How long should my answer to this Part 2 cue card be?

Speak for 1 to 2 minutes. The examiner will stop you at 2 minutes, so aim for roughly 220-300 words that cover every bullet on the card and end with how you feel about it.

What Part 3 questions follow this cue card?

After "A Traditional Product Made in Your Country That You Like", examiners have asked 9 follow-up discussion questions, listed above. They move from your personal story to general opinions on the same theme.

Is this cue card still being used?

It was most recently reported by test-takers in May–Aug 2026. Cue cards rotate every four months, and many topics return in later seasons with slightly different wording.

IELTS Speaking Part 2

A Traditional Product Made in Your Country That You Like

Most recently asked in May–Aug 2026

The cue card

Describe a traditional product made in your country which you like

You should say:

what this product is
when you first tried this product
how this product is made
and explain why you like this traditional product

Sample answers: Band 6.5, 7.0 & 7.5

Three versions of the same answer, each written to sit genuinely at that band — compare them to see exactly what separates the scores.

Band 6.5

This answer relies on plain connectors and short factual sentences ('How they are made is not too complicated, but it takes skill') and finishes on a simple stated fact rather than any reflection, which keeps it correct but linguistically modest, typical of Band 6.5.

The traditional product I'd like to talk about is the silk lantern, or đèn lồng, made in Hoi An, which is about thirty minutes from Da Nang.

I first saw them properly a few years ago, when I visited Hoi An with a friend one evening. The whole old town was full of these colourful lanterns hanging outside shops and houses, and we went into a small workshop where a woman called cô Hạnh was making them by hand.

How they are made is not too complicated, but it takes skill. First a bamboo frame is built in a round or hexagonal shape. Then thin silk fabric is stretched carefully over the frame and glued at the edges, without any wrinkles. Some lanterns are left plain, while others have simple patterns painted on them. Cô Hạnh told me a skilled worker can make several lanterns in a day once they know what they're doing, though the folding frames take longer.

I like this product because it's beautiful but also useful — you can fold it flat to carry home. It also reminds me of that trip, walking along the river in Hoi An at night with all the lanterns lit up and reflected in the water. I bought a small red one, and it still hangs in my apartment.

219 words · about 2 minutes

Why this band

FC“How they are made is not too complicated, but it takes skill.” — This sentence sets up the explanation that follows (the step-by-step lantern-making process) with a plain, balanced statement using "but" to hold two ideas — ease and skill — in simple tension. It functions as a clear topic sentence for the paragraph without any more elaborate framing device, a typical, functional way to transition into a description at Band 6.5, even though the sentence itself doesn't do much beyond that transitional job.
LR“it's beautiful but also useful” — "Beautiful but also useful" pairs two of the most common, general-purpose adjectives in English to summarise the lantern's appeal, rather than something more specific ("decorative yet practical," "as pretty as it is functional") that a higher band might use for the same contrast. The word "also" is the only connective device doing extra work here, gently emphasising the surprising combination of qualities, but the adjectives themselves stay firmly within the everyday vocabulary range the Band 6.5 descriptor expects.
GRA“I bought a small red one, and it still hangs in my apartment.” — The sentence reports two sequential facts — the purchase and its current state — joined simply with "and," without subordinating the second clause to the first ("which still hangs..."). The word "still" does useful work signalling that time has passed and the lantern remains meaningful, but the overall sentence structure stays at the most basic coordination level, representative of Band 6.5 grammar even as the closing detail gives the story a nice sense of continuity.

Band 7.0

The answer adds a concrete narrated moment ('What struck me was how quickly the man worked') and a personal comparison ('which I actually prefer to anything perfectly smooth from a shop'), giving it the reason-plus-example development and comfortable clause variety expected at Band 7.0.

The traditional product I'd like to describe is pottery from Thanh Ha, a small village just outside Hoi An that has been making it for centuries.

I first came across it about two years ago, when a friend and I stopped there on a motorbike trip along the river. We wandered into a workshop where an older man was shaping a bowl on a wheel, and I ended up buying a small terracotta whistle shaped like a bird, mainly because it only cost a few thousand dong and it actually worked.

How it's made looks fairly simple, but it clearly takes a lot of practice to do well. The clay comes from the riverbank nearby and is kneaded by hand until it's smooth, then shaped on a wheel that in some workshops is still turned by foot rather than by electricity. After that, the pieces dry in the sun for a day or two before they're fired in a kiln. What struck me was how quickly the man worked - a plain bowl took him less than a minute to shape, though the more decorated pieces obviously take much longer.

The reason I like this product is that it's both cheap and genuinely useful, not just something you put on a shelf. I still use a couple of the cups I bought that day, and they're a bit rough and uneven, which I actually prefer to anything perfectly smooth from a shop. It also reminds me of somewhere I actually visited, rather than being a souvenir I just picked up. Whenever a visitor comes to Da Nang, I try to take them to Thanh Ha, partly to support the village and partly because watching someone shape something out of mud in front of you is far more interesting than most museums.

301 words · about 2 minutes

Why this band

FC“What struck me was how quickly the man worked” — "What struck me was how quickly the man worked" is a cleft-like construction that spotlights a single concrete observation before elaborating on it, the plain bowl shaped in under a minute. Introducing an example this way, rather than simply stating it, is part of the reason-plus-example development Band 7.0 fluency targets — it signals to the listener that a specific, noteworthy detail is coming.
LR“genuinely useful” — "Genuinely useful" pairs a slightly less-common intensifier with a common adjective, a small step up from the plainer "really useful" or "very useful" a 6.5 answer would likely default to. That kind of modest lexical flexibility, one word chosen a little more precisely than strictly necessary, is the Band 7.0 vocabulary signature: mostly common words, with occasional more deliberate choices.
GRA“though the more decorated pieces obviously take much longer” — "Though the more decorated pieces obviously take much longer" adds a subordinate concessive clause onto the main sentence, built around an implied comparative ("the more decorated... the longer") rather than a fully spelled-out one. That comfortable, accurate mixing of a main clause with a subordinate qualifier is typical Band 7.0 grammar, enough complexity to sound natural, without stretching into less common structures.

Band 7.5

The reflective closing move - 'As a designer I find that almost unbearably good' - built on a sustained, precise physical description (the sixteen bamboo rings, the thousands of stitches) shows the evaluative depth and lexical precision of Band 7.5.

The traditional product I'd choose is the conical hat, the nón lá, and specifically the version made in Hue called the nón bài thơ, the poem hat, which has a verse or a picture hidden inside it that you can only see when you hold it up to the light.

When I first tried it, properly, was at about eight, when my mother took me to a village outside Hue where most of the houses make hats. A woman there put one on my head and then took it off and held it against the sun so I could see the poem inside — a few lines about the Perfume River, cut from paper and sandwiched between the layers of leaf. I remember thinking it was a kind of magic trick.

How it's made is slower than it looks. The frame is sixteen thin bamboo rings, one inside the other, held on a wooden mould. The leaves are young palm leaves, dried, flattened with a hot iron until they're pale and smooth, and then laid over the frame in two thin layers with the paper poem pressed between them. Then it's all sewn together with fine thread, ring by ring, thousands of stitches, so tight that the rain runs off. A good maker finishes one hat a day, and the best ones, with the thinnest leaves, are almost transparent.

Why I like it is partly that it works. My mother has worn one every day of her life, in sun and in monsoon, and it's better than any umbrella or cap I've owned. But mostly I like that it hides its beauty. From outside it's a plain working hat, the same shape on every farmer's head; you have to lift it to the light to find the poem. As a designer I find that almost unbearably good. I keep one on my studio wall, and every visitor eventually holds it up to the window.

324 words · about 2 minutes

Why this band

FC“As a designer I find that almost unbearably good.” — The phrase 'almost unbearably good' is a deliberately excessive way to express admiration, and framing it through the lens of the speaker's own profession ('As a designer') turns a simple compliment into a specific, personal judgement about craft. That kind of pointed evaluative statement, rather than a plain closing line like 'I think it's a beautiful product,' is what the Band 7.5 fluency and coherence target means by ending on reflection rather than description. It also draws together the whole preceding paragraph about the hat's hidden poem, converting an observation about design philosophy into a personal verdict that closes the anecdote with conviction.
LR“it's better than any umbrella or cap I've owned” — This is a comparative built on personal ownership history ('any umbrella or cap I've owned') rather than a vague superlative like 'it's very good,' grounding the claim in lived, testable experience instead of empty praise. That kind of precise, naturally deployed comparative phrase is exactly the Band 7.5 lexical target of moving beyond generic description into specific, well-chosen wording. It also strengthens the practical case the speaker is building for the hat before the paragraph pivots to the more sentimental argument about hidden beauty, so the comparison earns its place rather than reading as filler.
GRA“From outside it's a plain working hat, the same shape on every farmer's head; you have to lift it to the light to find the poem.” — The semicolon joins two complete, independently grammatical clauses — one describing the hat's ordinary outward appearance, the other describing the deliberate act needed to reveal its hidden detail — without a conjunction to soften the transition, a more advanced punctuation choice than the 'and' or 'but' a 6.5 or 7.0 answer would use. Handling that structure correctly, so both halves read as complete and balanced rather than as a run-on, demonstrates the varied grammatical range the Band 7.5 target rewards. The semicolon's tight pairing also enacts the contrast the sentence is making — plain outside, poem inside — letting the grammar itself perform the same reveal the sentence describes.

How this card was asked, by exam period

Describe a traditional product made in your country which you likeMay–Aug 2026

Part 3 follow-up questions

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

1. Will increased globalisation lead to countries adopting each other's traditions and customs?
May–Aug 2026
Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question
Band 6.5
The plain closing clause 'the poem hat is more popular now than twenty years ago' states the observation directly.
Yes, but I think it's more mixing than replacing. There's a café near my studio that serves Vietnamese coffee using a Japanese pour-over method, mostly to Korean tourists, and nobody thinks this is strange — that's what adopting a tradition actually looks like. Globalisation spreads food, festivals, music and fashion quickly, and my nephew's school celebrates both Halloween and Tết with equal excitement. But deeper traditions, like family, religion and death, change much more slowly. There's also a kind of reaction happening — the more the world looks the same, the more people want to keep what's local, which is why the poem hat is more popular now than twenty years ago.
Why this band
FC“Yes, but I think it's more mixing than replacing.” — A plain, direct answer with the hedge 'I think' inserted, typical of 6.5, compared with 7.0's fuller 'Yes, I'd say, though it's really more mixing' and 7.5's leaner unhedged version.
LR“more popular now” — A plain, general phrase, less precise than the more specific 'more sought after' used at higher bands.
GRA“There's also a kind of reaction happening — the more the world looks the same, the more people want to keep what's local, which is why the poem hat is more popular now than twenty years ago.” — A long sentence with a dash-linked comparative clause and a final relative clause, all in one simple additive chain, typical of plain 6.5 grammar.
Band 7.0
The appositive phrase 'a blend rather than a takeover' adds a more developed, reflective definition than a plain statement.
Yes, I'd say, though it's really more mixing than replacing. There's a café near my studio that serves Vietnamese coffee with a Japanese pour-over ritual to mostly Korean tourists, and nobody involved seems to find that strange at all — that's what adoption actually looks like in practice, a blend rather than a takeover. Globalisation spreads food, festivals, music and fashions fairly quickly; my nephew's school does Halloween and Tết with equal enthusiasm. Some deeper traditions, though, around family, religion and death, move much more slowly. And there's a reaction to all of it too: the more the world looks the same, the more people seem to value what's local, which is probably why the poem hat is more sought after now than it was twenty years ago.
Why this band
FC“Yes, I'd say, though it's really more mixing than replacing.” — The hedge 'I'd say' is inserted mid-sentence, a more natural spoken rhythm than 6.5's simpler 'Yes, but I think' construction.
LR“more sought after now than it was twenty years ago” — This more precise, formal phrase is a step up from 6.5's plainer 'more popular now than twenty years ago'.
GRA“that's what adoption actually looks like in practice, a blend rather than a takeover” — The appositive noun phrase 'a blend rather than a takeover' tacked onto the main clause shows more flexible grammar than 6.5's simpler dash-linked clause.
Band 7.5
The verb 'prize' and the closing parallel 'borrow more... and... guard what's theirs more jealously' give the answer a vivid, balanced finish.
Yes, but mixing rather than replacing. There's a café near my studio that serves Vietnamese coffee with a Japanese pour-over ritual to mostly Korean tourists, and nobody involved finds it remotely strange — that's what adoption looks like in practice: a blend, not a takeover. Globalisation spreads food, festivals, music and fashions quickly; my nephew's school does Halloween and Tết with equal enthusiasm. Some deeper traditions, around family, religion and death, move far more slowly. And there's a reaction, too: the more the world starts to look the same, the more people seem to prize what's local, which is why the poem hat is more sought after now than it was twenty years ago. Countries will borrow more from each other and, at the same time, guard what's theirs more jealously.
Why this band
FC“Yes, but mixing rather than replacing.” — This compact three-word contrast, with no hedge at all, is the most economical opener of the three versions, tighter than 7.0's hedged 'Yes, I'd say, though'.
LR“prize what's local” — The verb 'prize' is more vivid and precise than 7.0's plainer 'value what's local'.
GRA“Countries will borrow more from each other and, at the same time, guard what's theirs more jealously.” — The parenthetical 'at the same time' inserted between commas, plus the parallel verbs 'borrow'/'guard', shows more flexible sentence architecture than 7.0's simpler final clause about the poem hat.
2. Should young people be taught about traditions at home or at school?
May–Aug 2026
Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question
Band 6.5
The plain closing contrast 'school can't make a tradition feel personal, and home can't always explain where something actually came from' states the point directly.
I think both, because they teach different things. I learned to value the conical hat just from seeing it on my mother's head every day, but I learned the history of Hue's crafts in a classroom — home made me care about it, and school helped me understand it. At home, traditions are lived every day, like food and how to greet older people, without any real lesson. School can give the background information and reach children whose own families have lost their traditions. But school can't make a tradition feel personal, and home can't always explain where something actually came from.
Why this band
FC“I think both, because they teach different things.” — A plain statement of position with the hedge 'I think' fronted, typical of 6.5's directness, compared with 7.0's mid-sentence hedge and 7.5's unhedged version.
LR“the background information” — A general, everyday phrase, less precise than the single, more formal word 'context' used at higher bands.
GRA“But school can't make a tradition feel personal, and home can't always explain where something actually came from.” — A simple contrastive sentence joined with 'and', typical of plain 6.5 grammar, compared with the semicolon-based version used at 7.5.
Band 7.0
The parallel cleft structure 'What school genuinely can't do is... and what home can't always do is...' shows more developed, balanced grammar.
Both, I'd say, because they really teach different things. I learned to value the conical hat just from seeing it on my mother's head every day, and I learned the history of Hue's crafts in a classroom — home is what made me care, and school is what helped me understand. Home is where traditions get lived: the food, the ancestral altar, how to greet an elder, all absorbed without anyone ever giving a lesson. School, on the other hand, can provide context, reach children whose families have already lost their traditions, and correct whatever version of history a family tells itself. What school genuinely can't do is make a tradition feel like yours, and what home can't always do is explain where it actually came from.
Why this band
FC“Both, I'd say, because they really teach different things.” — The hedge 'I'd say' is inserted mid-sentence rather than fronted, a slightly more natural spoken rhythm than 6.5's version.
LR“provide context” — This more formal, precise noun phrase is a step up from 6.5's vaguer 'give the background information'.
GRA“What school genuinely can't do is make a tradition feel like yours, and what home can't always do is explain where it actually came from.” — A parallel double-cleft structure ('What... can't do is...' repeated twice) shows more complex, balanced grammar than 6.5's single contrastive sentence.
Band 7.5
The idiom 'without a lesson in sight' and the compact closing formula 'practice minus meaning, or meaning minus practice' give the answer a vivid, aphoristic finish.
Both, because they teach different things. I learned to value the conical hat from seeing it on my mother's head every day, and I learned the history of Hue's crafts in a classroom — the home made me care, and the school made me understand. Home is where traditions are lived: the food, the ancestral altar, how to greet an elder, all absorbed without a lesson in sight. School can give context, reach children whose families have lost their traditions, and correct the version of history a family tells itself. What school can't do is make a tradition feel like yours; what home can't always do is explain where it came from. A child with only one source ends up with either practice minus meaning, or meaning minus practice.
Why this band
FC“Both, because they teach different things.” — This two-word opener, immediately followed by the reason, drops the hedge entirely, the most economical and confident version of the three.
LR“absorbed without a lesson in sight” — The idiomatic phrase 'without a lesson in sight' is more vivid than 7.0's plainer 'absorbed without anyone ever giving a lesson'.
GRA“A child with only one source ends up with either practice minus meaning, or meaning minus practice.” — The near-mathematical formula 'practice minus meaning, or meaning minus practice' is a compact, inventive parallel structure, more flexible than 7.0's plainer closing cleft sentence.
3. Should tourists learn about a country's traditions before visiting that country?
May–Aug 2026
Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question
Band 6.5
The plain closing 'What matters most is showing that you're willing to learn' states the conclusion directly.
Enough to avoid being rude, and the rest can be learned once you arrive. I once watched a tourist wear a conical hat backwards into a temple, and another one ask a guard how to behave beforehand; both were forgiven, because Vietnamese people are kind to foreigners, but only the second one was thanked. Tourists should know basic things, like what's sacred, what's rude, how to dress at a place of worship, and how to greet people. That only takes about an hour and stops most problems. After that, asking questions on the spot is worth more than reading about it at home. What matters most is showing that you're willing to learn.
Why this band
FC“Enough to avoid being rude, and the rest can be learned once you arrive.” — A plain, complete-sentence opener joined with 'and', typical of 6.5's directness, compared with the near-identical but slightly tighter openers at 7.0 and 7.5.
LR“stops most problems” — A general, plain phrase, less precise than the more formal 'prevents most of the real damage' used at higher bands.
GRA“What matters most is showing that you're willing to learn.” — A simple cleft sentence with a 'that' clause, typical of plain 6.5 grammar, compared with the more compact noun phrase used at higher bands.
Band 7.0
The correlative structure 'What matters isn't so much the knowledge itself as the visible willingness to learn' shows more developed, balanced reasoning.
Enough to avoid causing offence, I'd say, and the rest can be picked up once you're there. I've watched a visitor wear a conical hat backwards into a temple, and another one ask a guard how to behave before going in; both were forgiven, since Vietnamese people are generous with foreigners, but only the second one was actually thanked for it. Tourists should know the basics — what's sacred, what's rude, how to dress in a place of worship, whether to bargain, how to greet people — and that takes about an hour and prevents most of the real damage. Beyond that, honestly, curiosity on the spot is worth more than research done at home; asking a local how something is made teaches you more than a paragraph ever could. What matters isn't so much the knowledge itself as the visible willingness to learn.
Why this band
FC“Enough to avoid causing offence, I'd say, and the rest can be picked up once you're there.” — The hedge 'I'd say' is inserted mid-sentence, a more natural spoken rhythm than 6.5's unhedged version of the same opener.
LR“prevents most of the real damage” — This more precise, formal phrase is a step up from 6.5's plainer 'stops most problems'.
GRA“What matters isn't so much the knowledge itself as the visible willingness to learn.” — The correlative construction 'not so much X as Y' shows more sophisticated grammar than 6.5's simpler cleft sentence with a 'that' clause.
Band 7.5
The compact opener with no hedge and the tight colon-led list give the answer an economical, confident shape.
Enough to avoid causing offence, and the rest can be learned on arrival. I've watched a visitor wear a conical hat backwards into a temple and another ask a guard how to behave first; both were forgiven, because Vietnamese people are generous with foreigners, but only one was thanked. Tourists should know the basics: what's sacred, what's rude, how to dress in a place of worship, whether to bargain, how to greet. That takes an hour and prevents most damage. Beyond that, curiosity on the spot is worth more than research at home — asking a local how the hat is made teaches more than a paragraph ever will. What matters isn't the knowledge so much as the visible willingness to learn.
Why this band
FC“Enough to avoid causing offence, and the rest can be learned on arrival.” — This version drops the hedge 'I'd say' entirely, joining the claim directly to the qualification with 'and', a more confident fluency than 7.0's hedged opener.
LR“teaches more than a paragraph ever will” — The future-tense emphasis 'ever will' is a more vivid, idiomatic closing than 7.0's plainer 'teaches you more than a paragraph ever could'.
GRA“What matters isn't the knowledge so much as the visible willingness to learn.” — This slightly tighter version of the correlative construction, dropping 'itself', is a more economical variant of the same complex grammar used at 7.0.
4. Is it the government's responsibility to maintain the traditional customs of their country?
May–Aug 2026
Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question
Band 6.5
The plain closing 'The government's job is to keep the option available' states the conclusion directly.
Partly, but less than governments probably think. The province funded a craft school in the hat-making village, which helped, but the hats really survive because people, both tourists and locals, keep buying them — a tradition only lives when people want it, and no government department can force that. Governments can protect traditions by funding museums and teaching, stopping heritage buildings from being knocked down, and keeping traditions in the school curriculum. But they can also do harm by turning living customs into official shows. The main responsibility really belongs to families and communities, who either keep a tradition alive or don't. The government's job is to keep the option available.
Why this band
FC“Partly, but less than governments probably think.” — A short, plain opener with a simple 'but' contrast, typical of 6.5's directness, compared with 7.0's and 7.5's fuller versions with 'the part is smaller than'.
LR“official shows” — A general, everyday noun, less precise than the more formal 'official performances' used at higher bands.
GRA“The main responsibility really belongs to families and communities, who either keep a tradition alive or don't.” — A simple relative-clause sentence ending in an ellipsis ('or don't'), typical of plain 6.5 grammar, though the ellipsis itself is a small economical touch.
Band 7.0
The semicolon-linked closing 'the option survives; the actual choice belongs to the people' shows tighter, more developed cohesion.
Partly, I'd say, and the part is smaller than governments tend to think. The province funded a craft school in the hat-making village, which certainly helped, but the hats survive mainly because people keep buying them, tourists and locals alike — a tradition lives when it's genuinely wanted, and no ministry can manufacture that. Governments can protect traditions by funding museums and teaching, preventing heritage from being demolished, recognising master craftspeople, and keeping traditions in the school curriculum. They can also, though, do real harm by turning living customs into official performances. The main responsibility, honestly, sits with families and communities, who either practise a tradition or simply let it go. The state's real job is to make sure the option survives; the actual choice belongs to the people.
Why this band
FC“Partly, I'd say, and the part is smaller than governments tend to think.” — The hedge 'I'd say' is inserted mid-sentence, a more natural spoken rhythm than 6.5's plain unhedged opener.
LR“no ministry can manufacture that” — The verb 'manufacture' used metaphorically is more vivid and precise than 6.5's plainer 'no government department can force that'.
GRA“The state's real job is to make sure the option survives; the actual choice belongs to the people.” — The semicolon links two balanced independent clauses directly, a tighter construction than 6.5's separate final sentences.
Band 7.5
The verb 'bulldozed' and the closing parenthetical 'in the end' give the answer a vivid, reflective finish.
Partly, and the part is smaller than governments tend to imagine. The province funded a craft school in the hat-making village, which helped, but the hats survive mainly because people buy them, tourists and locals both — a tradition lives when it's wanted, and no ministry can legislate that into existence. Governments can protect: fund museums and teaching, prevent heritage from being bulldozed, recognise master craftspeople, keep traditions in the school curriculum. They can also do real damage by turning living customs into official performances. The main responsibility sits with families and communities, who either practise a tradition or quietly let it die. The state's job is to keep the option alive; the choice, in the end, belongs to the people.
Why this band
FC“Partly, and the part is smaller than governments tend to imagine.” — This version drops the hedge 'I'd say' entirely, joining the claim and qualification directly, showing a more confident fluency than 7.0's hedged opener.
LR“prevent heritage from being bulldozed” — The vivid verb 'bulldozed' is more forceful and precise than 7.0's plainer 'preventing heritage from being demolished'.
GRA“The state's job is to keep the option alive; the choice, in the end, belongs to the people.” — The parenthetical 'in the end' inserted between commas mid-clause shows more flexible grammar than 7.0's plainer semicolon sentence without the insertion.
5. How important is it for people to learn about their country's traditions?
May–Aug 2026
Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question
Band 6.5
The plain closing 'someone who knows none of their own traditions is easier to sell anything to' states the warning directly.
I think it's important, but in a quiet way. I'd seen my mother's hat every day for twenty years before I learned what sixteen rings and a full day of stitching actually mean, and after that, the hat felt different to me — knowing the tradition turned a simple object into a story. Traditions tell people who they are and where they came from, which matters more as the world starts to look the same everywhere. They also carry knowledge built over centuries, like how to build for the climate or how to treat older people. This shouldn't turn into worshipping the past, and some traditions probably should end. But someone who knows none of their own traditions is easier to sell anything to.
Why this band
FC“I think it's important, but in a quiet way.” — A plain statement with the hedge 'I think' fronted, typical of 6.5's directness, compared with 7.0's mid-sentence hedge and 7.5's unhedged version.
LR“built over centuries” — A general, plain phrase, less precise than the more formal 'took centuries to accumulate' used at higher bands.
GRA“This shouldn't turn into worshipping the past, and some traditions probably should end.” — A simple contrastive sentence joined with 'and', typical of plain 6.5 grammar, compared with the more vivid verb used at 7.5.
Band 7.0
The colon-introduced list 'knowledge that took centuries to build up: how to build for the climate, what to eat and when, how to treat the elderly' shows more developed structure.
Important in a fairly quiet way, I'd say. I'd seen my mother's hat every day for twenty years before I actually learned what sixteen rings and a full day's stitching mean, and the hat genuinely changed for me after that — knowing the tradition turned an ordinary object into a story. Traditions tell people who they are and where they came from, which matters more and more as the world starts to look increasingly alike. They also carry knowledge that took centuries to build up: how to build for the climate, what to eat and when, how to treat the elderly. Learning them gives people somewhere to stand when they're judging what's new. It shouldn't become worship of the past, obviously, and some traditions probably deserve to end. But a person who knows none of their own is, frankly, easier to sell anything to.
Why this band
FC“Important in a fairly quiet way, I'd say.” — This compact fragment opener with the hedge appended at the end is more economical than 6.5's fuller sentence with the hedge fronted.
LR“took centuries to build up” — This more precise, active phrase is a step up from 6.5's plainer 'built over centuries'.
GRA“They also carry knowledge that took centuries to build up: how to build for the climate, what to eat and when, how to treat the elderly.” — The colon introduces a triple parallel list, a more developed construction than 6.5's shorter two-item list joined by 'like' and 'or'.
Band 7.5
The vivid verb 'curdle' gives the warning about tradition turning into worship a more precise, evocative edge.
Important in a quiet way. I'd seen my mother's hat every day for twenty years before I learned what sixteen rings and a full day's stitching mean, and the hat changed after that — knowing the tradition turned an object into a story. Traditions tell people who they are and where they came from, which matters more as the world looks more alike by the year. They carry knowledge that took centuries to accumulate: how to build for the climate, what to eat when, how to treat the old. Learning them gives people somewhere to stand when judging what's new. It shouldn't curdle into worship of the past, and some traditions genuinely deserve to end. But a person who knows none of their own is, frankly, easier to sell anything to.
Why this band
FC“Important in a quiet way.” — This three-word opener, with no hedge word at all, is the most compact and confident version of the three, tighter than 7.0's 'Important in a fairly quiet way, I'd say'.
LR“curdle into worship of the past” — The vivid, unusual verb 'curdle' is far more precise and evocative than 7.0's plainer 'become worship of the past'.
GRA“the world looks more alike by the year” — The idiomatic time phrase 'by the year' is a more flexible, natural construction than 7.0's plainer 'increasingly alike'.
6. How can traditional products help a country's tourist industry?
May–Aug 2026
Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question
Band 6.5
The plain closing 'The risk is that demand pushes down the quality, toward cheap souvenirs' states the warning directly.
They give visitors something to see, do, and take home. The hat-making village now gets tour buses, runs workshops where visitors sew one ring and leave with a hat they partly made, and the hat appears in many photos that foreigners take of Vietnam — one product doing the work of a whole advertising campaign. Traditional products make a place different, which is really the only reason to visit somewhere instead of a cheaper place. They also spread tourist money to villages and older craftspeople, not just to hotel chains. And they give tourism a story, because a hat with a poem inside means more than a keyring. The risk is that demand pushes down the quality, toward cheap souvenirs.
Why this band
FC“They give visitors something to see, do, and take home.” — A short, plain topic sentence, typical of 6.5's directness, compared with 7.0's slightly hedged 'basically' and 7.5's leaner unhedged version.
LR“doing the work of a whole advertising campaign” — An adequate but slightly plain phrase, less precise than the more formal 'an entire advertising campaign' used at 7.5.
GRA“The risk is that demand pushes down the quality, toward cheap souvenirs.” — A short, simple sentence with a comma-appended phrase, typical of plain 6.5 grammar.
Band 7.0
The colon-introduced comparison 'a hat with a poem stitched into it is a memory in a way a keyring simply isn't' shows more developed, evaluative phrasing.
They give visitors something to see, do, and carry home, basically. The hat-making village now receives tour buses, runs workshops where visitors sew a single ring and leave with a hat they partly made, and the hat turns up in countless photographs foreigners take of Vietnam — one product doing the work of a whole advertising campaign. Traditional products make a place feel distinct, the only real reason to visit it rather than somewhere cheaper. They also spread tourist money out to villages and older craftspeople rather than concentrating it in hotel chains. And they give tourism a story: a hat with a poem stitched into it is a memory in a way a keyring simply isn't. The risk is that demand pushes quality down toward cheap souvenirs. The best places sell the real thing and are honest about why it costs more.
Why this band
FC“They give visitors something to see, do, and carry home, basically.” — The tag 'basically' appended at the end softens and personalises the topic sentence, a more natural spoken move than 6.5's plain unhedged version.
LR“rather than concentrating it in hotel chains” — This more precise verb phrase is a step up from 6.5's plainer 'not just to hotel chains'.
GRA“a hat with a poem stitched into it is a memory in a way a keyring simply isn't” — A comparative sentence with the negative construction 'in a way... simply isn't' shows more flexible grammar than 6.5's simpler 'because' clause.
Band 7.5
The parenthetical 'without apology' gives the closing point about pricing a vivid, confident edge.
They give visitors something to see, do and carry home. The hat-making village now receives tour buses, runs workshops where visitors sew a single ring and leave with a hat they partly made, and the hat appears in half the photographs foreigners take of Vietnam — one product doing the work of an entire advertising campaign. Traditional products make a place distinct, which is the only real reason to visit it rather than somewhere cheaper. They spread tourist money out to villages and older craftspeople rather than to hotel chains. And they give tourism a story: a hat with a poem stitched inside it is a memory in a way a keyring never will be. The risk is that demand quietly pushes quality down toward souvenirs. The best places sell the real thing, and explain, without apology, why it costs more.
Why this band
FC“They give visitors something to see, do and carry home.” — This version drops the tag 'basically' entirely, ending the sentence cleanly on 'home', a more confident and economical fluency than 7.0's hedged version.
LR“quietly pushes quality down” — The adverb 'quietly' adds a subtle, vivid touch beyond 7.0's plainer 'pushes quality steadily down'.
GRA“The best places sell the real thing, and explain, without apology, why it costs more.” — The parenthetical 'without apology' inserted mid-clause between commas shows more flexible grammar than 7.0's plainer 'are honest about why it costs more'.
7. In the future, will people return to former traditions, customs and fashions?
May–Aug 2026
Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question
Band 6.5
The plain closing 'the future will probably have a lot of old designs used in new ways' states the prediction directly.
Selectively, I think, and usually in a new form. Young designers in Da Nang are bringing back the áo dài with modern cuts and fabrics, and people my age buy conical hats to hang on the wall rather than to wear in the fields — traditions come back as style rather than as something people actually need every day. This pattern will probably continue, because every generation rediscovers something their parents threw away, partly to be different and partly because old things feel more carefully made than mass-produced ones. What won't come back is the whole lifestyle around the tradition. So the future will probably have a lot of old designs used in new ways.
Why this band
FC“Selectively, I think, and usually in a new form.” — A short opener with the hedge 'I think' inserted, typical of 6.5's directness, compared with 7.0's fuller 'Selectively, I'd say' and 7.5's unhedged, dash-free version.
LR“something their parents threw away” — A plain, everyday verb, less precise than the more formal 'discarded' used at higher bands.
GRA“So the future will probably have a lot of old designs used in new ways.” — A short, simple closing sentence, typical of plain 6.5 grammar, compared with the more layered final sentence at 7.0 and 7.5.
Band 7.0
The semicolon-linked clarification 'the actual life around the tradition; nobody's going back to spending a full day sewing one hat unless they genuinely choose to' shows tighter, more developed cohesion.
Selectively, I'd say, and usually in a new form rather than the old one. Young designers in Da Nang are reviving the áo dài with modern cuts, and people my age tend to buy conical hats to hang on the wall rather than wear them in the fields — traditions come back as style and meaning rather than daily necessity. That pattern will probably continue, since every generation rediscovers something its parents discarded, partly to be different and partly because older things carry a care that mass production lacks. What won't come back, though, is the actual life around the tradition; nobody's going back to spending a full day sewing one hat unless they genuinely choose to. So the future will likely be full of old forms put to new uses, which is probably how traditions survive.
Why this band
FC“Selectively, I'd say, and usually in a new form rather than the old one.” — The explicit contrast 'rather than the old one' added onto the hedge shows more developed elaboration than 6.5's shorter opener.
LR“something its parents discarded” — This more formal verb is a step up in precision from 6.5's plainer 'something their parents threw away'.
GRA“What won't come back, though, is the actual life around the tradition; nobody's going back to spending a full day sewing one hat unless they genuinely choose to.” — The semicolon links a cleft sentence to a further illustrative clause, a more complex construction than 6.5's simpler standalone sentence.
Band 7.5
The compact opener with no hedge and the colon-led continuation 'That pattern will keep going:' give the answer an economical, confident shape.
Selectively, and usually in a new form. Young designers in Da Nang are reviving the áo dài with modern cuts and fabrics, and people my age buy conical hats to hang on walls rather than to wear in fields — traditions come back as style and meaning rather than as daily necessity. That pattern will keep going: every generation rediscovers something its parents discarded, partly to be different and partly because old things carry a quality of care that mass production can't replicate. What won't return is the life around the tradition; nobody's going back to a full day sewing one hat unless they choose to. So the future will be full of old forms in new uses, which is probably how traditions have always managed to survive at all.
Why this band
FC“That pattern will keep going: every generation rediscovers something its parents discarded” — The colon introduces the explanation directly onto the claim, a tighter cohesive device than 7.0's 'since'-clause version of the same link.
LR“mass production can't replicate” — The verb 'replicate' is more precise and formal than 7.0's plainer 'mass production simply lacks'.
GRA“Selectively, and usually in a new form.” — This four-word opener drops the hedge 'I'd say' entirely, and folds directly into the colon-led explanatory sentence that follows, a more compact grammatical pairing than 7.0's fuller sentence-and-clause structure.
8. Are traditional products generally better quality than modern ones?
May–Aug 2026
Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question
Band 6.5
The plain closing contrast 'a traditional product made by a master beats a factory one, but a traditional product made for a gift shop is often worse than both' states the conclusion directly.
Often, but not just because they're traditional. My mother's hat has outlasted every umbrella I've ever bought, because a skilled person made it slowly with good materials. But I've also bought traditional pottery that cracked the first time I washed it, because it was made quickly for tourists by someone without much skill. Quality really comes from care, time and knowledge, and traditional methods often have all three because they can't be rushed. But modern products can be excellent too — for things like medicine or precise tools, modern is usually much better. Basically, a traditional product made by a master beats a factory one, but a traditional product made for a gift shop is often worse than both.
Why this band
FC“Often, but not just because they're traditional.” — A short, plain contrastive opener, typical of 6.5's directness, compared with 7.0's fuller hedged version and 7.5's leaner unhedged one.
LR“without much skill” — A plain, general phrase, less precise than the more emphatic 'with practically no skill' used at higher bands.
GRA“Basically, a traditional product made by a master beats a factory one, but a traditional product made for a gift shop is often worse than both.” — A simple contrastive sentence with 'but', typical of plain 6.5 grammar, compared with the more idiomatic closing at 7.5.
Band 7.0
The cleft structure 'What's generally true, I think, is that...' adds a more developed, reflective framing to the conclusion.
Often, I'd say, but not simply because they're traditional. My mother's hat has outlasted every umbrella I've ever bought, because a skilled person made it slowly with the right materials; I've also, though, bought traditional pottery that cracked on its very first wash, made quickly for tourists by someone with practically no skill. Quality really comes down to care, time and knowledge, and traditional methods often preserve all three simply because they can't be rushed. Modern products can absolutely be excellent too, and for a lot of things — medicine, tools, anything requiring real precision — they're actually far better. What's generally true, I think, is that a traditional product made by a master beats a factory version every time, while a traditional product made purely for a gift shop is worse than either.
Why this band
FC“Often, I'd say, but not simply because they're traditional.” — The hedge 'I'd say' is inserted mid-sentence, a slightly more natural spoken rhythm than 6.5's unhedged version.
LR“with practically no skill” — The intensifier 'practically' makes this phrase more vivid and precise than 6.5's plainer 'without much skill'.
GRA“What's generally true, I think, is that a traditional product made by a master beats a factory version every time, while a traditional product made purely for a gift shop is worse than either.” — A cleft sentence with an inserted hedge and a 'while' clause shows more complex subordination than 6.5's simple 'but'-joined final sentence.
Band 7.5
The idiom 'hands down' gives the closing comparison a vivid, confident edge beyond a plain statement.
Often, but not because they're traditional as such. My mother's hat outlasts every umbrella I've ever bought, and it's better because a skilled person made it slowly with the right materials; I've also bought traditional pottery that cracked on its first washing, made quickly for tourists by someone with no real skill at all. Quality comes from care, time and knowledge, and traditional methods often preserve all three precisely because they can't be rushed. Modern products can be excellent too, and for plenty of things — medicine, tools, anything requiring precision — they're far superior. What's generally true is that a traditional product made by a master beats a factory version hands down, and a traditional product made for a gift shop is worse than either.
Why this band
FC“Often, but not because they're traditional as such.” — The tag 'as such' replaces 7.0's fuller hedge 'I'd say... not simply because', a more economical and idiomatic qualifier.
LR“they're far superior” — The adjective 'superior' is more precise and formal than 7.0's plainer 'they're actually far better'.
GRA“a traditional product made by a master beats a factory version hands down” — The idiom 'hands down' replaces 7.0's plainer 'every time', giving the comparative clause a more vivid, idiomatic close.
9. What are some different kinds of traditional products made in your country?
May–Aug 2026
Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question
Band 6.5
The plain closing 'Almost every region has a village that's especially good at one thing' sums up the point simply.
A walk through my parents' house would show most of them, actually. There's the hat by the door, from Hue. A ceramic bowl from Bát Tràng, the pottery village near Hanoi. A lacquered tray with mother-of-pearl, which Vietnam has made for centuries. Silk from the weavers near Hội An. And in the kitchen, fish sauce from Phú Quốc, which people often forget to count but is probably the most important one. There's also embroidery, bronze casting, incense, woodcarving, bamboo furniture, and hand-made paper. Almost every region has a village that's especially good at one thing.
Why this band
FC“A walk through my parents' house would show most of them, actually.” — A plain topic sentence with the tag 'actually' appended, typical of 6.5's directness, compared with 7.0's 'basically' and 7.5's leaner, fully rewritten opener.
LR“especially good at one thing” — A general, plain phrase, less precise than the more formal 'does one thing exceptionally well' used at higher bands.
GRA“Almost every region has a village that's especially good at one thing.” — A simple relative-clause sentence, typical of plain 6.5 grammar, with no further elaboration, compared with the extended final sentence at 7.0 and 7.5.
Band 7.0
The closing addition 'quite a few still carry the craft in their actual name' extends the observation with a more developed, specific detail.
A walk through my parents' house would basically cover most of them. There's the hat by the door, from Hue. A ceramic bowl from Bát Tràng, the pottery village near Hanoi. A lacquered tray with mother-of-pearl inlay, the kind Vietnam has been making for centuries. Silk from the weavers around Hội An. And in the kitchen, fish sauce from Phú Quốc, which is a traditional product people often forget to count, and probably the most important one of all. Beyond that, there's embroidery, bronze casting, incense, woodcarving, bamboo furniture from the countryside, and hand-made paper. Almost every region seems to have a village that does one thing exceptionally well, and quite a few still carry the craft in their actual name.
Why this band
FC“A walk through my parents' house would basically cover most of them.” — The verb 'cover' plus the tag 'basically' is a slightly more natural collocation than 6.5's plainer 'would show most of them, actually'.
LR“mother-of-pearl inlay” — The added technical term 'inlay' is more precise than 6.5's plainer 'mother-of-pearl' alone.
GRA“Almost every region seems to have a village that does one thing exceptionally well, and quite a few still carry the craft in their actual name.” — A sentence extended with a second coordinated clause via 'and' adds more detail than 6.5's shorter, single-clause closing sentence.
Band 7.5
The inverted opener 'You'd cover most of them just walking through my parents' house' and the idiom 'wear that craft in their very name' give the answer a vivid, economical finish.
You'd cover most of them just walking through my parents' house. The hat hanging by the door, from Hue. A ceramic bowl from Bát Tràng, the pottery village outside Hanoi. A lacquered tray inlaid with mother-of-pearl, the kind Vietnam has turned out for centuries. Silk from the weavers around Hội An. And, tucked away in the kitchen, fish sauce from Phú Quốc — a traditional product people routinely forget to count, and quite possibly the most important one of the lot. Beyond that, there's embroidery, bronze casting, incense, woodcarving, bamboo furniture out of the countryside, and hand-made paper. Almost every region has a village that's mastered one craft to an exceptional degree, and more than a few still wear that craft in their very name.
Why this band
FC“You'd cover most of them just walking through my parents' house.” — The inverted, participial-clause opener ('just walking through') is more fluent and compact than 7.0's plainer 'A walk through my parents' house would basically cover most of them'.
LR“tucked away in the kitchen” — This vivid, idiomatic phrase is more precise and evocative than 7.0's plainer 'in the kitchen'.
GRA“more than a few still wear that craft in their very name” — The metaphorical verb 'wear' applied to a craft's name is a more flexible, figurative grammatical choice than 7.0's plainer 'still carry the craft in their actual name'.

Frequently asked questions

How long should my answer to this Part 2 cue card be?: Speak for 1 to 2 minutes. The examiner will stop you at 2 minutes, so aim for roughly 220-300 words that cover every bullet on the card and end with how you feel about it.
What Part 3 questions follow this cue card?: After "A Traditional Product Made in Your Country That You Like", examiners have asked 9 follow-up discussion questions, listed above. They move from your personal story to general opinions on the same theme.
Is this cue card still being used?: It was most recently reported by test-takers in May–Aug 2026. Cue cards rotate every four months, and many topics return in later seasons with slightly different wording.