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 "An Important Event in Your Life That You Celebrated", 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

An Important Event in Your Life That You Celebrated

Most recently asked in May–Aug 2026

The cue card

Describe an important event in your life that you celebrated

You should say:

what this event was
who celebrated the event with you
how you celebrated the event
and explain why the event was important to you

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

The answer explains its significance with one plain, direct reason ('the first time I'd lived completely by myself') and closes with a simple summary feeling ('one of the happiest evenings'), a clear but modest structure typical of Band 6.5.

The event I want to talk about is the day I moved into my own apartment here in Da Nang, about two years ago.

I celebrated it with a few close friends from work, Huy, Vy and Khánh, who came over on the evening I got the keys. My parents couldn't come from Hue that day, but they called me on video so they could see the empty rooms.

We celebrated quite simply. We didn't have any furniture yet, so we sat on the floor, ordered some food, mostly bánh xèo and drinks, and just talked and laughed for hours. Someone brought a small plant as a housewarming gift, which is still alive on my windowsill now. We also took a lot of photos in the empty rooms, which look quite funny to look back on now that the apartment is full of things.

This event was important to me because it was the first time I'd lived completely by myself, without my family or roommates. It felt like a real step into being an adult, paying my own rent and making my own decisions about everything, even small things like what colour to paint the walls. I still remember sitting on that empty floor with my friends as one of the happiest evenings I've had in this city.

219 words · about 2 minutes

Why this band

FC“This event was important to me because it was the first time I'd lived completely by myself, without my family or roommates.” — The reason for the event's importance is given in one direct "because" clause, immediately and without any further layering — no additional example, no comparison to how life felt before or after. That single, clearly stated reason is exactly the plain development Band 6.5 coherence is built around: a Band 7.0 answer in the same spot would likely extend the reason with a specific consequence (e.g. what living alone actually changed day to day), but here it's left as one clean, self-contained claim.
GRA“We didn't have any furniture yet, so we sat on the floor, ordered some food” — The sentence links clauses with a basic result connector ('so') rather than varied subordination, showing the mostly simple grammar typical of Band 6.5.
LR“still alive on my windowsill now” — "Still alive on my windowsill now" describes the plant using the most literal, concrete vocabulary available — no metaphor, no more specific gardening term, just a plain statement of fact. Where a higher band might use the detail to make a small wider point (e.g. that the plant has outlasted the plainness of those early empty rooms), here it stays purely descriptive, which is the safe, high-frequency vocabulary that Band 6.5 lexical resource targets.

Band 7.0

The answer develops the event with one concrete scene — the restaurant owner refusing payment because he'd noticed the table celebrating — and links it clearly to years of family sacrifice, giving fuller development than the 6.5 answer while staying more direct than the 7.5 version's single-line reflections.

I'd choose my graduation from design college in Da Nang, back in 2014, as the event — notable partly because I was the first person in my family to finish a university degree at all.

My parents came up from Hue on the earliest bus that morning, my father in a suit borrowed from my uncle that clearly wasn't cut for him. My sister came too, with her boyfriend, and once the ceremony ended, about ten of my closest classmates joined us — people I'd survived four years of deadlines and instant noodles with.

The day had two halves. First came the ceremony itself, in a hall with no working air conditioning, where my mother apparently jumped to her feet the instant my name was announced, a little ahead of everyone else. That evening, the whole group went to a beachside seafood place — plastic chairs in the sand, plates of grilled squid, plenty of beer going round. When my father went to settle the bill, the owner wouldn't hear of it; he'd noticed our table celebrating all evening and said the meal was his gift to the occasion. My father, someone who almost never shows emotion, quietly went for a walk by the water afterwards.

The reason this day still matters to me has little to do with the degree itself, which counts for very little in my field now. Twenty years of my parents each working two jobs had all been aimed at getting my sister and me through university in the city, and that evening felt like the moment it finally paid off. It was also the first time I really watched my parents step into my world instead of the reverse — meeting my friends, sitting on my beach, being looked after by a stranger in my city. I've had bigger career milestones since, but none involved my mother jumping up a beat too early in a stuffy hall.

323 words · about 2 minutes

Why this band

FC“When my father went to settle the bill, the owner wouldn't hear of it” — This sentence commits to one small, concrete scene — a specific moment at the till — rather than summarising the evening in general terms, and the idiom-adjacent phrase "wouldn't hear of it" signals the owner's firm refusal economically. Zooming into a single dramatized moment like this, instead of listing what happened at the celebration in general, is what gives Band 7.0 Fluency and Coherence its fuller development, compared to a Band 6.5 answer that would likely just state "the owner gave us a free meal."
LR“he'd noticed our table celebrating all evening” — "Noticed our table celebrating" treats the table as a stand-in for the group and pairs it with the verb "celebrating" used almost as a description of an ongoing state the owner had been watching, which is a slightly more literary phrasing than the plainer "he saw we were having a party." This kind of natural but not-quite-everyday collocation is what Band 7.0 lexical resource means by "a few flexible or topic-specific" word choices layered onto an otherwise ordinary vocabulary base.
GRA“Twenty years of my parents each working two jobs had all been aimed at getting my sister and me through university in the city” — The sentence opens with a long noun phrase as subject, followed by a past perfect passive construction, showing the comfortable complex grammar expected at Band 7.0.

Band 7.5

The single-sentence metaphor 'That evening was the receipt' compresses the whole point of the story into three words, an economical, figurative move typical of Band 7.5.

The event I'd talk about is my graduation from design college in Da Nang, in the summer of 2014, which was the first university degree anyone in my family had ever finished.

Who celebrated it with me was, first, my parents, who came up from Hue on the dawn bus, my father in a suit borrowed from my uncle that was slightly too short in the arms. My sister came with her boyfriend. And after the ceremony, about ten classmates, who'd become the closest friends of my life over four years of sharing deadlines and instant noodles.

How we celebrated was in two parts. The formal part was the ceremony itself, in a hall with no air conditioning, where my name was read out and my mother, I'm told, stood up before she was supposed to. Then in the evening we all went to a seafood restaurant on the beach — plastic chairs on the sand, grilled squid, a lot of beer — and when my father went to pay, the owner, who had watched my parents watching me all evening, refused his money and said the meal was a gift for the family. My father, who never cries, went for a walk along the water for ten minutes.

Why the event was important to me is less about the degree, which in my field matters little, and more about what it closed and opened. My parents had spent twenty years in a narrow house and two jobs each so that my sister and I could study in the city. That evening was the receipt. It was also the first time I'd seen my parents in my world rather than me in theirs — meeting my friends, eating on my beach, being looked after by a stranger in my city. I've had bigger professional moments since. None of them had my mother standing up too early in a hot hall, and I don't think anything will.

326 words · about 2 minutes

Why this band

LR“That evening was the receipt.” — The metaphor turns an abstract idea (repayment for sacrifice) into one concrete word, a precise figurative touch typical of Band 7.5 lexical resource.
GRA“My father, who never cries, went for a walk along the water for ten minutes.” — The non-defining relative clause 'who never cries' is dropped into the middle of the sentence rather than added afterward as its own statement ('My father went for a walk. He never cries.'), which takes more grammatical control to place correctly while keeping the sentence's rhythm intact. This mid-sentence embedding is precisely the kind of varied complex structure the Band 7.5 grammar target rewards, since it shows the clause being used for economy and effect rather than just to add information. It also does real narrative work: naming the father's usual stoicism right before describing him breaking from it lets the emotional weight land without the speaker stating it outright.
FC“None of them had my mother standing up too early in a hot hall, and I don't think anything will.” — Rather than simply restating that the graduation was important, the closing sentence measures every subsequent professional milestone against this one specific, almost mundane detail — the mother standing up too early — and finds them all lacking. That comparative, forward-looking claim ('I don't think anything will') is a genuinely reflective move rather than a summary, which is the evaluative closing the Band 7.5 fluency and coherence target expects, as opposed to a lower-band answer that would likely just restate 'it was a very important day for me.' Returning to the small, specific image from earlier, instead of a new general statement, ties the whole response together with real coherence.

How this card was asked, by exam period

Describe an important event in your life that you celebratedMay–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. What are the most important events in people's lives?
May–Aug 2026
Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question
Band 6.5
The plain observational closer about weddings and parties states the point flatly, unlike 7.5's tighter version which embeds the example inside a dash-parenthesis.
I think it depends on who you ask. My grandmother would say marriage, having children, building a house, and the family's death anniversaries, since these mark the people who have passed away. My colleagues would say different things, like graduation, a first job, a first flat, and a trip that changed them. I think people remember the events that change who they are, like leaving home or having a child. Some events are chosen, and some just happen. Interestingly, weddings have the biggest parties, but older people do not always call them the most important thing in life.
Why this band
FC“Interestingly, weddings have the biggest parties, but older people do not always call them the most important thing in life.” — A plain observational closing. Compare 7.5's tighter parenthetical version, which embeds the example inside the sentence itself for a more compact effect.
LR“the people who have passed away” — Plain, everyday phrasing. Contrast 7.5's more formal "the important events of people who are gone."
GRA“My grandmother would say marriage, having children, building a house, and the family's death anniversaries, since these mark the people who have passed away.” — One long listing sentence, correct but simpler in structure than 7.5's semicolon-joined double-list sentence covering both grandmother and colleagues.
Band 7.0
The trailing "though" in "What's interesting, though" signals natural spoken reflection, more fluent than 6.5's flatter "Interestingly."
Honestly, it depends a lot on who you ask. My grandmother would say marriage, the birth of children, building a house, and the family's death anniversaries, since those mark the important people who are gone. My colleagues, on the other hand, would add graduation, the first job, the first flat, and a trip that changed them. I'd say the events people name most are the ones that change who they are — leaving home, finishing education, a serious illness survived. Some are chosen and some simply arrive. What's interesting, though, is that weddings have the biggest ceremonies, but they're not always what older people describe as the most important event of their lives.
Why this band
FC“What's interesting, though, is that weddings have the biggest ceremonies, but they're not always what older people describe as the most important event of their lives.” — The "though" hedge signals natural spoken reflection, more fluent than 6.5's flatter "Interestingly."
LR“the events people name most are the ones that change who they are” — A more abstract, precise phrase than 6.5's plainer "events people remember most."
GRA“My grandmother would say marriage, the birth of children, building a house, and the family's death anniversaries, since those mark the important people who are gone.” — A listing sentence with a "since" clause, simpler than 7.5's semicolon-joined double sentence covering both grandmother and colleagues.
Band 7.5
The dash-parenthesis "the events with the biggest ceremonies — weddings — aren't always..." names the example mid-sentence, a more compact move than the separate closing sentences at the lower bands.
The answer changes with who you ask, honestly. My grandmother would say marriage, the birth of children, building a house, and the family's death anniversaries, which mark the important events of people who are gone; my colleagues would add graduation, the first job, the first flat, and a trip that changed them. The events people name most, I'd say, are the ones that alter who they are: leaving home, finishing education, a partnership, a serious illness survived. Some of these are chosen and some simply arrive uninvited. What's interesting is that the events with the biggest ceremonies — weddings — aren't always the ones people describe as most important once they're older.
Why this band
FC“the events with the biggest ceremonies — weddings — aren't always the ones people describe as most important once they're older” — An embedded dash-parenthesis naming the example mid-sentence, a more compact and sophisticated move than 6.5/7.0's separate closing sentences.
LR“alter who they are” — A precise, almost formal verb choice beyond 7.0's plainer "change who they are."
GRA“My grandmother would say marriage, the birth of children, building a house, and the family's death anniversaries, which mark the important events of people who are gone; my colleagues would add graduation, the first job, the first flat, and a trip that changed them.” — A single semicolon-joined sentence carrying two parallel lists, more ambitious than the two separate sentences used at 6.5 and 7.0.
2. What are the benefits to a country of hosting a major international event?
May–Aug 2026
Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question
Band 6.5
The plain concessive addition about risks lacks the human consequence 7.5's fuller closing image adds.
I think the main benefit is attention, and sometimes new buildings that stay after the event. Da Nang's international fireworks festival has put the city on foreign travel lists, and it paid for the riverside walkway that people still use every evening. Major events bring tourists and money, create short-term jobs, and push cities to build things like transport and hotels. They also give a country a chance to show it is capable, which can help trade later. But there are risks too, like high costs and empty stadiums afterwards. I think the benefit depends on whether a country builds for itself or just for the cameras.
Why this band
FC“But there are risks too, like high costs and empty stadiums afterwards.” — A plain concessive addition. Compare 7.5's fuller closing image, "residents displaced for a spectacle they never asked for," which adds a human consequence.
LR“give a country a chance to show it is capable” — Plain phrasing. Contrast 7.5's "a stage on which to look capable and welcoming," more idiomatic.
GRA“Da Nang's international fireworks festival has put the city on foreign travel lists, and it paid for the riverside walkway that people still use every evening.” — A simple coordinated sentence, less compact than 7.5's semicolon version with the added contrast "the visitors leave, but the walkway stays."
Band 7.0
The connector "That said" plus dash signals a fluent spoken pivot to the risks, beyond 6.5's flatter "But there are risks too."
Attention, mostly, I'd say, and some infrastructure that outlasts the event itself. Da Nang's international fireworks festival, which the city has hosted for years, put a small city on foreign travel itineraries and paid for the riverside walkway that residents still use every evening. Major events bring tourists and their money, create temporary jobs, and force cities to build things they'd otherwise postpone, like transport and hotels. They give a country a stage to show itself as capable, which can affect trade and investment later on. That said, the risks are well known — huge costs, and empty stadiums once the crowds leave.
Why this band
FC“That said, the risks are well known — huge costs, and empty stadiums once the crowds leave.” — The connector "That said" plus dash signals a fluent spoken pivot, beyond 6.5's flatter "But there are risks too."
LR“a stage to show itself as capable” — A more figurative phrase than 6.5's literal "a chance to show it is capable."
GRA“Da Nang's international fireworks festival, which the city has hosted for years, put a small city on foreign travel itineraries and paid for the riverside walkway that residents still use every evening.” — A relative clause embedded mid-sentence, more layered than 6.5's plain coordination.
Band 7.5
The six-word closing contrast "the visitors leave, but the walkway stays" sums up the whole argument, well beyond the plainer sentences of the lower bands.
Attention, mostly, and some infrastructure that outlasts the event — that's the honest answer. Da Nang's international fireworks festival, which the city has hosted for years, put a small city on foreign travel itineraries and paid for the riverside walkway that residents still use every single evening; the visitors leave, but the walkway stays. Major events bring tourists and their money, create temporary jobs, and force cities to build things they'd otherwise keep postponing — transport, hotels, stadiums. They also give a country a stage on which to look capable and welcoming, which quietly affects trade and investment down the line. The risks are equally well known, though: enormous costs, empty stadiums afterwards, and residents displaced for a spectacle they never asked for.
Why this band
FC“the visitors leave, but the walkway stays” — A compact, aphoristic contrast summing up the whole argument in six words, well beyond the plainer sentences of the lower bands.
LR“a stage on which to look capable and welcoming” — A more elegant, slightly formal prepositional structure than 7.0's plainer "a stage to show itself as capable."
GRA“Major events bring tourists and their money, create temporary jobs, and force cities to build things they'd otherwise keep postponing — transport, hotels, stadiums.” — A triple-verb list closing with a dash-appended set of examples, more controlled than the simpler lists at 6.5 and 7.0.
3. Is celebrating national events a waste of public money?
May–Aug 2026
Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question
Band 6.5
The two-part "when" list at the end is functional but simpler than 7.5's triple-part list ending in "compulsory rather than joyful."
I do not think it is a waste, if the scale is reasonable. On National Day, the city spends money on flags, free concerts and fireworks, while a road near my flat still needs repairing, and I understand why some people are unhappy about that. But the road actually costs much more than the concert, and the concert gives something the road cannot: a day when the whole city feels the same mood. National celebrations build a shared identity and support musicians and small traders. They become a waste only when the money glorifies leaders instead of the public, or when basic services fail.
Why this band
FC“But the road actually costs much more than the concert, and the concert gives something the road cannot: a day when the whole city feels the same mood.” — A clear, direct contrast. Compare 7.5's version, which softens "feels" to "is briefly in," a slightly more evocative choice.
LR“gives something the road cannot” — Plain phrasing. Contrast 7.5's "produces something the road simply can't," a marginally more idiomatic verb.
GRA“They become a waste only when the money glorifies leaders instead of the public, or when basic services fail.” — A simple two-part "when" list, less developed than 7.5's triple-part list ending in "or when the celebration becomes compulsory rather than joyful."
Band 7.0
The hedge-plus-conditional opening "I wouldn't call it a waste, honestly, provided..." is more natural than 6.5's flatter opening sentence.
I wouldn't call it a waste, honestly, provided the scale is sensible. On National Day, the city spends on flags, free concerts and fireworks while a road near my flat still needs repairing, and I understand the objection — but the road actually costs many times what the concert does, and the concert produces something the road can't: a day when the whole city shares the same mood. National celebrations build identity, give people free entertainment, and support musicians and small traders. They become wasteful, I'd say, when they glorify leaders rather than the public, or when spending is extravagant while basic services fail.
Why this band
FC“I wouldn't call it a waste, honestly, provided the scale is sensible.” — A hedge-plus-conditional opening, more natural than 6.5's flatter "I do not think it is a waste."
LR“the concert produces something the road can't” — A slightly more active verb ("produces") than 6.5's flat "gives."
GRA“the road actually costs many times what the concert does, and the concert produces something the road can't: a day when the whole city shares the same mood” — A colon-extended sentence, more layered than 6.5's simpler coordination.
Band 7.5
The evaluative "is briefly in the same mood" softens and sharpens the claim at once, more nuanced than the flatter 7.0 version.
Not a waste, I'd say, provided the scale stays sensible. On National Day the city spends on flags, free concerts and fireworks while a road near my flat still needs repairing, and I do understand the objection — but the road costs many times what the concert does, and the concert produces something the road simply can't: a day when the whole city is briefly in the same mood. National celebrations build shared identity, hand people free entertainment, and support musicians, cooks and small traders who'd otherwise go unnoticed. They tip into waste when they're used to glorify leaders rather than the public, when spending turns extravagant while basic services fail, or when the celebration becomes compulsory rather than joyful.
Why this band
FC“the concert produces something the road simply can't: a day when the whole city is briefly in the same mood” — The added intensifier "simply" and the more delicate phrase "briefly in the same mood" give the sentence more evaluative nuance than the flatter 7.0 version.
LR“support musicians, cooks and small traders who'd otherwise go unnoticed” — A precise three-item list plus a relative clause, richer than 7.0's plain "support musicians and small traders."
GRA“They tip into waste when they're used to glorify leaders rather than the public, when spending turns extravagant while basic services fail, or when the celebration becomes compulsory rather than joyful.” — A triple parallel "when" clause, more ambitious than the simpler two-part list at 6.5 and 7.0.
4. How do people celebrate important national events?
May–Aug 2026
Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question
Band 6.5
The bare three-part summary at the end lacks the small vivid image 7.5 adds to the same closing formula.
On my street, National Day always has the same pattern. Flags go up on every gate early in the morning, and the ward office reminds anyone who forgets. Families eat together, usually with a bigger meal than normal, and neighbours share food outside. Then people go out, like to the square for the free concert or the beach at midnight. Motorbikes with flags drive around the city. On TV, there are parades and speeches, which older people watch more than younger people. So the pattern is flags in the morning, family at noon, and the crowd at night.
Why this band
FC“So the pattern is flags in the morning, family at noon, and the crowd at night.” — A plain three-part summary. Compare 7.5's fuller version, "the crowd out under the lights by night," which adds a small vivid image to the same closing formula.
LR“Then people go out, like to the square” — Casual, slightly imprecise phrasing ("like to"). Contrast 7.5's cleaner colon-based list of destinations.
GRA“On TV, there are parades and speeches, which older people watch more than younger people.” — A single relative clause, less textured than 7.5's contrast "watch faithfully and younger people mostly scroll past."
Band 7.0
The inserted "I'd say" softens the closing summary naturally, more fluent than 6.5's flat "So the pattern is."
On my street, honestly, a national holiday has a fairly fixed shape. Flags go up on every gate at dawn — the ward office even reminds anyone who forgets. Families eat together, often at a bigger table than usual, and neighbours share food out on the pavement. Then people head out: the square for the free concert, the river for fireworks, or the beach at midnight. Motorbikes decorated with flags do circuits of the city, and television shows parades and speeches that older people tend to watch while younger people mostly ignore. So the general pattern, I'd say, is flags in the morning, family at noon, and the crowd at night.
Why this band
FC“So the general pattern, I'd say, is flags in the morning, family at noon, and the crowd at night.” — The inserted "I'd say" softens the summary naturally, more fluent than 6.5's flat "So the pattern is."
LR“older people tend to watch while younger people mostly ignore” — A balanced contrast, more developed than 6.5's plain comparative.
GRA“Then people head out: the square for the free concert, the river for fireworks, or the beach at midnight.” — A colon-introduced list, more controlled than 6.5's looser "like to" phrasing.
Band 7.5
The extra sentence about war anniversaries adds a structural layer the shorter 6.5 and 7.0 versions don't include.
On my street, a national holiday has an almost fixed shape by now. Flags go up on every gate at dawn — the ward office reminds anyone who forgets. Families eat together, often at a bigger table than usual, and neighbours share food out on the pavement. Then people head out: the square for the free concert, the river for fireworks, the beach at midnight. Motorbikes decorated with flags do slow circuits of the city, while television carries parades and speeches that older people watch faithfully and younger people mostly scroll past. Some occasions, like the anniversary of a war's end, add a more solemn layer of ceremonies and visits to memorials. But the general pattern holds: flags in the morning, family at noon, and the crowd out under the lights by night.
Why this band
FC“But the general pattern holds: flags in the morning, family at noon, and the crowd out under the lights by night.” — The colon-plus-image close gives the familiar three-part summary a more vivid final beat than the plainer versions at 6.5 and 7.0.
LR“watch faithfully and younger people mostly scroll past” — Precise, slightly wry verbs capturing a generational contrast, sharper than 7.0's plainer "tend to watch... mostly ignore."
GRA“Some occasions, like the anniversary of a war's end, add a more solemn layer of ceremonies and visits to memorials.” — An additional sentence introducing a contrasting category of event, giving the answer a structural layer the shorter 6.5 and 7.0 versions don't include.
5. What can people do to make sure an event goes well?
May–Aug 2026
Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question
Band 6.5
The plain closing generalisation lacks the concrete closing examples 7.5 adds to the same idea.
I think the key is to prepare the things that cannot be changed later, and then relax about everything else. My sister's graduation dinner went well because she called the restaurant the day before, so ten chairs were ready on the sand when we arrived. The basics are a place, a time, food, and a way for people to get there, and anything that needs booking should be booked. It also helps to have one person in charge, so people know who to ask questions. A budget should be agreed before the event, not after. In the end, good events happen when the host thinks about the guests, not just the show.
Why this band
FC“In the end, good events happen when the host thinks about the guests, not just the show.” — A plain closing generalisation. Compare 7.5's fuller version, which adds concrete examples like "who might feel left out, who needs a chair" after the same idea.
LR“relax about everything else” — Plain phrasing shared loosely with the higher bands. Contrast 7.5's tighter opening sentence, which drops the filler "I think the key is to."
GRA“The basics are a place, a time, food, and a way for people to get there, and anything that needs booking should be booked.” — A single long coordinated sentence, less varied than 7.5's semicolon-split version of the same idea.
Band 7.0
The hedge "I'd say" softens the closing claim naturally, more fluent than 6.5's flatter "In the end."
Prepare the things that can't be fixed later, honestly, and then relax about the rest. My sister's graduation dinner worked because she'd phoned the restaurant the day before, so ten chairs were already waiting on the sand when we arrived, and the evening itself was free to unfold however it liked. The basics are a place, a time, food, and a way for people to get there — anything that needs booking gets booked. It helps to have one person in charge, so questions have somewhere to go, and a budget agreed on beforehand, not after. Beyond that, I'd say the events that go well are the ones where the host has thought about the guests rather than the spectacle.
Why this band
FC“Beyond that, I'd say the events that go well are the ones where the host has thought about the guests rather than the spectacle.” — The hedge "I'd say" is a natural spoken softener, more fluent than 6.5's flatter "In the end."
LR“free to unfold however it liked” — A more vivid personifying phrase than 6.5's plainer description of the evening.
GRA“so ten chairs were already waiting on the sand when we arrived, and the evening itself was free to unfold however it liked” — A two-clause sentence joined by "and," more developed than 6.5's shorter separate sentences.
Band 7.5
The two short closing examples make the abstract point about "thinking of the guests" tangible, beyond the general statement at the lower bands.
Prepare the things that can't be improvised, and then relax about everything else. The graduation dinner worked because my sister had phoned the restaurant the day before, so ten chairs were waiting on the sand when we arrived, and the evening itself was allowed to unfold however it liked. The basics are a place, a time, food, and a way for people to get there; anything that requires booking gets booked. One person should be in charge, so questions have somewhere to go, and the budget gets agreed before, not after. Beyond that, the events that go well tend to be the ones where the host has thought about the guests rather than the spectacle — who might feel left out, who needs a chair.
Why this band
FC“who might feel left out, who needs a chair” — Two short, concrete closing examples that make the abstract point about "thinking of the guests" tangible, beyond the general statement at 6.5 and 7.0.
LR“allowed to unfold however it liked” — A precise passive construction personifying the evening, slightly more polished than 7.0's active "free to unfold."
GRA“The basics are a place, a time, food, and a way for people to get there; anything that requires booking gets booked.” — A semicolon linking two related but independent statements, more controlled punctuation than the single coordinated sentence at 6.5.
6. Is it better to celebrate special events with a large group of people?
May–Aug 2026
Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question
Band 6.5
The plain factual account of the father's ten minutes lacks the structural pairing 7.5 builds around the same detail.
Sometimes, and I think the best evenings have both. There were sixteen of us on the sand that night, which was perfect for the noise and fun, but the moment that mattered most to me was my father standing alone by the water for ten minutes. Big gatherings bring energy and the feeling that something has really happened, so they suit weddings and graduations. Small groups allow real conversation and feeling, which suits anything private. In my culture, people often prefer large celebrations, because a small one can look like a failure. I would say invite a crowd for the event, but keep some time for the people who really matter.
Why this band
FC“the moment that mattered most to me was my father standing alone by the water for ten minutes” — A plain factual statement. Compare 7.5's added structural pairing, "the large group made the celebration, and the small moment made the memory," which makes the contrast itself the point.
LR“which was perfect for the noise and fun” — Generic phrasing. Contrast 7.5's more specific and slightly wry "which was exactly right for the noise and the beer."
GRA“Big gatherings bring energy and the feeling that something has really happened, so they suit weddings and graduations.” — A single coordinated sentence, simpler than 7.5's triple-noun list plus dash-elaborated contrast used elsewhere in the answer.
Band 7.0
The parallel structure "the large group made the celebration, and the small moment made the memory" turns the observation into an aphorism, more developed than 6.5's plain factual sentence.
Sometimes, honestly, and I think the best evenings contain both sizes. There were sixteen of us on the sand that night, which was exactly right for the noise and the laughter, but the moment that mattered most was my father alone by the water for ten minutes — the large group made the celebration, and the small moment made the memory. Big gatherings bring energy, witnesses, and a sense that something has really happened, so they suit weddings and graduations. Small ones allow real conversation and feeling, and suit anything more private. Culture pushes Vietnamese people toward large groups, since a small celebration can look like failure. I'd say invite the crowd for the event, and keep an hour for the people who actually matter.
Why this band
FC“the large group made the celebration, and the small moment made the memory” — A balanced parallel structure that turns the observation into an aphorism, more developed than 6.5's plain factual sentence.
LR“a sense that something has really happened” — Functional phrasing. Contrast 7.5's "the sense that something has genuinely happened," a marginally more precise intensifier.
GRA“Culture pushes Vietnamese people toward large groups, since a small celebration can look like failure.” — A single because-style clause, less layered than 7.5's version which adds the image "a quiet failure."
Band 7.5
The inserted "at least" gives the closing recommendation a more considered, weighed tone than the flatter versions at the lower bands.
Sometimes, and the best evenings tend to contain both sizes. There were sixteen of us on the sand that night, which was exactly right for the noise and the beer, but the moment that mattered most was my father alone by the water for ten minutes — the large group made the celebration, and the small moment made the memory. Big gatherings bring energy, witnesses, and the sense that something has genuinely happened, so they suit weddings, graduations and national days. Small ones allow real conversation and feeling, and suit anything private or sad. Culture pushes Vietnamese people toward large celebrations, since one with too few guests can look like a quiet failure. I'd say invite the crowd for the event, and keep an hour, at least, for the people who actually matter.
Why this band
FC“I'd say invite the crowd for the event, and keep an hour, at least, for the people who actually matter.” — The inserted "at least" gives the closing recommendation a more considered, weighed tone than the flatter versions at 6.5 and 7.0.
LR“a quiet failure” — A precise, understated compound image, more vivid than 7.0's plain "failure."
GRA“Big gatherings bring energy, witnesses, and the sense that something has genuinely happened, so they suit weddings, graduations and national days.” — A triple-noun list followed by a triple-example list, more layered than the shorter lists at 6.5 and 7.0.
7. Does technology mean people no longer need to attend international events?
May–Aug 2026
Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question
Band 6.5
The literal closing claim about the video stream lacks the compact, vivid image 7.5 compresses the same idea into.
I think it means people need to attend fewer events, but something is still lost. Last year, I watched a design conference online from my desk, saw every talk, but met nobody. The person I might have met in the corridor, who could have become a client or a friend, is the real reason people travel to these events, and a video stream cannot give you that. For information, technology has made travel almost unnecessary, and the online version is often even better. But for trust and connections, and the lucky accidents that shape careers, being there still does something a screen cannot.
Why this band
FC“The person I might have met in the corridor, who could have become a client or a friend, is the real reason people travel to these events, and a video stream cannot give you that.” — A clear, direct causal claim. Compare 7.5's tighter version, "a stream simply can't deliver corridors," which compresses the same idea into a striking four-word closing clause.
LR“a video stream cannot give you that” — Plain phrasing. Contrast 7.5's more compact and vivid "a stream simply can't deliver corridors."
GRA“The person I might have met in the corridor, who could have become a client or a friend, is the real reason people travel to these events, and a video stream cannot give you that.” — One long coordinated sentence, less punctuated than 7.5's dash-and-relative-clause version of the same idea.
Band 7.0
The intensifier "genuinely" adds natural spoken emphasis, beyond 6.5's flat "almost unnecessary."
It means they need to attend fewer, I'd say, and the ones they skip cost something invisible. I watched a design conference stream last year from my desk, saw every talk, and met nobody — the person I'd have run into in the corridor, who might have become a client or a friend, was the whole reason people fly to these things, and a stream simply can't deliver corridors. For pure information, technology has genuinely made travel unnecessary, and the streamed version is often better anyway. But for trust, contacts and the lucky accidents that shape careers, being there still does what a screen can't.
Why this band
FC“was the whole reason people fly to these things, and a stream simply can't deliver corridors” — A compact closing image, more developed than 6.5's plainer, more literal version of the same claim.
LR“genuinely made travel unnecessary” — The intensifier "genuinely" adds natural spoken emphasis beyond 6.5's flat "almost unnecessary."
GRA“the person I'd have run into in the corridor, who might have become a client or a friend, was the whole reason people fly to these things, and a stream simply can't deliver corridors” — A long sentence with an embedded relative clause and a dash-free coordinated ending, more ambitious than 6.5's shorter version.
Band 7.5
The added closing prediction with a triple parallel structure goes beyond the single observation that ends the lower-band answers.
It means they need to attend fewer, and the ones they skip cost something invisible. I watched a design conference stream last year from my desk, saw every talk, and met nobody — the person I'd have run into in the corridor, who might have become a client or a friend, was the entire reason people fly to these things, and a stream simply can't deliver corridors. For information, technology has made travel largely unnecessary, and the streamed version is often better besides. But for trust, contacts and the accidents that quietly shape a career, being there still does what a screen can't. I'd expect fewer people to travel, to more selective events, and the ones that survive to be the ones actually worth a flight.
Why this band
FC“I'd expect fewer people to travel, to more selective events, and the ones that survive to be the ones actually worth a flight.” — An added closing prediction with a triple parallel structure, going beyond the single observation that ends the 7.0 and 6.5 answers.
LR“the accidents that quietly shape a career” — The adverb "quietly" adds a subtle, precise texture beyond 7.0's plainer "shape careers."
GRA“a stream simply can't deliver corridors. For information, technology has made travel largely unnecessary, and the streamed version is often better besides.” — Two short, punchy sentences in sequence, a more controlled rhythm than the single longer sentence used at 7.0 for the same content.
8. Are international events successful in promoting understanding between cultures?
May–Aug 2026
Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question
Band 6.5
The plain three-adjective closing is functional, unlike 7.5's version which fronts the adjectives for rhetorical effect.
I think they work a little, mostly for the people who are directly involved. After the fireworks festival one year, I saw the teams from five countries eating together on the riverbank, laughing in a mix of languages, and that felt like real understanding, but only for about fifty people. For the rest of the audience, the event was just a beautiful evening that taught them little about the other countries. International events work by putting people together, and contact does change how people think. But they do not solve real problems between countries, and they can sometimes be used to hide them. I would say they are real but small, and still worth having.
Why this band
FC“I would say they are real but small, and still worth having.” — A plain three-adjective closing judgement. Compare 7.5's more polished version, "Real, small, and worth having — that's my honest assessment," which fronts the adjectives for rhetorical effect.
LR“eating together on the riverbank, laughing in a mix of languages” — Functional description. Contrast 7.5's addition "made of people, not headlines," a sharper, more figurative phrase used elsewhere in the answer.
GRA“International events work by putting people together, and contact does change how people think.” — A plain coordinated sentence, less layered than 7.5's semicolon version with the added parallel clause "where contact stays thin, the effect stays thin too."
Band 7.0
The trailing "though" signals a natural spoken contrast, more fluent than 6.5's flatter "For the rest of the audience."
Modestly, I'd say, and mostly for the people directly involved. After the fireworks festival one year, I watched the teams from five countries eating together on the riverbank, laughing about something in a mix of languages, and that was real understanding — for maybe fifty people. For the wider audience, though, the event was a beautiful evening that taught them little about Italy or Japan beyond what their fireworks looked like. International events work by putting people in contact, and contact does change minds; where contact stays thin, so does the effect. They create goodwill, but they don't resolve disputes, and honestly, they can be used to paper over them.
Why this band
FC“For the wider audience, though, the event was a beautiful evening that taught them little about Italy or Japan beyond what their fireworks looked like.” — The trailing "though" signals a natural spoken contrast, more fluent than 6.5's flatter "For the rest of the audience."
LR“paper over them” — An idiomatic phrase beyond 6.5's plain "hide them."
GRA“contact does change minds; where contact stays thin, so does the effect” — A semicolon-joined parallel structure, more controlled than 6.5's simple coordination.
Band 7.5
Fronting the three adjectives before the dash gives the closing line more punch than the plainer sentence-final version at the lower bands.
Modestly, and mostly for the people directly involved. After the fireworks festival one year, I watched the teams from five countries eating together on the riverbank, laughing about something in a mix of languages, and that was real understanding — for perhaps fifty people. For the wider audience, the event was a beautiful evening that taught them little about Italy or Japan beyond what their fireworks looked like. International events work by putting people in contact, and contact changes minds; where contact stays thin, the effect stays thin too. They also build goodwill and a quiet sense that other countries are made of people, not headlines. They don't resolve disputes, and they can even be used to paper over them. Real, small, and worth having — that's my honest assessment.
Why this band
FC“Real, small, and worth having — that's my honest assessment.” — Fronting the three adjectives before the dash for rhetorical effect gives the closing line more punch than the plainer sentence-final version at 6.5 and 7.0.
LR“made of people, not headlines” — A vivid, contemporary contrast beyond 7.0's plainer statement about goodwill.
GRA“contact changes minds; where contact stays thin, the effect stays thin too” — A semicolon-joined sentence with a repeated adjective ("thin... thin") for rhetorical parallelism, more polished than 7.0's similar but less symmetrical version.
9. Why is it important to remember national events?
May–Aug 2026
Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question
Band 6.5
The plain "so" clause about remembering selectively lacks the vivid metaphor 7.5 uses for the same idea.
I think a country that forgets its important events forgets what they cost. Every year, my grandmother goes quiet on a certain anniversary, and her silence taught me more about a war I never saw than any book could. Remembering keeps the price of the past visible to people who did not pay for it themselves. National events also connect a country across generations, so strangers feel like they belong together. They also honour people who deserve it. The danger is remembering only the good parts, so the past becomes a nicer story than it really was. Remembering honestly, even the hard parts, is what makes it worth doing.
Why this band
FC“Remembering honestly, even the hard parts, is what makes it worth doing.” — A plain, direct closing claim. Compare 7.5's fuller version, "including the uncomfortable parts," and the added intensifier "actually," which sharpens the same idea.
LR“her silence taught me more about a war I never saw than any book could” — A functional comparison. Contrast 7.5's "than any textbook ever could," a marginally stronger intensifier.
GRA“The danger is remembering only the good parts, so the past becomes a nicer story than it really was.” — A plain "so" clause, less vivid than 7.5's metaphor "hardens into a flattering myth."
Band 7.0
The inserted "of course" signals natural spoken concession, more fluent than 6.5's flatter opening to the same claim.
Because a country that forgets its events forgets what they cost, honestly. My grandmother goes quiet on one particular anniversary every year, and her silence has taught me more about a war I never saw than any textbook could. Remembering keeps the price of the past visible to people who didn't pay it themselves. National events also hold a country together across generations and regions — they're the shared story that makes strangers feel like fellow citizens. They honour people who deserved it, and they carry a kind of warning, since the things a nation commemorates are often the things it's promising not to repeat. The danger, of course, is remembering selectively, so the past turns into a flattering myth.
Why this band
FC“The danger, of course, is remembering selectively, so the past turns into a flattering myth.” — The inserted "of course" signals natural spoken concession, more fluent than 6.5's flatter opening to the same sentence.
LR“turns into a flattering myth” — A figurative phrase beyond 6.5's literal "a nicer story than it really was."
GRA“they're the shared story that makes strangers feel like fellow citizens” — Part of a two-sentence layered argument, less compact than 7.5's semicolon-joined single-sentence version of the same content.
Band 7.5
The more physical verb "hardens" gives the closing metaphor more force than 7.0's plainer "turns into."
Because a country that forgets its events forgets what they cost. My grandmother goes quiet on one particular anniversary every year, and her silence has taught me more about a war I never saw than any textbook ever could. Remembering keeps the price of the past visible to people who never had to pay it. National events also hold a country together across generations and regions; they're the shared story that makes strangers feel like fellow citizens. They honour the people who deserved it, and they carry a quiet warning too, since the things a nation commemorates are often exactly the things it's promising not to repeat. The danger is remembering selectively, so the past hardens into a flattering myth. Remembering honestly, including the uncomfortable parts, is what actually makes it worth doing.
Why this band
FC“Remembering honestly, including the uncomfortable parts, is what actually makes it worth doing.” — The added qualifier "including the uncomfortable parts" and intensifier "actually" give the final claim more precision than the plainer closings at 6.5 and 7.0.
LR“hardens into a flattering myth” — A more vivid, almost physical verb ("hardens") than 7.0's plainer "turns into."
GRA“National events also hold a country together across generations and regions; they're the shared story that makes strangers feel like fellow citizens.” — A semicolon joining two closely related independent clauses into one fluent unit, more controlled than the two separate sentences at 7.0.

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 "An Important Event in Your Life That You Celebrated", 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.