in what order, by when. Daily plans, like meals or the route to work, are so routine we don't even call them plans. Weekly ones cover work, exercise and who's collecting the children, and then there's the annual layer: holidays, savings targets, the year's big purchase. The long, vague plans about career or a house get revised constantly and are rarely written down at all.

   Why this band

   • FC“Plans at every scale, honestly, and they look surprisingly alike” — The spoken connector "honestly" is dropped into a clipped opening fragment, a more conversational rhythm than the fuller opening sentence a 6.5 answer would use.
   • LR“the annual layer: holidays, savings targets, the year's big purchase” — "The annual layer" is a more precise, structural noun phrase than the plain "yearly plans" a 6.5 answer would use for the same category.
   • GRA“My mother writes a weekly market plan on the fridge; my studio writes a quarterly roadmap on a wall — both lists of what to buy or do, in what order, by when” — A semicolon and a dash chain three clauses into one sentence, compressing the comparison, a moderately complex structure beyond the separate "and"-joined sentences of a 6.5 answer.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer closes with the compact aphorism "a mix of habit and hope, and only the habits reliably happen", a sharper evaluative distinction than the plainer observations of the 6.5 and 7.0 bands.

   Plans at every scale, and they look surprisingly alike. My mother writes a weekly market plan on the fridge; my studio writes a quarterly roadmap on a wall — both lists of what to buy and what to do, in what order, by when. Daily plans — meals, errands, the route to work — are so routine we don't call them plans at all. Weekly ones cover work, exercise and who's collecting the children. Then the annual layer: holidays, Tết, savings targets, the year's big purchase. And the long, vague plans about career, marriage, a house, which people revise constantly and rarely write down. Most people plan in a mix of habit and hope, and only the habits reliably happen.

   Why this band

   • FC“Most people plan in a mix of habit and hope, and only the habits reliably happen.” — This closing sentence uses a balanced, alliterative pairing ("habit and hope") to deliver a final judgement, a more idiomatic, memorable move than the plainer observation a 7.0 answer ends on.
   • LR“in a mix of habit and hope” — "Habit and hope" is a genuinely idiomatic alliterative pairing, more distinctive than the plainer phrase "the annual layer" a 7.0 answer reaches for elsewhere in its own answer.
   • GRA“Daily plans — meals, errands, the route to work — are so routine we don't call them plans at all” — Two dashes bracket an appositive list inside the main clause, a compact construction more flexible than the comma-listed sentence a 6.5 answer would use for the same examples.

2. 2. Why do some people enjoy making plans?

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

   Band 6.5

   The 6.5 answer gives a direct reason ("nothing has gone wrong yet") supported by one personal example, using plain connectors like "and" and "before".

   I think it is because planning is the stage where nothing has gone wrong yet. The year I enjoyed most was the year my friend Tuấn and I planned our studio, with the spreadsheet and the imagined office, before we had to deal with any real problems. Plans give people a feeling of control over a future that is actually uncertain, and this is calming for people who worry a lot. Planning also lets you imagine a better version of your life before it happens. For some people, it is simply satisfying, like a good plan is a tidy room.

   Why this band

   • FC“For some people, it is simply satisfying, like a good plan is a tidy room.” — This closing sentence uses a plain, direct simile ("like a good plan is a tidy room") stated as its own separate idea. A 7.0 answer would more likely fold this comparison more smoothly into the flow of the sentence.
   • LR“Plans give people a feeling of control over a future that is actually uncertain” — "A feeling of control" is plain, general vocabulary rather than a more precise or vivid phrase for the same psychological idea.
   • GRA“The year I enjoyed most was the year my friend Tuấn and I planned our studio, with the spreadsheet and the imagined office, before we had to deal with any real problems.” — This long sentence lists details with commas and "before", accurate but relying on simple listing rather than a more compressed structure.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer uses the colon-introduced list "the spreadsheet, the name, the imagined office" and the compact contrast "all the pleasure of the venture and none of its risk", adding vivid shape the 6.5 version lacks.

   Because planning is the part where nothing's gone wrong yet, honestly. The year I most enjoyed was the year Tuấn and I planned the studio: the spreadsheet, the name, the imagined office — all the pleasure of the venture and none of its risk. Plans give a feeling of control over a future that's actually uncertain, and for anxious people that's deeply calming. They also let you live in a better version of your life before it exists. For some, it's the satisfaction of order; a good plan is a tidy room. The danger, though, is when the planning replaces the doing, which I know something about.

   Why this band

   • FC“all the pleasure of the venture and none of its risk” — This parallel "all... and none of..." contrast delivers the insight in one compact clause, a more reflective move than the plain description a 6.5 answer would give for the same idea.
   • LR“it's the satisfaction of order” — "The satisfaction of order" is a more precise, abstract noun phrase than the plain "it is simply satisfying" a 6.5 answer would use for the same feeling.
   • GRA“For some, it's the satisfaction of order; a good plan is a tidy room.” — A semicolon links the abstract claim directly to its concrete image, a more compact structure than the "like"-simile a 6.5 answer tacks on with a comma.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer adds the extra social dimension "planning a trip with friends is half the trip" and closes with the wry self-aware admission "which I know something about", giving the argument a fuller, more layered shape.

   Because planning is the part where nothing has gone wrong yet. The year I most enjoyed, honestly, was the year Tuấn and I planned the studio: the spreadsheet, the name, the imagined office — all the pleasure of the venture and none of its risk. Plans give a feeling of control over a future that's actually uncertain, and for anxious people that's deeply calming. They also let you live in a better version of your life before it exists. For some, it's the satisfaction of order; a good plan is a tidy room. And there's a social side too — planning a trip with friends is half the trip. The danger is when the planning replaces the doing, which I know something about.

   Why this band

   • FC“there's a social side too — planning a trip with friends is half the trip” — This existential construction ("there's a social side too") introduces an extra dimension not covered by the plainer bands, using a dash to attach a vivid, compact justification.
   • LR“planning a trip with friends is half the trip” — This is a genuinely idiomatic, compact aphorism, more distinctive than the plain descriptive phrase "a good plan is a tidy room" reused from the 7.0 answer.
   • GRA“The danger is when the planning replaces the doing, which I know something about” — The relative clause "which I know something about" is appended without a comma pause disrupting the flow, a compact self-aware closing beyond the plain sentences of lower bands.

3. 3. Is it important for everyone to plan their everyday lives?

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

   Band 6.5

   The 6.5 answer gives a direct "important for some, not for others" opinion supported by one clear contrast (sister vs. father), using plain connectors like "but" and "because".

   I think it is important for some people, but not really necessary for others. My sister has two children, a job and a house, and she uses a colour-coded calendar, or she would not manage. My father has never planned a single day in his life, and he has never been late for anything, because his life has a fixed shape. The need for planning gets bigger with more responsibilities, like children or other people depending on you. A student with a regular routine can live well without planning much. But everyone needs some sense of what is important.

   Why this band

   • FC“But everyone needs some sense of what is important.” — This short closing sentence restates a general rule plainly and directly, without further development. A 7.5 answer would more likely add a qualifying clause about how that sense is achieved.
   • LR“because his life has a fixed shape” — "A fixed shape" is a plain, slightly abstract phrase, though it lacks the more vivid extension a higher band might add to the same image.
   • GRA“My sister has two children, a job and a house, and she uses a colour-coded calendar, or she would not manage.” — This sentence lists three items with "and" before adding a conditional clause with "or", accurate but structurally plain compared to higher bands.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer uses the natural metaphor "his life has a fixed shape that does the planning for him" and the moderately complex list "children, multiple jobs, people depending on you", giving the contrast more texture than the 6.5 version.

   Important for some lives, honestly, and pretty unnecessary for others. My sister runs two children, a job and a household on a colour-coded calendar and would genuinely struggle without it; my father has never planned a day in his life and has never once been late, because his life has a fixed shape that does the planning for him. The need for planning really rises with the number of moving parts — children, multiple jobs, people depending on you. A student or someone with regular hours can live well on habit alone. What everyone needs, I'd say, is some sense of priority, so the important things don't get buried under the urgent ones.

   Why this band

   • FC“his life has a fixed shape that does the planning for him” — This personifying metaphor extends the plain phrase "a fixed shape" a 6.5 answer uses into a fuller, more reflective image, giving the idea a natural spoken elaboration.
   • LR“the important things don't get buried under the urgent ones” — "Buried under" is a vivid, figurative verb choice replacing a plainer phrase like "lost among", showing a more deliberate vocabulary range.
   • GRA“The need for planning really rises with the number of moving parts — children, multiple jobs, people depending on you” — A dash introduces a compressed appositive list explaining "moving parts", a moderately complex construction beyond the simple "like"-example a 6.5 answer would use.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer opens with the tight, parallel fragment "Important for some lives, unnecessary for others" and uses the vivid verb "drown", closing with the precise distinction "a calendar or just attention" as its final nuance.

   Important for some lives, unnecessary for others. My sister runs two children, a job and a household on a colour-coded calendar and would drown without it; my father has never planned a day in his life and has never been late to anything, because his life has a fixed shape that does the planning for him. The need for planning rises with the number of moving parts — children, multiple jobs, other people depending on you. A student or a single person with regular hours can live well on habit. What everyone needs is some sense of priority, so the important things don't get lost under the urgent ones. Whether that takes a calendar or just attention depends entirely on the person.

   Why this band

   • FC“Important for some lives, unnecessary for others.” — This two-fragment opener states the whole position with no verb repeated, a highly compressed construction beyond the fuller opening sentence a 6.5 answer would write.
   • LR“would drown without it” — "Drown" is a vivid, less-common verb choice standing in for the plainer "would not manage" a 6.5 answer uses for the same idea, immediately conveying the stakes.
   • GRA“Whether that takes a calendar or just attention depends entirely on the person.” — A noun clause ("Whether that takes a calendar or just attention") functions as the subject of the sentence, a flexible construction beyond the simple "but everyone needs" sentence a 6.5 answer ends on.

4. 4. Do employees find it easy when things change at work?

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

   Band 6.5

   The 6.5 answer gives a direct "No, not usually" opinion supported by one workplace example, using plain connectors like "but" and "because".

   No, not usually, and it is not the same for everyone. When our studio changed to a new design tool, the junior staff learned it in a week, but the senior staff, including me, complained for months, because we had spent years learning the old way. Employees also find change hard when nobody explains the reason for it, or when it feels like it only helps the managers. It is easier when people understand why the change is happening and get time to learn. Most changes at work are just announced, not properly introduced, and that is why they hurt.

   Why this band

   • FC“and that is why they hurt” — This short closing clause states the conclusion directly and plainly, tacked onto the end of the sentence with "and". A 7.5 answer would more likely turn this into a sharper, more compact final observation.
   • LR“the senior staff, including me, complained for months” — "Complained" is a plain, general verb without any more vivid or specific word to capture the sense of frustration.
   • GRA“When our studio changed to a new design tool, the junior staff learned it in a week, but the senior staff, including me, complained for months, because we had spent years learning the old way.” — This long sentence chains four clauses with "but" and "because", accurate but relying on simple coordination rather than a more compressed structure.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer uses the dash to deliver the sharp insight "change is hardest for the people with the most invested in the old way" and closes with the compact contrast "announced rather than introduced", giving more analytical shape than the 6.5 list.

   Rarely, and honestly it's uneven who finds it hardest. When our studio switched to a new design tool, the juniors were fluent within a week and the seniors, me included, complained for months, because we'd lost skills we'd spent years building — change is hardest for the people with the most invested in the old way. Employees also struggle when change arrives without explanation, or when it seems to serve management rather than the actual work. It's easier where people can see the reason, have a say in the details, and get time to learn. Most workplace change is announced rather than introduced, and that's why it hurts.

   Why this band

   • FC“change is hardest for the people with the most invested in the old way” — This dash-introduced generalisation reframes the personal example as a wider rule, a more reflective move than the plain "because we had spent years learning the old way" a 6.5 answer stops at.
   • LR“we'd lost skills we'd spent years building” — "Skills we'd spent years building" is a more precise, evocative phrase than the plainer "the old way" a 6.5 answer would use for the same loss.
   • GRA“It's easier where people can see the reason, have a say in the details, and get time to learn” — Three parallel verb phrases are listed after "where", a moderately complex structure beyond the simpler "when"-clause a 6.5 answer would use for the same idea.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer opens with the compact fragment "the difficulty is uneven" and uses the fronted construction "Where it's easy is when..." for emphasis, a more polished structure than the plainer bands.

   Rarely, and the difficulty is uneven. When our studio switched to a new design tool, the juniors were fluent in a week and the seniors, me included, complained for months, because we'd lost skills we'd spent years building — change is hardest for the people with the most invested in the old way. Employees also struggle when the change arrives without explanation, when it seems to serve management rather than the work, or when it comes on top of three other changes. Where it's easy is when people can see the reason, have a say in the details, and get time to learn. Most workplace change is announced rather than introduced, and that's why it hurts.

   Why this band

   • FC“Rarely, and the difficulty is uneven.” — This two-part opener states the position and immediately complicates it in a single economical sentence, more compact than the fuller opening a 6.5 or 7.0 answer would write.
   • LR“when it comes on top of three other changes” — "On top of" is a natural, idiomatic collocation for accumulation, more vivid than a plain phrase like "as well as other changes" a 6.5 answer would use.
   • GRA“Where it's easy is when people can see the reason, have a say in the details, and get time to learn” — This fronted cleft construction ("Where it's easy is when...") inverts normal word order for emphasis, a more flexible structure than the plain "It's easier where..." phrasing a 7.0 answer uses for the same idea.

5. 5. When a company is planning changes, is it necessary for the employees to be involved?

   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, if..." condition supported by one clear before-and-after contrast at the studio, using plain connectors like "and" and "because".

   Yes, if you want the change to work. Our studio once introduced a new project process that was designed by two managers alone, and it failed within a month because it did not match how the work really happened. The process we use now was built with the whole team, and it is still working three years later. Employees know things that managers cannot see, like where time is really lost. Involving them also makes people feel ownership, because they help create what they later use. Some decisions, like job cuts, cannot be shared with everyone in the same way.

   Why this band

   • FC“Employees know things that managers cannot see, like where time is really lost.” — This sentence states the point plainly with a "like"-example, without any further elaboration on why it matters. A 7.0 answer would more likely extend this same idea with an additional clause.
   • LR“Involving them also makes people feel ownership” — "Makes people feel ownership" is plain, direct phrasing rather than a more vivid or economical way of naming the same psychological effect.
   • GRA“Our studio once introduced a new project process that was designed by two managers alone, and it failed within a month because it did not match how the work really happened.” — This long sentence chains a relative clause with "and" and "because", accurate but relying on simple coordination rather than a more compressed structure.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer uses the vivid phrase "it was dead within a month" and the dash-linked list "where time is really lost, which steps are theatre", giving more colour to the contrast than the 6.5 version.

   Necessary, honestly, if you actually want the change to survive. Our studio once introduced a new project process designed by two managers in a room, and it was dead within a month because it ignored how the work actually flowed; the process we use now was built with the whole team over a few weeks, and it's still running three years later. Employees know things managers simply can't — where time is really lost, which steps are theatre — and involving them surfaces that knowledge. It also creates ownership, since people defend what they helped make. Some decisions, like redundancies, obviously can't be shared in the same way.

   Why this band

   • FC“it was dead within a month” — "Dead" personifies the failed process vividly, more figurative than the plain "it failed within a month" a 6.5 answer would use for the same event.
   • LR“which steps are theatre” — "Theatre" used metaphorically for a wasteful, performative process is a genuinely distinctive word choice, well beyond the plain "where time is really lost" phrase used elsewhere in the same sentence.
   • GRA“Employees know things managers simply can't — where time is really lost, which steps are theatre — and involving them surfaces that knowledge” — Two dashes bracket a list inside the main clause before it continues with "and", a moderately complex structure beyond the simple "like"-example a 6.5 answer would use.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer closes with the precise legal-sounding distinction "how a change happens, if not whether" and the sharp final contrast "cooperation and quiet sabotage", a more layered final point than the plainer bands.

   Necessary if you want the change to survive. Our studio once introduced a new project process designed by two managers in a room, and it was dead within a month because it ignored how the work actually flowed; the process we use now was built with the whole team over a few weeks, and it's still running three years later. Employees know things managers can't — where time is really lost, which steps are theatre — and involving them surfaces that knowledge. It also creates ownership: people defend what they helped make. Some decisions can't be shared, like redundancies or strategy. But even then, involving people in how a change happens, if not whether, makes the difference between cooperation and quiet sabotage.

   Why this band

   • FC“involving people in how a change happens, if not whether, makes the difference between cooperation and quiet sabotage” — This closing sentence draws a fine, parenthetical distinction ("if not whether") before its final contrast, a more sophisticated rhetorical move than the plain final sentence a 6.5 or 7.0 answer would end on.
   • LR“makes the difference between cooperation and quiet sabotage” — "Quiet sabotage" is a vivid, precise collocation, more distinctive than the plainer phrase "people defend what they helped make" used earlier in the same answer.
   • GRA“It also creates ownership: people defend what they helped make.” — A colon replaces a connecting word to join two closely related clauses, a more compact construction than the "since"-clause a 7.0 answer would use for the same link.

6. 6. Are employees who can easily adapt to change at work more successful?

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

   Band 6.5

   The 6.5 answer gives a direct "more employable, but not more successful" distinction supported by one clear contrast between two colleagues, using plain connectors like "but" and "and".

   More employable, I would say, but not always more successful. We have a colleague who adopts every new tool as soon as it appears, and he is easy to manage, but he has never produced anything that lasted. The most stubborn designer in our studio, who resists every change until she agrees with it, is the one clients ask for by name. Being adaptable helps you survive reorganisations and new technology, and managers clearly value it. But success also needs depth and judgement, which come from staying with something long enough to master it.

   Why this band

   • FC“Being adaptable helps you survive reorganisations and new technology, and managers clearly value it.” — This sentence lists two related facts joined by "and", stated directly without further development. A 7.0 answer would more likely add a reflective aside onto this same claim.
   • LR“he has never produced anything that lasted” — "Produced anything that lasted" is plain, direct phrasing for the idea of lasting impact, without a more vivid or specific word choice.
   • GRA“We have a colleague who adopts every new tool as soon as it appears, and he is easy to manage, but he has never produced anything that lasted.” — This sentence chains three clauses with "and" and "but", accurate but relying on simple coordination rather than a dash-linked construction.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer opens with the compact fragment "More employable, honestly, not always more successful" and uses a semicolon to contrast the two colleagues directly, giving the comparison a tighter shape than the 6.5 version.

   More employable, honestly, not always more successful. We have a colleague who adopts every new tool and trend the day it appears, and he's genuinely easy to manage, but he's never produced anything that lasted; the most stubborn designer in the studio, who resists every change until she's convinced, is the one clients ask for by name. Adaptability keeps you working through reorganisations and new technologies, and it's clearly valued by managers. But success also needs depth and judgement, which come from staying with something long enough to master it and questioning changes that are actually wrong.

   Why this band

   • FC“More employable, honestly, not always more successful.” — This clipped opening fragment states the whole distinction before any explanation, a more economical, conversational structure than the fuller opening sentence a 6.5 answer would write.
   • LR“the most stubborn designer in the studio, who resists every change until she's convinced” — "Stubborn" paired with "convinced" is a more precise, judgement-carrying word choice than a plain phrase like "who resists change until she agrees" a 6.5 answer would use for the same idea.
   • GRA“success also needs depth and judgement, which come from staying with something long enough to master it and questioning changes that are actually wrong” — A relative clause ("which come from...") governs two coordinated participial phrases, a moderately complex structure beyond the simpler sentence a 6.5 answer would use for the same idea.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer closes with the balanced parallel structure "adapting quickly to changes that matter and resisting the fashionable ones", ending on the precise final claim "telling them apart is the real skill".

   More employable, not always more successful. We have a colleague who adopts every new tool and trend the day it appears, and he's very easy to manage, but he's never produced anything that lasted; the most stubborn designer in the studio, who resists every change until she's convinced, is the one clients ask for by name. Adaptability keeps you working through reorganisations and new technologies, and it's clearly valued by managers. But success also needs depth and judgement, which come from staying with something long enough to master it and questioning changes that are wrong. The ideal is adapting quickly to changes that matter and resisting the fashionable ones, and telling them apart is the real skill.

   Why this band

   • FC“telling them apart is the real skill” — This closing fragment distils the whole answer into a single compact claim, a more idiomatic, economical move than the plainer closing sentence a 6.5 or 7.0 answer would use.
   • LR“adapting quickly to changes that matter and resisting the fashionable ones” — "Fashionable" applied to changes is a precise, slightly wry word choice, more distinctive than the plainer "changes that are wrong" phrase used earlier in the same sentence.
   • GRA“The ideal is adapting quickly to changes that matter and resisting the fashionable ones, and telling them apart is the real skill” — Two gerund phrases ("adapting quickly...", "resisting the fashionable ones") function as the complement of "is", a compact, flexible construction beyond the simpler verb phrases lower bands would use.

7. 7. What should the priorities be for improving society?

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

   Band 6.5

   The 6.5 answer lists three priorities in order ("health, education and safety... fairness... the environment"), each introduced with a plain connector like "then" or "after that".

   I would choose the things my own family has needed most: a hospital that is easy to reach, a school that is actually good, and streets that are safe enough for my sister to walk home at night. Health, education and safety are the base, because without them nothing else is really possible. After that, fairness, meaning effort is rewarded and rules apply to everyone. Then the environment, because a society that pollutes its own air and water is not really improving. Public debate often focuses on things above these basics, but the basics decide most people's lives.

   Why this band

   • FC“Public debate often focuses on things above these basics, but the basics decide most people's lives.” — This closing sentence states the final contrast directly and plainly with "but", without any further elaboration. A 7.5 answer would more likely soften this with a personal acknowledgement first.
   • LR“Health, education and safety are the base, because without them nothing else is really possible.” — "The base" is a plain, general metaphor rather than a more vivid or specific structural image for the same idea.
   • GRA“I would choose the things my own family has needed most: a hospital that is easy to reach, a school that is actually good, and streets that are safe enough for my sister to walk home at night.” — A colon introduces a list of three items joined by commas and "and", accurate but structurally plain compared to higher bands.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer uses the vivid, unsettling phrase "improving toward a cliff" and the dash-bracketed definition of fairness, giving the priorities more argumentative weight than the plain list of the 6.5 version.

   The things my own family has needed most, honestly: a hospital you can reach, a school that's actually good, and streets safe enough that my sister can walk home at night. Health, education and safety are the base; without them, nothing else people care about is really possible. After that I'd put fairness — the sense that effort is rewarded and the rules apply to everyone — because societies where that breaks down stop cooperating. Then the environment, since a society that poisons its own air and water is improving toward a cliff. Much of public debate focuses on things far above those basics, but that's where most people's lives are actually decided.

   Why this band

   • FC“improving toward a cliff” — This is a vivid, slightly paradoxical image for unsustainable progress, more figurative than the plainer "not really improving" a 6.5 answer would say for the same idea.
   • LR“the sense that effort is rewarded and the rules apply to everyone” — "The sense that" introduces a precise, abstract definition of fairness, more specific than the plainer paraphrase ("meaning that...") a 6.5 answer uses for the same concept.
   • GRA“After that I'd put fairness — the sense that effort is rewarded and the rules apply to everyone — because societies where that breaks down stop cooperating” — Two dashes bracket a defining clause inside the main sentence before it continues with "because", a moderately complex structure beyond the simpler comma-joined sentence a 6.5 answer would use.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer adds the small concessive aside "and I understand why" before its closing point, giving the final contrast a more measured, reflective tone than the flatter bands.

   The things my own family has needed most: a hospital you can reach, a school that's actually good, and streets safe enough that my sister can walk home at night. Health, education and safety are the base; without them, nothing else people care about is possible. After that I'd put fairness — the sense that effort is rewarded and the rules apply to everyone — because societies where that breaks down stop cooperating. Then the environment, since a society that poisons its own air and water is improving toward a cliff. Much of public debate focuses on things far above those basics, and I understand why, but the basics are where most people's lives are actually decided.

   Why this band

   • FC“and I understand why, but the basics are where most people's lives are actually decided” — The concessive insertion "and I understand why" acknowledges the opposing view before the final contrast, a more measured, reflective move than the plain "but"-sentence a 6.5 or 7.0 answer ends on.
   • GRA“Health, education and safety are the base; without them, nothing else people care about is possible” — A semicolon joins the claim directly to its consequence in one sentence, a more compact, formal link than the "because"-clause a 6.5 answer would use for the same reasoning.
   • LR“since a society that poisons its own air and water is improving toward a cliff” — "Poisons" is a precise, forceful verb choice, more vivid than the plainer "pollutes" a 7.0 answer uses for the same idea.

8. 8. What part can individuals play in helping to improve their society?

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

   Band 6.5

   The 6.5 answer gives a direct claim ("a bigger part than it feels like, if... specific") supported by one clear neighbourhood example, using plain connectors like "but" and "and".

   A bigger part than it feels like, if the action is specific. A neighbour of mine started a rota for putting out the alley's rubbish six years ago, and our street has been cleaner than any nearby street ever since. Individuals cannot build hospitals, but they can vote, pay taxes honestly, raise children who treat people well, and refuse to take part in small corruption. They can also volunteer, teach, or look after the people next door. And they can simply do their own work properly, which is the improvement most visible to the people around them.

   Why this band

   • FC“And they can simply do their own work properly, which is the improvement most visible to the people around them.” — This closing sentence adds a final point with "And" and a relative clause, stated plainly without much elaboration. A 7.5 answer would more likely close with a general principle instead of one more example.
   • LR“our street has been cleaner than any nearby street ever since” — "Cleaner than any nearby street" is a plain comparative phrase without any more vivid or specific description of the change.
   • GRA“Individuals cannot build hospitals, but they can vote, pay taxes honestly, raise children who treat people well, and refuse to take part in small corruption.” — This sentence lists four actions joined by commas and "and", accurate but structurally straightforward compared to higher bands.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer uses the dash-linked appositive "one person, one small system" and the precise phrase "corruptions that add up", giving the neighbourhood example more compact shape than the 6.5 version.

   A larger part than it feels, honestly, if the action's specific. A neighbour of mine started a rota for putting out the alley's rubbish six years ago — one person, one small system — and our street has been cleaner than any nearby one ever since. Individuals can't build hospitals, but they can vote, pay taxes honestly, raise children who treat people well, and refuse to take part in the small corruptions that add up. They can volunteer, teach, and look after the people next door. And they can do their own work properly, which is often the improvement most visible to everyone around them.

   Why this band

   • FC“one person, one small system” — This dash-introduced appositive summarises the example in a compact, parallel fragment, a more reflective aside than the plain description a 6.5 answer gives without pausing to comment.
   • LR“refuse to take part in the small corruptions that add up” — "Corruptions that add up" is a more precise, evocative phrase than the plainer "small corruption" a 6.5 answer would use for the same idea.
   • GRA“A neighbour of mine started a rota for putting out the alley's rubbish six years ago — one person, one small system — and our street has been cleaner than any nearby one ever since” — Two dashes bracket a compact appositive inside a long sentence before it continues with "and", a moderately complex structure beyond the simpler comma-joined sentence a 6.5 answer would use.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer closes with the balanced, semicolon-linked aphorism "improved only by large actions; it's mostly improved by ordinary people doing ordinary things slightly better", a sharper final principle than the plainer bands offer.

   A larger part than it feels, if it's specific. A neighbour of mine started a rota for putting out the alley's rubbish six years ago — one person, one small system — and our street has been cleaner than any nearby one ever since. Individuals can't build hospitals, but they can vote, pay taxes honestly, raise children who treat people well, and refuse to take part in the small corruptions that add up. They can volunteer, teach, and look after the people next door. And they can do their own work properly, which is the improvement most visible to everyone around them. The mistake is thinking society is improved only by large actions; it's mostly improved by ordinary people doing ordinary things slightly better.

   Why this band

   • FC“The mistake is thinking society is improved only by large actions; it's mostly improved by ordinary people doing ordinary things slightly better.” — This closing sentence names "the mistake" directly before correcting it with a semicolon-linked contrast, a more analytical, idiomatic move than the plain final example a 6.5 or 7.0 answer ends on.
   • LR“ordinary people doing ordinary things slightly better” — The deliberate repetition of "ordinary" is a genuinely idiomatic rhetorical device, more distinctive than the plain comparative phrasing used in the lower bands.
   • GRA“The mistake is thinking society is improved only by large actions; it's mostly improved by ordinary people doing ordinary things slightly better” — A gerund clause ("thinking society is improved...") functions as the complement of "is", followed by a semicolon-linked contrast, a flexible, compact structure beyond the simple sentences of lower bands.

9. 9. Is the speed of change in society likely to keep increasing in the future?

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

   Band 6.5

   The 6.5 answer gives a direct opinion ("for a while at least, but maybe not forever") supported by one family comparison, using plain connectors like "and" and "but".

   I think so, for a while, but maybe not forever. My grandmother's life has gone from oil lamps to video calls, and my own last ten years have seen more change in how I work than her middle forty years did. Technology, especially AI, seems likely to push the pace even faster. Cities, climates and populations are also changing quickly. But there are limits, because people can only handle so much change, and some people are already choosing slower food, slower travel and older tools. Societies also tend to build systems to calm down after periods of big change.

   Why this band

   • FC“Societies also tend to build systems to calm down after periods of big change.” — This closing sentence states the final point plainly and separately from the rest of the argument. A 7.0 answer would more likely turn this into a guess about the future instead of a flat statement.
   • LR“some people are already choosing slower food, slower travel and older tools” — This is a plain, direct list of examples without any more figurative or specific way of naming the trend as a whole.
   • GRA“My grandmother's life has gone from oil lamps to video calls, and my own last ten years have seen more change in how I work than her middle forty years did.” — This long sentence joins two comparisons with "and", accurate but relying on simple coordination rather than a dash-linked construction.

   Band 7.0

   The 7.0 answer uses the dash to deliver the sharp observation "the pace has clearly been rising" and closes with the compact contrast "technical change keeps accelerating while social change tries to catch up", more analytical than the 6.5 list.

   For a while yet, I think, though probably not forever. My grandmother's life has run from oil lamps to video calls, and my own last decade has seen more change in how I work and communicate than her middle forty years did — the pace has clearly been rising, and technology, especially AI, seems set to push it further. Cities, climates and populations are also shifting quickly. But there are limits: people can only absorb so much, and there's already a visible reaction, with people choosing slower food, slower travel, older tools. My guess is that technical change keeps accelerating while social change tries to catch up, unevenly.

   Why this band

   • FC“the pace has clearly been rising” — This dash-introduced clause draws a direct conclusion from the grandmother example, a more reflective move than the separate flat sentence a 6.5 answer would add afterward.
   • LR“there's already a visible reaction” — "A visible reaction" is a more precise, abstract noun phrase than the plain list of examples a 6.5 answer opens with for the same trend.
   • GRA“My guess is that technical change keeps accelerating while social change tries to catch up, unevenly” — A noun clause ("that technical change keeps accelerating...") functions as the complement of "guess", with a "while"-contrast embedded inside it, a moderately complex structure beyond the simpler sentences a 6.5 answer would use.

   Band 7.5

   The 7.5 answer adds the extra institutional layer "build institutions to steady themselves after periods of upheaval" before its closing guess, giving the argument one more analytical dimension than the plainer bands.

   For a while yet, I think, though not forever. My grandmother's life has run from oil lamps to video calls, and my own last decade has seen more change in how I work and communicate than her middle forty years did — the pace has been rising, and technology, especially AI, seems set to push it further. Cities, climates and populations are also shifting quickly. But there are limits: people can only absorb so much, and there's a visible reaction already, with people choosing slower food, slower travel, older tools. Societies also tend to build institutions to steady themselves after periods of upheaval. My guess is that technical change keeps accelerating and social change keeps trying to catch up, unevenly.

   Why this band

   • FC“Societies also tend to build institutions to steady themselves after periods of upheaval.” — This extra sentence adds a broader historical pattern absent from the more limited 6.5 and 7.0 versions, deepening the reasoning before the final guess.
   • LR“build institutions to steady themselves after periods of upheaval” — "Upheaval" is a precise, weighty noun choice, more distinctive than the plainer phrase "periods of big change" a 6.5 answer uses for the same idea.
   • GRA“there's a visible reaction already, with people choosing slower food, slower travel, older tools” — A "with"-phrase attaches a list of examples to the main clause without a separate verb, a more compact construction than a full relative clause listing the same examples.