An Occasion When Someone Said Something Positive About Work You Did

Part 3 follow-up questions

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

1. 1. In what situations do parents give children positive encouragement?

   May–Aug 2026
   Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question

   Band 6.5

   Introduces the story with the plain, unelaborated connector 'For example,'.

   I think good parents give encouragement mostly for effort, not just results. For example, my sister praised her daughter a lot after a test she failed but had worked hard for, but she said almost nothing about an easy test the girl got a good mark on a week later. Parents also encourage children at the start of something new, like the first day of school. They encourage children after failures too, so the child does not think they are no good. I think parents should not encourage everything, because then praise stops meaning anything.

   Why this band

   • FC“For example,” — The plain 'For example,' opener signals the story flatly; 7.0 keeps the connector but embeds a dash-linked reflection right after it, and 7.5 removes the connector altogether, opening straight with 'My sister praised her daughter warmly'.
   • LR“praised her daughter a lot” — 'praised her daughter a lot' is plain, general phrasing; 7.0 and 7.5 both sharpen this to the more precise 'praised her daughter warmly', a single adverb doing more evaluative work.
   • GRA“Parents also encourage children at the start of something new, like the first day of school.” — This is a simple example sentence; 7.0 keeps a similar idea but adds 'a first attempt at something frightening' as a second example, and 7.5 compresses both examples into a punchy colon-led list, 'first steps, first day at school, first attempt at anything frightening'.

   Band 7.0

   Keeps the connector 'For example,' but immediately extends it into a dash-linked reflective clause.

   I'd say good parents aim their encouragement at the effort rather than the result. For example, my sister praised her daughter warmly after a test she'd failed but had genuinely worked for, and said almost nothing about an easy A a week later - she encourages when the effort was real or the thing was hard. Parents also tend to encourage at beginnings, like a first day at school or a first attempt at something frightening. They encourage after failures too, to stop a child concluding they're simply no good. The one mistake, I think, is encouraging everything, which turns praise into background noise.

   Why this band

   • FC“For example, my sister praised her daughter warmly after a test she'd failed but had genuinely worked for, and said almost nothing about an easy A a week later - she encourages when the effort was real or the thing was hard.” — Keeping 'For example,' but immediately extending it into a dash-linked reflective clause is a more developed use of the connector than 6.5's bare version; 7.5 removes the connector completely and opens directly with the example itself.
   • LR“turns praise into background noise” — 'background noise' is a fairly vivid metaphor; 7.5 trims this to the punchier single word 'noise', an even more compact and idiomatic final image.
   • GRA“Parents also tend to encourage at beginnings, like a first day at school or a first attempt at something frightening.” — This sentence lists two examples joined by 'or'; 7.5 restructures the same idea into a tighter colon-led list of three short noun phrases, 'first steps, first day at school, first attempt at anything frightening', for a punchier rhythm.

   Band 7.5

   Opens with the noun phrase 'The good ones,' and tucks 'I'd argue' mid-sentence rather than at the front.

   The good ones, I'd argue, aim it at the trying rather than the result. My sister praised her daughter warmly after a test she'd failed but had worked for, and said almost nothing about an easy A a week later - she encourages when the effort was real, the thing was hard, or the child is about to give up. Parents encourage at beginnings: first steps, first day at school, first attempt at anything frightening. They encourage after failures, to keep the child from concluding they're no good. And they encourage kindness and honesty when they see them, because those are the behaviours they most want repeated. The mistake is encouraging everything, which turns praise into noise.

   Why this band

   • FC“The good ones, I'd argue, aim it at the trying rather than the result.” — Opening with the noun phrase 'The good ones,' before the verb, and tucking 'I'd argue' mid-sentence, is a more compact and confident structure than 6.5 and 7.0's fuller 'I think' / 'I'd say' openers.
   • LR“turns praise into noise” — Trimming 7.0's 'background noise' down to the single word 'noise' is a sharper, more idiomatic final image, showing tighter control of register at the very end of the answer.
   • GRA“first steps, first day at school, first attempt at anything frightening” — This colon-led list of three short parallel noun phrases is a more compact, rhetorically confident structure than the fuller 'like X or Y' examples used at 6.5 and 7.0.

2. 2. Do most people want public recognition for the things they do?

   May–Aug 2026
   Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question

   Band 6.5

   Tells the two contrasting stories as separate sentences introduced by 'For example,' and 'But'.

   I think most people want to be recognised, but not everyone wants it in public. For example, I printed an email from my manager, Mrs Thu, and put it on my wall at home, where only a few people see it. But a colleague of mine shares every compliment he gets online, to thousands of followers. We both felt good for the same reason - someone noticed our work. Being recognised is almost a basic need, because work that nobody sees is hard to keep doing. But public attention also brings pressure and envy, so many people prefer a quiet compliment from someone they trust.

   Why this band

   • FC“For example,” — The plain 'For example,' opener at 6.5 introduces the two contrasting stories separately; 7.0 removes the connector and joins both examples in one flowing sentence with a semicolon, and 7.5 keeps the same semicolon join but drops 'For example' entirely, starting directly with the personal detail.
   • LR“almost a basic need” — 'almost a basic need' is a fairly plain phrase; 7.0 and 7.5 both tighten this to 'close to a basic need', a slightly more precise, idiomatic collocation.
   • GRA“We both felt good for the same reason - someone noticed our work.” — This short dash sentence stands alone; 7.0 and 7.5 both fold the same idea directly into the long example sentence itself, joining it with 'and both of us were pleased for the same reason', producing a longer, more integrated structure.

   Band 7.0

   Joins both contrasting stories into one semicolon-linked sentence rather than 6.5's two separate sentences.

   Most want recognition, I'd say, but fewer actually want it public - people differ more here than they admit. For example, I printed an email from my manager, Mrs Thu, and put it on my own wall, where perhaps four people ever see it; a colleague reposts every compliment he receives to a few thousand followers, and both of us were pleased for the same reason. Being recognised is close to a basic need; work that nobody sees is hard to sustain. But public recognition also brings scrutiny and envy, and plenty of people would rather have a quiet word from one person whose opinion they trust.

   Why this band

   • FC“For example, I printed an email from my manager, Mrs Thu, and put it on my own wall, where perhaps four people ever see it; a colleague reposts every compliment he receives to a few thousand followers, and both of us were pleased for the same reason.” — Keeping 'For example,' but joining both contrasting stories into one semicolon-linked sentence shows more developed cohesion than 6.5's two separate sentences; 7.5 removes 'For example' entirely and opens directly with the personal detail, 'I printed Mrs Thu's email'.
   • LR“work that nobody sees is hard to sustain” — 'sustain' is a more precise, slightly formal verb than 6.5's plain 'keep doing'; 7.5 keeps this exact word, showing 7.0 had already reached the right register here.
   • GRA“Being recognised is close to a basic need; work that nobody sees is hard to sustain.” — This semicolon-linked pair of short clauses is the one moderately complex structure expected at 7.0; 7.5 keeps a nearly identical sentence, showing it already reaches near-7.5 fluency, and instead extends the final part of the answer with an extra sentence about culture.

   Band 7.5

   Drops 'For example' entirely and opens directly with the personal detail, 'I printed Mrs Thu's email'.

   Most want recognition; fewer want it public, and people differ more than they admit. I printed Mrs Thu's email and put it on my own wall, where perhaps four people see it; a colleague reposts every compliment he receives to a few thousand followers, and both of us were pleased for the same reason - someone had noticed. Being recognised is close to a basic need; work that nobody sees is hard to sustain. But public recognition brings scrutiny, envy and expectations, and plenty of people would rather have a quiet word from one person whose opinion they trust. Culture matters too: in Vietnam, drawing attention to yourself is still slightly suspect.

   Why this band

   • FC“I printed Mrs Thu's email and put it on my own wall, where perhaps four people see it” — Dropping the connector 'For example,' and the fuller phrase 'an email from my manager, Mrs Thu,' in favour of the direct 'Mrs Thu's email' is a more economical, confident way of moving straight into the example.
   • LR“Culture matters too: in Vietnam, drawing attention to yourself is still slightly suspect.” — This extra sentence about cultural context, absent from 6.5 and 7.0, broadens the answer with a more sophisticated, reflective point beyond the personal examples alone.
   • GRA“public recognition brings scrutiny, envy and expectations, and plenty of people would rather have a quiet word from one person whose opinion they trust” — Extending the list from 7.0's two items ('scrutiny and envy') to three ('scrutiny, envy and expectations') shows a slightly fuller, more layered structure within the same sentence pattern.

3. 3. Why do children need encouragement?

   May–Aug 2026
   Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question

   Band 6.5

   Spells out cause and effect plainly with 'I think... because' rather than leading with the reason.

   I think children need encouragement because they cannot yet see their own progress. For example, my nephew stopped drawing after making one crooked line, because he thought the whole picture was ruined, until someone told him the sky part was good and he continued. Children often judge themselves by the last thing that happened, so one mistake can feel like a final judgement. Encouragement gives them a longer view of things. It also tells them which behaviours are good, since they cannot always tell by themselves. And it builds confidence to try new things they will be bad at first.

   Why this band

   • FC“I think children need encouragement because they cannot yet see their own progress.” — This full sentence spells out cause and effect plainly with 'because'; 7.0 compresses this into the reason-first fragment 'Because they can't yet see their own progress, I'd say.', and 7.5 removes the hedge entirely for the bare fragment 'Because they can't yet see their own progress.'
   • LR“a final judgement” — 'a final judgement' is fairly plain; 7.0 and 7.5 both sharpen this to the more precise, slightly formal word 'a verdict', a punchier single-word choice.
   • GRA“Encouragement gives them a longer view of things. It also tells them which behaviours are good, since they cannot always tell by themselves.” — These are two separate short sentences; 7.0 joins similar ideas with 'and' into one longer sentence, and 7.5 keeps them as short separate sentences again but adds a fourth idea at the end, showing a wider range of connected points.

   Band 7.0

   Leads with the reason and places the hedge 'I'd say' at the end of the opening fragment.

   Because they can't yet see their own progress, I'd say. For example, my nephew abandoned a drawing after one crooked line, convinced the whole thing was ruined, until someone told him the sky was good and he went back to it - children judge themselves by the last thing that happened, and without an outside voice, a single failure can feel like a verdict. Encouragement gives them a longer view than they have, and tells them which behaviours matter, since they can't yet tell. It also builds the confidence to try things they'll be bad at first, which is really everything worth learning.

   Why this band

   • FC“Because they can't yet see their own progress, I'd say.” — Leading with the reason and placing the hedge 'I'd say' at the end is more compact than 6.5's full 'I think... because' sentence; 7.5 removes the hedge entirely, asserting the same reason with full confidence.
   • LR“a single failure can feel like a verdict” — 'a verdict' is a precise, slightly formal metaphor; 7.5 keeps the word but tightens the surrounding clause to 'a single failure becomes a verdict', removing the softer 'can feel like' for a more assertive statement.
   • GRA“Encouragement gives them a longer view than they have, and tells them which behaviours matter, since they can't yet tell.” — This is a single sentence joining two ideas with 'and', the one moderately complex structure expected at 7.0; 7.5 splits the same two ideas back into short separate sentences, then adds a further one, showing a different but equally deliberate way of organising the same content.

   Band 7.5

   Removes the hedge 'I'd say' that 7.0 keeps, opening with the bare fragment 'Because they can't yet see their own progress.'

   Because they can't yet see their own progress. My nephew abandoned a drawing after one crooked line, convinced the whole thing was ruined, until someone told him the sky was good and he went back to it - children judge themselves by the last thing that happened, and without an outside voice, a single failure becomes a verdict. Encouragement gives them a longer view than they have. It tells them which behaviours matter, since they can't yet tell. It builds the confidence to try things they'll be bad at first, which is everything worth learning. And it tells them that the adult is paying attention, which is what most children actually want.

   Why this band

   • FC“Because they can't yet see their own progress.” — Removing the hedge 'I'd say' that 7.0 keeps at the end of the same fragment makes this opener even more compact and assertive, letting the bare reason stand alone as the answer's opening line.
   • LR“a single failure becomes a verdict” — Tightening 7.0's 'can feel like a verdict' to the more assertive 'becomes a verdict' removes the hedge and states the claim as a fact, a small but telling shift in confidence.
   • GRA“And it tells them that the adult is paying attention, which is what most children actually want.” — This extra final sentence, absent from 6.5 and 7.0, adds a further reflective point with a relative clause, showing the wider range of connected ideas expected at 7.5 within the same overall length.

4. 4. Does everyone who achieves public recognition deserve it?

   May–Aug 2026
   Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question

   Band 6.5

   Spells out the negative and the personal connection plainly in one full opening sentence.

   No, I do not think so, and I have experienced this myself. Our studio got an award for a hospital app, with my name on the certificate, but the nurse who told us what a frightened patient really needs, and who shaped that part of the app more than I did, was never mentioned. I think recognition usually goes to the people who are visible or good at talking, not always the people who did the most work. Some recognition is even bought or arranged. The right thing to do, I think, is to name the people the certificate missed.

   Why this band

   • FC“No, I do not think so, and I have experienced this myself.” — This full opener spells out the negative and the personal connection plainly; 7.0 compresses this into 'No, and I've been on the wrong side of it, honestly.', and 7.5 removes the hedge 'honestly' entirely for the leaner 'No, and I've been on the wrong side of it.'
   • LR“the people who are visible or good at talking” — 'the people who are visible or good at talking' is plain description; 7.0 and 7.5 both tighten this to the more precise, almost list-like 'the visible, the articulate and the people at the front', turning adjectives into nouns for a punchier rhythm.
   • GRA“with my name on the certificate, but the nurse who told us what a frightened patient really needs, and who shaped that part of the app more than I did, was never mentioned” — This sentence stacks two relative clauses with 'who' back to back, which is workable but a little heavy; 7.0 and 7.5 both break the second relative clause out into its own dash-linked aside, 'who shaped that screen more than I did', for a cleaner, more flexible structure.

   Band 7.0

   Trims the opener to a short fragment plus the end-placed hedge 'honestly'.

   No, and I've been on the wrong side of it, honestly. Our studio received an award for the hospital app, with my name on the certificate, and the nurse who told us what a frightened patient actually needs - who shaped that screen more than I did - was never mentioned anywhere. Recognition tends to go to the visible, the articulate and the people at the front, not necessarily the people who did the most. Some recognition is bought or engineered, and some just goes to luck. The honest response, I'd say, when you're recognised, is to name the people the certificate missed.

   Why this band

   • FC“No, and I've been on the wrong side of it, honestly.” — Trimming the opener to a short fragment plus the end-placed hedge 'honestly' is more compact than 6.5's fuller sentence; 7.5 removes 'honestly' entirely, relying on the bare claim for the same confident tone.
   • LR“the visible, the articulate and the people at the front” — This nominalised list is a precise, almost rhetorical device; 7.5 keeps the exact same phrase, showing 7.0 had already found the sharpest wording here, with 7.5 mainly extending the surrounding sentences further.
   • GRA“Some recognition is bought or engineered, and some just goes to luck.” — This two-part list joined by 'and' is the one moderately complex structure expected at 7.0; 7.5 splits the same content into two short separate sentences and adds a third, 'And some goes to people who genuinely earned it', extending the list further.

   Band 7.5

   Removes the hedge 'honestly' that 7.0 places at the end of the fragment, for a marginally leaner opener.

   No, and I've been on the wrong side of it. Our studio received an award for the hospital app, with my name on the certificate, and the nurse who told us what a frightened patient actually needs - who shaped that screen more than I did - was never mentioned anywhere. Recognition tends to go to the visible, the articulate and the people at the front, not necessarily the people who did the most. Some recognition is bought or engineered. Some goes to luck. And some goes to people who genuinely earned it, which is why the system half works. The honest response, when you're recognised, is to name the people the certificate missed. I did, at the ceremony. It didn't change the certificate.

   Why this band

   • FC“No, and I've been on the wrong side of it.” — Removing the hedge 'honestly' that 7.0 places at the end of the same fragment makes this opener marginally leaner, letting the blunt claim stand entirely on its own.
   • LR“which is why the system half works” — This compact evaluative aside, absent from 6.5 and 7.0, sums up the whole argument in a few words with the idiomatic phrase 'half works', showing a more original, economical final judgement.
   • GRA“I did, at the ceremony. It didn't change the certificate.” — These two short, blunt final sentences are a more flexible, understated closing device than the single longer 'the right thing to do' sentence used at 6.5 and 7.0, letting the irony speak for itself.

5. 5. Do people believe positive comments about themselves more than negative comments?

   May–Aug 2026
   Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question

   Band 6.5

   Spells the claim out in a full sentence, 'I think it is actually the opposite', instead of a compact fragment.

   I think it is actually the opposite - people usually believe negative comments more. For example, I can still remember one harsh review of my work, word for word, even though it was years ago, but I could not repeat a single one of the many compliments the same project got. I think people believe criticism more easily because it feels like real information, while praise can feel like just politeness. There are some exceptions - some people believe every compliment and ignore every criticism, which is not easy to work with. But generally, one negative comment stays with us more than several positive ones.

   Why this band

   • FC“I think it is actually the opposite” — 'I think it is actually the opposite' spells the claim out in a full sentence; 7.0 and 7.5 both compress this to the fragment 'The opposite, in my experience', dropping the verb entirely for a punchier start.
   • LR“just politeness” — 'just politeness' is plain; 7.0 and 7.5 both keep the same core idea but tighten the surrounding clause to 'praise feels more like politeness' / 'praise feels like politeness', a marginally cleaner comparative structure.
   • GRA“For example, I can still remember one harsh review of my work, word for word, even though it was years ago, but I could not repeat a single one of the many compliments the same project got.” — This long sentence relies on 'even though... but' to link its two halves; 7.0 and 7.5 both restructure the same comparison with a cleaner 'and' link plus a dash-free flow, producing a tighter, more confident sentence.

   Band 7.0

   Drops the verb for the compact fragment 'The opposite, in my experience -' rather than a full sentence.

   The opposite, in my experience - I can quote one harsh review of my work word for word, years later, and I couldn't repeat a single one of the hundred compliments the same project received. People tend to believe criticism more readily because it feels like information, and praise feels more like politeness; negative comments also match the private doubts most people already carry. There are exceptions, of course - some people accept every compliment and dismiss every criticism, and they're genuinely exhausting to work with. Generally, though, one negative comment outweighs several positive ones, which is worth remembering when you're the one giving feedback.

   Why this band

   • FC“The opposite, in my experience -” — Dropping the verb for the compact fragment 'The opposite, in my experience' is a more confident opener than 6.5's full sentence; 7.5 keeps this exact same fragment, showing 7.0 had already found the sharpest possible opening here.
   • LR“negative comments also match the private doubts most people already carry” — 'private doubts' is a precise, slightly literary phrase; 7.5 keeps the phrase almost unchanged, dropping only 'already', showing 7.0 had already reached this level of precision.
   • GRA“some people accept every compliment and dismiss every criticism, and they're genuinely exhausting to work with” — This is the one moderately complex sentence expected at 7.0, joining two ideas with 'and'; 7.5 keeps a nearly identical structure but adds a further separate sentence afterwards about praise from unexpected sources, extending the range of the answer.

   Band 7.5

   Uses a colon instead of 7.0's 'of course -' to introduce the exception, trimming the extra hedge.

   The opposite, in my experience - I can quote one harsh review of my work word for word, years later, and I couldn't repeat a single one of the hundred compliments the same project received. People tend to believe criticism more readily because it feels like information, and praise feels like politeness; negative comments also match the private doubts most people carry. There are exceptions: some people accept every compliment and dismiss every criticism, and they're exhausting to work with. And praise from an unexpected source, like a stranger's email, tends to land where routine praise doesn't. Generally, though, one negative comment outweighs several positive ones, which is worth knowing when you're the one giving feedback.

   Why this band

   • FC“There are exceptions: some people accept every compliment and dismiss every criticism, and they're exhausting to work with.” — Using a colon instead of 7.0's 'of course -' to introduce the exception is a marginally tighter, more essay-like transition, trimming the hedge 'of course' that 7.0 still includes.
   • LR“praise from an unexpected source, like a stranger's email, tends to land where routine praise doesn't” — This extra observation, absent from 6.5 and 7.0, adds a further nuanced idea using the precise phrase 'routine praise', broadening the argument's range beyond the simpler exceptions clause.
   • GRA“And praise from an unexpected source, like a stranger's email, tends to land where routine praise doesn't.” — This additional sentence, built around a relative-style 'where' clause, extends the answer with one more connected idea beyond what 6.5 or 7.0 include, showing the fuller range expected at 7.5.

6. 6. Is it possible to give too much encouragement to children?

   May–Aug 2026
   Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question

   Band 6.5

   Spells the stance out fully with 'Yes, I think so, and I have seen the results.'

   Yes, I think so, and I have seen the results. There is a boy at my niece's school who has been told he is brilliant at everything since he was born, and now he cannot accept any correction at all - the first teacher who marked his work honestly was even reported to the head teacher. If you encourage everything, a child learns that praise is automatic, so it stops meaning anything. It can also stop them from experiencing failure and learning to recover from it. I think the answer is not less warmth, but more honest and specific praise.

   Why this band

   • FC“Yes, I think so, and I have seen the results.” — The full hedge 'Yes, I think so, and I have seen the results.' spells the stance out plainly; 7.0 trims this to 'Yes, and the results are pretty recognisable.', and 7.5 removes 'pretty' for the even tighter 'Yes, and the results are recognisable.'
   • LR“cannot accept any correction at all” — 'cannot accept any correction at all' is plain; 7.0 and 7.5 both tighten this to the more idiomatic 'can't tolerate any correction at all', a slightly stronger verb choice.
   • GRA“If you encourage everything, a child learns that praise is automatic, so it stops meaning anything.” — This conditional 'If you... a child learns' sentence is plain and direct; 7.0 and 7.5 both restructure the same idea without the conditional, as 'Encouragement for everything teaches a child that praise is automatic', a more compact subject-first construction.

   Band 7.0

   Trims the opener to 'Yes, and the results are pretty recognisable.' rather than 6.5's fuller sentence.

   Yes, and the results are pretty recognisable. There's a boy at my niece's school who's been told he's brilliant at everything since birth, and he now can't tolerate any correction at all; the first teacher who marked him honestly was reported to the head. Encouragement for everything teaches a child that praise is automatic, so it stops meaning anything, and it leaves them without the experience of doing badly and recovering. It can also produce children who work for the praise rather than the thing itself. The fix, I'd say, isn't less warmth but more accuracy: praise real effort, and be honest when something isn't good.

   Why this band

   • FC“Yes, and the results are pretty recognisable.” — Trimming the hedge to the short fragment 'Yes, and the results are pretty recognisable.' is more compact than 6.5's fuller sentence; 7.5 drops 'pretty' entirely for the leanest version, 'Yes, and the results are recognisable.'
   • LR“can't tolerate any correction at all” — 'tolerate' is a stronger, more idiomatic verb than 6.5's plain 'accept'; 7.5 keeps this exact phrase, showing 7.0 had already reached the right register here.
   • GRA“Encouragement for everything teaches a child that praise is automatic, so it stops meaning anything, and it leaves them without the experience of doing badly and recovering.” — This long sentence strings three ideas together with 'so... and', the one moderately complex structure expected at 7.0; 7.5 keeps this exact sentence unchanged, showing it already reaches 7.5-level fluency, and instead extends the answer with more specific closing advice.

   Band 7.5

   Removes 'pretty' that softens 7.0's version, for the leanest possible opener.

   Yes, and the results are recognisable. There's a boy at my niece's school who has been told he's brilliant at everything since birth, and he now can't tolerate any correction at all; the first teacher who marked him honestly was reported to the head. Encouragement for everything teaches a child that praise is automatic, so it stops meaning anything, and it leaves them without the experience of doing badly and recovering. It can also produce children who work for the praise rather than for the thing. The fix isn't less warmth but more accuracy: praise effort and real improvement, name specifically what was good, and be honest when something isn't. Children can tell the difference between being encouraged and being flattered.

   Why this band

   • FC“Yes, and the results are recognisable.” — Removing 'pretty' that softens 7.0's version makes this the leanest, most assertive of the three openers, letting the bare claim stand without qualification.
   • LR“Children can tell the difference between being encouraged and being flattered.” — This closing sentence introduces the precise, evaluative distinction between 'encouraged' and 'flattered', a sharper vocabulary contrast than anything in 6.5 or 7.0, and gives the answer a memorable final line.
   • GRA“praise effort and real improvement, name specifically what was good, and be honest when something isn't” — This three-part imperative list is more compact and prescriptive than 7.0's single 'praise real effort, and be honest' clause, packing an extra piece of specific advice into the same sentence structure.

7. 7. How important are positive and negative feedback for adults at work?

   May–Aug 2026
   Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question

   Band 6.5

   Spells out the claim plainly with 'I think... very important' rather than a compact fragment.

   I think both kinds of feedback are very important, and having neither is worse than having a bad version of either. Our studio once had a manager who gave no feedback at all for a year - no praise, no criticism - and it was the most stressful year I have worked, because nobody knew where they stood, and three people left. Positive feedback tells people what to keep doing, and without it, good people may quietly think they are failing. Negative feedback, given privately, is how people improve, and without it, mistakes just keep repeating.

   Why this band

   • FC“I think both kinds of feedback are very important” — This full sentence spells out the claim plainly with 'I think... very important'; 7.0 compresses this into the fragment 'Both are essential, I'd say,', and 7.5 removes the hedge entirely for the bare 'Both are essential,'.
   • LR“the most stressful year I have worked” — 'the most stressful year I have worked' is plain; 7.0 and 7.5 both upgrade this to the more precise 'the most anxious year I've worked', a marginally sharper emotional word.
   • GRA“Positive feedback tells people what to keep doing, and without it, good people may quietly think they are failing.” — This sentence joins two ideas with 'and'; 7.0 and 7.5 both split the same idea into two clauses linked by a semicolon instead, packing in an extra idea along the way.

   Band 7.0

   Compresses the opener to a fragment plus mid-placed hedge 'I'd say' rather than 6.5's full sentence.

   Both are essential, I'd say, and the absence of either is worse than a bad version of it. Our studio went through a year under a manager who gave no feedback whatsoever - no praise, no criticism - and it was probably the most anxious year I've worked, because nobody knew where they stood, and three people quietly left. Positive feedback tells people what to keep doing and that their work is actually seen; without it, good people tend to assume they're failing. Negative feedback, given specifically and privately, is how anyone improves; without it, mistakes just repeat until they become habits.

   Why this band

   • FC“Both are essential, I'd say, and the absence of either is worse than a bad version of it.” — Compressing the opener to a fragment plus mid-placed hedge 'I'd say' is tighter than 6.5's full sentence; 7.5 removes the hedge entirely, asserting the same claim with full confidence.
   • LR“the most anxious year I've worked” — 'anxious' is a more precise emotional word than 6.5's general 'stressful'; 7.5 keeps this exact word, showing 7.0 had already reached the right register here.
   • GRA“Positive feedback tells people what to keep doing and that their work is actually seen; without it, good people tend to assume they're failing.” — This semicolon-linked sentence packing two ideas together is the one moderately complex structure expected at 7.0; 7.5 keeps an almost identical sentence, trimming only 'actually' and 'tend to', showing the structure was already strong at 7.0.

   Band 7.5

   Removes the hedge 'I'd say' that 7.0 keeps mid-sentence, stating the claim as a flat fact.

   Both are essential, and the absence of either is worse than a bad version of it. Our studio went through a year under a manager who gave no feedback whatsoever - no praise, no criticism - and it was the most anxious year I've worked, because nobody knew where they stood, and three people left. Positive feedback tells people what to keep doing and that their work is seen; without it, good people quietly assume they're failing. Negative feedback, given specifically and privately, is how anyone improves; without it, mistakes repeat until they become habits. Adults say they want honesty and mostly do, provided it's fair and comes from someone who also notices the good.

   Why this band

   • FC“Both are essential, and the absence of either is worse than a bad version of it.” — Removing the hedge 'I'd say' that 7.0 keeps mid-sentence makes this the most direct and confident of the three openers, stating the claim as a flat fact.
   • LR“Adults say they want honesty and mostly do, provided it's fair and comes from someone who also notices the good.” — This closing sentence, absent from 6.5 and 7.0, adds a further nuanced reflection on how adults actually receive feedback, broadening the answer's range with more precise, conditional phrasing ('provided it's fair').
   • GRA“Negative feedback, given specifically and privately, is how anyone improves; without it, mistakes repeat until they become habits.” — This sentence keeps 7.0's structure almost exactly but drops 'just', a tiny trim that shows the tightening typical of 7.5, paired with the extra final sentence that extends the overall range of the answer.

8. 8. In what situations do people say positive things that they do not really mean?

   May–Aug 2026
   Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question

   Band 6.5

   Spells the claim out fully with 'I think... usually for good reasons' rather than a compact fragment.

   I think people say things they do not mean quite often, usually for good reasons. For example, I told my cousin her wedding dress was beautiful, even though it was too late to change it anyway. I have also said 'interesting idea' to a client whose idea was actually bad, just to keep the conversation going. In Vietnamese culture, saying pleasant things is also a normal way to keep everyone comfortable. People give false praise to avoid arguments, to protect someone's feelings, or sometimes just because it is easier than giving a real answer. I think the problem starts when it replaces honest feedback that could actually help.

   Why this band

   • FC“I think people say things they do not mean quite often, usually for good reasons.” — This full sentence spells the claim out with 'I think... usually for good reasons'; 7.0 compresses this into the fragment 'Constantly, I'd say, and often for good reasons.', and 7.5 removes the hedge entirely for the bare 'Constantly, and often for good reasons.'
   • LR“keep the conversation going” — 'keep the conversation going' is plain; 7.0 and 7.5 both tighten this to the more idiomatic 'keep a conversation alive', a slightly more vivid verb choice.
   • GRA“People give false praise to avoid arguments, to protect someone's feelings, or sometimes just because it is easier than giving a real answer.” — This is a three-item list joined loosely with 'or'; 7.0 restructures the list using 'to... to... and out of' for more parallel structure, and 7.5 extends the same list to four items, adding 'to flatter someone with power over them'.

   Band 7.0

   Compresses the opener to a fragment plus mid-placed hedge, tighter than 6.5's full sentence.

   Constantly, I'd say, and often for good reasons. I told my cousin her wedding dress was beautiful when it was too late to change it; I've said 'interesting idea' to clients whose idea was terrible, just to keep a conversation alive; and a lot of Vietnamese politeness is really about saying pleasant things to preserve everyone's face. People give insincere praise to avoid conflict, to spare feelings when honesty would help nobody, and out of simple laziness, since 'great' is easier than a real response. The damage comes, though, when it replaces honest feedback in situations where the truth could still change something.

   Why this band

   • FC“Constantly, I'd say, and often for good reasons.” — Compressing the opener to a fragment plus mid-placed hedge is tighter than 6.5's full sentence; 7.5 removes the hedge entirely for the even leaner 'Constantly, and often for good reasons.'
   • LR“keep a conversation alive” — This personifying phrase is more vivid than 6.5's plain 'keep the conversation going'; 7.5 keeps the exact same phrase, showing 7.0 had already found the sharper wording here.
   • GRA“People give insincere praise to avoid conflict, to spare feelings when honesty would help nobody, and out of simple laziness, since 'great' is easier than a real response.” — This three-part parallel list is the one moderately complex structure expected at 7.0; 7.5 extends the same list to four items, inserting 'to flatter someone with power over them' as an extra parallel branch.

   Band 7.5

   Removes the hedge 'I'd say' that 7.0 keeps mid-sentence, for the leanest opener of the three.

   Constantly, and often for good reasons. I told my cousin her wedding dress was beautiful when it was too late to change it; I've said 'interesting idea' to clients whose idea was terrible, to keep a conversation alive; and half of Vietnamese politeness is saying pleasant things to preserve everyone's face. People give insincere praise to avoid conflict, to spare feelings when honesty would help nobody, to flatter someone with power over them, and out of simple laziness, because 'great' is easier than a real response. It happens at gifts, at performances, at meals cooked by friends. The damage comes when it replaces honest feedback in situations where the truth could still change something. Kindness and cowardice use the same words.

   Why this band

   • FC“Constantly, and often for good reasons.” — Removing the hedge 'I'd say' that 7.0 keeps mid-sentence makes this the most direct and confident of the three openers.
   • LR“Kindness and cowardice use the same words.” — This closing aphorism, entirely new at 7.5, condenses the whole answer's tension into a punchy, original final line well beyond anything in 6.5 or 7.0.
   • GRA“It happens at gifts, at performances, at meals cooked by friends.” — This extra short listing sentence, absent from 6.5 and 7.0, adds a further layer of concrete examples in a compact parallel structure before the closing reflection.

9. 9. Do people who have achieved public recognition have certain responsibilities to society?

   May–Aug 2026
   Compare Band 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5 for this question

   Band 6.5

   Uses the slightly clunky opener 'roughly according to' rather than a more natural collocation.

   I think they do, roughly according to how much the recognition gives them. The hospital director took the award our app received and used it to successfully ask for more funding for older patients - she used the recognition for something, instead of just keeping it. Recognised people have attention, and attention is something most causes do not have, so using none of it for anything beyond yourself feels wasteful. They also owe honesty about how the recognition happened. I would not say every famous person must become an activist, but doing no harm with the platform seems like the minimum.

   Why this band

   • FC“roughly according to how much the recognition gives them” — This opener uses 'roughly according to' - workable but slightly clunky; 7.0 and 7.5 both tighten this to the more natural collocation 'roughly in proportion to', a more precise, idiomatic phrase.
   • LR“something most causes do not have” — 'something most causes do not have' is plain description; 7.0 and 7.5 both upgrade this to 'a resource most causes lack', turning the idea into a sharper noun phrase with a more precise verb.
   • GRA“Recognised people have attention, and attention is something most causes do not have, so using none of it for anything beyond yourself feels wasteful.” — This long sentence chains three ideas with 'and... so'; 7.0 and 7.5 both split the same content across a semicolon instead, for a tighter, more deliberate rhythm.

   Band 7.0

   Tightens 6.5's slightly clunky opener into the more natural collocation 'roughly in proportion to'.

   I think they do, roughly in proportion to how much the recognition gives them. The hospital director took the award our app received and used it to argue, successfully, for more funding for older patients - she treated recognition as something to spend rather than keep, which seems about right. Recognised people have attention, and attention is a resource most causes lack; using none of it for anything beyond themselves feels like waste. They also owe honesty about how the recognition happened, and credit to the people it missed. I wouldn't demand every famous person become an activist, though - the minimum is simply to do no harm with the platform.

   Why this band

   • FC“roughly in proportion to how much the recognition gives them” — Tightening 6.5's slightly clunky 'roughly according to' into the more natural 'roughly in proportion to' shows a small but real upgrade in idiomatic precision; 7.5 keeps this exact phrase unchanged, showing 7.0 had already found the right wording here.
   • LR“a resource most causes lack” — This precise noun-based phrase is sharper than 6.5's wordier 'something most causes do not have'; 7.5 keeps the phrase identical, showing 7.0 had already reached the right register.
   • GRA“They also owe honesty about how the recognition happened, and credit to the people it missed.” — This is the one moderately complex sentence expected at 7.0, joining two obligations with 'and'; 7.5 keeps this sentence almost unchanged but extends the closing part of the answer with two further short sentences for a fuller conclusion.

   Band 7.5

   Introduces the limit with the cleft construction 'Where I'd stop is...' rather than plain negation.

   I think they do, roughly in proportion to how much the recognition gives them. The hospital director took the award our app received and used it to argue, successfully, for more funding for older patients - she treated recognition as something to spend rather than keep, and that seems right. Recognised people have attention, and attention is a resource most causes lack; using none of it for anything beyond themselves feels like waste. They also owe honesty about how the recognition happened, and credit to the people it missed. Where I'd stop is demanding that every famous person become an activist. The minimum is to do no harm with the platform and to remember who made it possible. Anything beyond that is admirable, not required.

   Why this band

   • FC“Where I'd stop is demanding that every famous person become an activist.” — This cleft 'Where I'd stop is...' construction is a more flexible, deliberate way of introducing a limit than 6.5's plain 'I would not say...' or 7.0's 'I wouldn't demand... though', both of which use more ordinary negation.
   • LR“Anything beyond that is admirable, not required.” — This closing contrast, 'admirable, not required', is a compact, evaluative final judgement absent from both 6.5 and 7.0, giving the answer a sharper, more considered closing line.
   • GRA“The minimum is to do no harm with the platform and to remember who made it possible.” — Extending 7.0's single 'the minimum is simply to do no harm' into a two-part parallel infinitive structure ('to do no harm... and to remember...') packs in an additional idea within the same sentence, showing the fuller range typical of 7.5.