Something You Do That Is Important for Keeping Fit and Healthy

Part 3 follow-up questions

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

1. 1. Should young people do physical exercise at school?

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

   Band 6.5

   Short, direct sentences like "Yes, definitely" and plain connectors such as "Because of that" keep the argument clear but unelaborated.

   Yes, definitely. At my school in Hue, we only had one PE lesson a week, and we mostly just stood in rows. Because of that, I grew up with no sport I could really play. But the man I play badminton with now learned it at school when he was seven, and he still plays sixty years later. If schools give children daily exercise and let them try a sport they enjoy, it builds a habit for life. It also teaches children how to lose, which is an important lesson too.

   Why this band

   • FC“Yes, definitely.” — A flat, immediate answer that gets straight to the point. It works, but it lacks the reflective hedging of 7.0 ("Honestly, yes") or the evaluative punch of 7.5's opening dash construction.
   • LR“stood in rows” — Simple, concrete vocabulary that does the job without any flourish. Both higher bands reuse this exact image but wrap it in more complex sentence frames rather than upgrading the phrase itself.
   • GRA“If schools give children daily exercise and let them try a sport they enjoy, it builds a habit for life.” — A single correct conditional sentence with no subordination beyond "if" and "and". 7.0 and 7.5 both fold this idea into longer, multi-clause sentences instead of stating it as a standalone rule.

   Band 7.0

   Spoken hedges like "Honestly, yes" and "To be fair" frame the opinion as considered rather than automatic, and the "so" clause links cause to consequence in one breath.

   Honestly, yes, and I'd say most schools do far less than they should. My secondary school in Hue offered one PE lesson a week, and most of it was spent standing in rows rather than actually playing anything, so I reached adulthood without a sport I could call my own. To be fair, the retired teacher I now play badminton with learned it in a school yard at seven and has kept it up for sixty years, which shows what early exposure can do. Exercise at school builds both habit and skill while children are young, and it sharpens concentration afterwards too.

   Why this band

   • FC“Honestly, yes, and I'd say” — A natural spoken hedge that signals the speaker is reflecting, not reciting. It sits between 6.5's bare "Yes, definitely" and 7.5's more literary, evaluative opening.
   • LR“reached adulthood without a sport I could call my own” — A more natural collocation than 6.5's plain wording, giving the idea a personal edge, though it is still less vivid than 7.5's tighter semicolon-based phrasing of the same fact.
   • GRA“one PE lesson a week, and most of it was spent standing in rows rather than actually playing anything, so I reached adulthood without a sport I could call my own” — One long sentence chaining a result clause ("so") onto a contrast ("rather than"), noticeably more complex than 6.5's short separate sentences, though less compact than 7.5's semicolon structure.

   Band 7.5

   The dash-led opening ("rather more than the token weekly session") and the semicolon-joined contrast with the retired teacher give the answer an evaluative edge absent from the plainer bands.

   Yes — and rather more than the token weekly session most schools manage. My secondary school in Hue offered a single PE lesson a week, largely spent standing in rows, and I arrived at adulthood without a sport I could actually play; the retired teacher I now play badminton with, by contrast, picked up a racket in a school yard at seven and has kept at it for sixty years. Exercise at school plants the habit and the skill at the age when both come easiest, sharpens concentration in the lessons that follow, and reaches children whose own families never exercise at all. It also teaches losing gracefully, a subject too often skipped. Treating it as a break from education, rather than part of it, is where most systems, mine included, get it wrong.

   Why this band

   • FC“Yes — and rather more than the token weekly session most schools manage.” — A confident, idiomatic opening that immediately evaluates the norm rather than just answering it, going well beyond 6.5's bare statement and 7.0's hedge-softened version.
   • LR“plants the habit and the skill at the age when both come easiest” — A precise, faintly idiomatic collocation ("plants the habit") that upgrades 6.5's plain "builds a habit for life" and 7.0's flatter "builds both habit and skill".
   • GRA“I arrived at adulthood without a sport I could actually play; the retired teacher I now play badminton with, by contrast, picked up a racket in a school yard at seven” — A semicolon joins two contrasted clauses with an inserted "by contrast", giving flexible, compact grammar that is more sophisticated than 7.0's single "so"-clause construction.

2. 2. What practical measures will governments need to take to improve people's lifestyles in the future?

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

   Band 6.5

   The simple connector "So" introduces a plain list of measures, and each idea sits in its own short, clearly coordinated sentence.

   Governments need to build places that make healthy living easy, not just tell people to do it. My badminton is possible because my area built a free sports hall near my home, but I can't walk much because people park motorbikes on the pavements. So governments should build cheap sports places in every area, safer pavements and cycle lanes, more parks, and daily sport in schools. They should also tax sugary drinks, limit food adverts aimed at children, and offer free health checks, plus limit long working hours, since nobody has time to exercise after a fourteen-hour day.

   Why this band

   • FC“So governments should build cheap sports places in every area” — The linking word "So" shows basic but clear organisation, moving directly from problem to solution without the reflective framing seen in the higher bands.
   • LR“cheap sports places” — Basic, everyday vocabulary that communicates the idea plainly, compared with 7.0's "cheap exercise spaces" and 7.5's more formal "affordable exercise spaces".
   • GRA“My badminton is possible because my area built a free sports hall near my home, but I can't walk much because people park motorbikes on the pavements.” — Two clauses joined by "but", each with its own "because" reason — correct and clear, but a simpler coordination pattern than the semicolon contrast used at 7.5.

   Band 7.0

   Hedges like "Honestly" and "I'd say" frame the list of measures as personal judgement, and the closing "since" clause reflects on why one measure outranks the rest.

   Honestly, the main thing is to build the environment people actually need, rather than just advertising the one they don't. My badminton only happens because the ward put up a free sports hall five minutes from my door, whereas walking is basically impossible since the pavements are permanently parked on. I'd say practical measures include cheap exercise spaces in every district, safe pavements and cycle lanes, and daily school sport, alongside taxes on sugary drinks and real limits on advertising to children. Health checks that reach people who never seek them matter too, and to be fair, working-hours rules might matter most of all, since a fourteen-hour day cancels out everything else.

   Why this band

   • FC“Honestly, the main thing is to build the environment people actually need” — A natural spoken hedge opening that reads as reflective judgement, more considered than 6.5's flat listing and closer to conversational register than 7.5's punchier opening.
   • LR“cancels out everything else” — A more natural idiom than 6.5's plain reasoning about time, though less compact and vivid than 7.5's "quietly defeats every other measure".
   • GRA“I'd say practical measures include cheap exercise spaces in every district, safe pavements and cycle lanes, and daily school sport, alongside taxes on sugary drinks and real limits on advertising to children.” — One long sentence with parallel listed items joined by "alongside", a more complex single-sentence structure than 6.5's separate short listing sentences.

   Band 7.5

   The semicolon-and-dash structure ("parked on — behaviour shifts...") turns the personal example straight into a general principle, an evaluative move the other bands don't make.

   Governments need to build the environment for the lifestyle they claim to want, and stop advertising the one that undermines it. My badminton exists only because the ward built a free sports hall five minutes from my door; my walking doesn't exist because the pavements are permanently parked on — behaviour shifts when the easy option shifts, not when people are lectured at. Concrete measures would include affordable exercise spaces in every district, safe pavements and cycle lanes, and daily school sport, paired with sugar taxes and tighter limits on advertising to children. Health checks should actively reach people who never go looking for them, and working-hours rules matter too, since a fourteen-hour day quietly defeats every other measure. Information campaigns can come last; most people already know what's healthy.

   Why this band

   • FC“behaviour shifts when the easy option shifts, not when people are lectured at” — An evaluative, idiomatic aside that reframes the whole answer around one principle, going well beyond 6.5's plain statement and 7.0's hedge-led version of the same point.
   • LR“quietly defeats every other measure” — Vivid, precise phrasing compared with 6.5's plain "nobody has time to exercise" and 7.0's more generic "cancels out everything else".
   • GRA“My badminton exists only because the ward built a free sports hall five minutes from my door; my walking doesn't exist because the pavements are permanently parked on” — A semicolon links two parallel, mirrored clauses, a compact and flexible structure more sophisticated than 7.0's single "whereas"-clause and 6.5's "but"-clause.

3. 3. How easy is it to do exercise where you live?

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

   Band 6.5

   The plain connector "but there are two problems" sets up a simple two-part structure that the answer then works through one clause at a time.

   It's quite easy here, but there are two problems. Da Nang has a free beach, sports halls in most areas, and lots of people who exercise early — at six a.m. the beach is full of older people doing group aerobics to music. The problems are the heat, which makes it hard to exercise outside between ten and four, and the pavements, because motorbikes are parked on them, so walking is difficult. I think the real barrier is not facilities but habit — you just need to get up early.

   Why this band

   • FC“but there are two problems” — A simple, direct connector that frames the whole answer clearly, but without the concessive nuance of 7.0's "though there are two real catches" or 7.5's tighter "with two catches".
   • LR“hard to exercise outside” — Plain, functional vocabulary, compared with 7.0's "rules out anything outdoors" and 7.5's more vivid version of the same idea.
   • GRA“The problems are the heat, which makes it hard to exercise outside between ten and four, and the pavements, because motorbikes are parked on them, so walking is difficult.” — A long listing sentence built from simple clauses strung together with "which", "because" and "so" — accurate, but less tightly integrated than the parallel relative clauses used at 7.5.

   Band 7.0

   The hedge-and-concession opener "Honestly... though there are two real catches" and the closing "I'd say" frame the whole comparison as considered opinion rather than flat fact.

   Honestly, it's easier here than in most cities, though there are two real catches. Da Nang has a free beach along its whole length, sports halls in most wards, and a genuine dawn-exercise culture, so by six in the morning the beach is full of people my parents' age doing group aerobics to a speaker. To be fair, the heat rules out anything outdoors between ten and four for half the year, and the pavements are mostly used for parking motorbikes, which turns a simple walk into a small negotiation with traffic. Gyms are cheap and everywhere for anyone who prefers them. I'd say the habit matters more than the facilities do.

   Why this band

   • FC“Honestly, it's easier here than in most cities, though there are two real catches.” — A hedge plus a concessive clause in the same sentence, signalling reflection rather than a flat statement, positioned between 6.5's plain framing and 7.5's punchier dash-based opening.
   • LR“turns a simple walk into a small negotiation with traffic” — A more natural collocation than 6.5's flat "walking is difficult", though softer and less image-driven than 7.5's "running negotiation with traffic".
   • GRA“Da Nang has a free beach along its whole length, sports halls in most wards, and a genuine dawn-exercise culture, so by six in the morning the beach is full of people my parents' age doing group aerobics to a speaker.” — One extended sentence ending in a result clause introduced by "so", a more complex structure than 6.5's short chained clauses, though less layered than 7.5's double relative-clause sentence.

   Band 7.5

   The clipped opening "Easier than most places, with only two real catches" and the dash-set aside "so neither space nor company is ever really short" pack an evaluative summary into very few words.

   Easier than most places, with only two real catches. Da Nang offers a free beach along its whole length, public sports halls in most wards, and a genuine culture of dawn exercise — by six in the morning the beach and parks are crowded with people my parents' age doing group aerobics to a speaker, so neither space nor company is ever really short. The catches are the heat, which rules out anything outdoors between ten and four for half the year, and the pavements, which double as motorbike parking, so a simple walk turns into a running negotiation with traffic. Gyms, for what it's worth, are cheap and plentiful for those who like them. It's habit, more than facilities, that's the real barrier; the city offers exercise to anyone willing to rise early or go out late.

   Why this band

   • FC“so neither space nor company is ever really short” — A compact, idiomatic evaluative aside inserted mid-description, a more economical move than 7.0's separate hedge sentences or 6.5's plain listing.
   • LR“turns into a running negotiation with traffic” — A vivid, idiomatic image that goes beyond 7.0's plainer "small negotiation" and 6.5's bare "walking is difficult".
   • GRA“The catches are the heat, which rules out anything outdoors between ten and four for half the year, and the pavements, which double as motorbike parking, so a simple walk turns into a running negotiation with traffic.” — One flexible sentence layering two parallel relative clauses ("which rules out...", "which double as...") into a final result clause, more sophisticated structuring than 7.0's single relative clause.

4. 4. Has technology had a negative effect on people's lifestyles?

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

   Band 6.5

   The repeated connector "But" carries most of the balance in the argument, and each idea gets its own short, plainly coordinated sentence.

   On balance, yes, but it's not simple. A delivery app stopped me walking to the market, which used to be my main exercise without me even noticing. But the same phone has a group chat that helps four of us meet for badminton twice a week. Technology has taken movement out of daily life — work means sitting, shopping means tapping a screen, and entertainment means lying down. It also brings bad sleep and more time indoors. But it also gives us fitness apps and online classes. Overall, I think people move less and sit more now because of it.

   Why this band

   • FC“But it also gives us fitness apps and online classes.” — A simple contrastive connector repeated through the answer keeps the balance basic but clear, without the single reflective hedge that 7.0 uses instead.
   • LR“taken movement out of daily life” — Plain phrasing for the central idea, compared with 7.5's more vivid "stripped most of the movement out of ordinary life".
   • GRA“Technology has taken movement out of daily life — work means sitting, shopping means tapping a screen, and entertainment means lying down.” — A simple listing structure with the verb "means" repeated three times — correct and clear, but formulaic next to the parallel structure reused more fluidly at 7.5.

   Band 7.0

   The mid-sentence hedge "though honestly it cuts both ways" and the closing "To be fair" keep signalling that the balance being drawn is a personal judgement, not a flat fact.

   On balance, yes, though honestly it cuts both ways. A delivery app quietly ended my daily walk to the market, which used to be the exercise I got without ever noticing it, while the same phone holds the group chat that keeps four of us showing up to badminton twice a week. I'd say technology has removed most of the movement from ordinary life — work is sitting, shopping is tapping, entertainment is lying down — and added constant reachability and worse sleep in its place. To be fair, it's also given people fitness tracking, online classes, and easier ways to organise the exercise they'd otherwise skip. The net effect, for most people, is still less movement.

   Why this band

   • FC“though honestly it cuts both ways” — A spoken hedge inserted mid-sentence that signals balanced reflection, more natural than 6.5's repeated flat "But" and less rhetorically loaded than 7.5's dash-punctuated concession.
   • LR“added constant reachability and worse sleep in its place” — More natural phrasing than 6.5's plain "brings bad sleep", though less tightly layered than 7.5's version of the same list.
   • GRA“A delivery app quietly ended my daily walk to the market, which used to be the exercise I got without ever noticing it, while the same phone holds the group chat that keeps four of us showing up to badminton twice a week.” — One long sentence built around a "while" contrast, more complex subordination than 6.5's two short separate "But" sentences.

   Band 7.5

   The dash-punctuated opener "yes — though it genuinely cuts both ways" and the closing image of unused tools in the same phone give the answer a rounded, evaluative shape.

   On balance, yes — though it genuinely cuts both ways. A delivery app quietly ended my daily walk to the market, which was the most exercise I got without ever noticing it; the same phone, though, holds the group chat that keeps four of us showing up to badminton twice a week. Technology has stripped most of the movement out of ordinary life — work is sitting, shopping is tapping, entertainment is lying down — while adding constant reachability, worse sleep and far more time indoors. It has also handed people fitness tracking, online classes and easier ways to organise the exercise they'd otherwise skip. For most people the net effect is less movement and more sitting. The tools to reverse that sit in the very same phone, largely untouched.

   Why this band

   • FC“On balance, yes — though it genuinely cuts both ways.” — A dash-punctuated concession that reads as confident and considered from the first line, a sharper opening move than 7.0's softer "though honestly" and 6.5's plain "but it's not simple".
   • LR“stripped most of the movement out of ordinary life” — A vivid, precise verb choice ("stripped") that upgrades 6.5's plain "taken movement out" and 7.0's identical phrasing of the same idea.
   • GRA“A delivery app quietly ended my daily walk to the market, which was the most exercise I got without ever noticing it; the same phone, though, holds the group chat that keeps four of us showing up to badminton twice a week.” — A semicolon-linked parallel contrast with an inserted "though", more flexible and compact than 7.0's single "while"-clause version of the same contrast.

5. 5. Is there too much advertising of unhealthy food on television?

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

   Band 6.5

   The plain claim "This clearly affects children's health" states the point directly, without the inserted asides that carry the argument in the higher bands.

   Yes, far too much, and it's aimed at exactly the wrong people. A sugary-drink advert plays during every break in football matches, right when young men are thirsty, and my nephew could sing a snack advert's song before he could count to ten. Television is full of adverts for fast food, sweets and drinks, but almost nothing for healthy food, because vegetables don't have advertising money. This clearly affects children's health, and some countries have already limited these adverts with good results. I don't think all food adverts should stop, but adverts aimed at children should be limited far more than they are now.

   Why this band

   • FC“This clearly affects children's health” — A short, direct claim stated as plain fact, without the analytical framing 7.0 adds ("which tells you the targeting isn't accidental") or the sharper judgement at 7.5.
   • LR“advertising money” — Basic, everyday phrasing compared with 7.0 and 7.5's more precise "marketing budgets" for the same idea.
   • GRA“Television is full of adverts for fast food, sweets and drinks, but almost nothing for healthy food, because vegetables don't have advertising money.” — One sentence with "but" and "because", simple coordination and subordination that states the point clearly without the layered dash structure used at 7.5.

   Band 7.0

   The inserted hedge "I'd say" and the dash-linked conclusion "which tells you the targeting isn't accidental" turn the anecdote into a considered analysis rather than a flat report.

   Honestly, far too much, and it's aimed with real precision. A sugary-drink advert runs during every football half here, at exactly the moment a young male audience gets thirsty, and my nephew, I'd say, could sing a snack jingle before he could count to ten — which tells you the targeting isn't accidental. Television is now full of fast food, sweets and snacks, and almost empty of anything healthy, since vegetables simply don't have marketing budgets. The effect on children is well documented, and several countries have restricted this kind of advertising with visible results. I don't think all food advertising should disappear, but the scale of what's aimed at children could be stopped tomorrow, and mostly isn't.

   Why this band

   • FC“Honestly, far too much” — A hedge opener that frames the strong opinion as personal judgement, softer in register than 7.5's unhedged opening but more reflective than 6.5's flat "Yes, far too much".
   • LR“which tells you the targeting isn't accidental” — More analytical phrasing than 6.5's plain "aimed at exactly the wrong people", though less pointed than 7.5's sharper closing judgement on the same anecdote.
   • GRA“A sugary-drink advert runs during every football half here, at exactly the moment a young male audience gets thirsty, and my nephew, I'd say, could sing a snack jingle before he could count to ten — which tells you the targeting isn't accidental.” — A long sentence with an inserted hedge clause and a dash-linked conclusion, more elaborate than 6.5's plainer parallel structure across separate sentences.

   Band 7.5

   The dash-and-semicolon judgement "none of that is accidental; it's aimed straight at the audience least equipped to say no" turns the anecdote directly into an evaluative claim, sharper than the other bands' framing.

   Far too much, and it's targeted with real precision. Here, a sugary-drink commercial airs in every break of a football match, at precisely the moment a young male crowd starts feeling thirsty, and my nephew, astonishingly, could hum a snack-brand jingle before he'd learned to count past ten — none of that is accidental; it's aimed straight at the audience least equipped to say no. Television screens are crowded with fast food, sweets, fizzy drinks and crisps, and almost bare of anything wholesome, mostly because vegetables simply don't come with a marketing budget. Children's exposure to this kind of advertising is well studied, and a number of countries have already reined it in, with results you can actually measure. I wouldn't ban food advertising outright, but letting products that damage health be marketed to children on this scale, when governments could rein it in overnight, is a choice, not an accident.

   Why this band

   • FC“none of that is accidental; it's aimed straight at the audience least equipped to say no” — A sharp, evaluative closing judgement built directly into the anecdote, more pointed than 7.0's softer "which tells you the targeting isn't accidental" and 6.5's plain statement of the same idea.
   • LR“Television screens are crowded with fast food, sweets, fizzy drinks and crisps, and almost bare of anything wholesome” — Vivid, precise word choice ("crowded", "bare", "wholesome") that upgrades 6.5's "full of" / "almost nothing" and 7.0's near-identical "full of" / "almost empty".
   • GRA“Here, a sugary-drink commercial airs in every break of a football match, at precisely the moment a young male crowd starts feeling thirsty, and my nephew, astonishingly, could hum a snack-brand jingle before he'd learned to count past ten — none of that is accidental; it's aimed straight at the audience least equipped to say no.” — A dash-linked, semicolon-spliced final clause gives compact rhetorical punch, a more flexible structure than 7.0's inserted-hedge version of the same idea.

6. 6. Who should take responsibility for a society's level of fitness?

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

   Band 6.5

   The idea is broken into short, separate sentences ("The local ward built...", "The four of us actually go..."), rather than being chained together as in the higher bands.

   Everyone, in their own way, and my badminton group shows this well. The local ward built the sports hall, which no single person could do. The four of us actually go, which no government can force. And Đức was the one who kept asking us to start, which is often the missing part. I think individuals are responsible for their own choices. Governments should make healthy choices easy and cheap. Employers should give people enough free time. Families and friends matter too, because it's hard to exercise alone for long.

   Why this band

   • FC“I think individuals are responsible for their own choices.” — A simple, plain opinion statement stated on its own, without the qualifying comment 7.0 adds ("treating adults as helpless doesn't really help anyone") or 7.5's sharper version of the same point.
   • LR“Employers should give people enough free time.” — Plain, general phrasing compared with 7.5's more specific "hours and conditions that leave room for an actual life".
   • GRA“The local ward built the sports hall, which no single person could do.” — A simple relative clause in a short, standalone sentence — correct but unadorned, unlike the semicolon-chained triple clause used at 7.0 and 7.5.

   Band 7.0

   The hedges "Honestly" and "I'd say" frame the shared-responsibility argument as personal reflection, while the semicolon-chained triple clause packs the badminton example into one sentence.

   Honestly, everyone, at their own scale, and my badminton group is a good example. The ward built the hall, which no individual could manage alone; the four of us actually turn up, which no government can force; and Đức nagged the rest of us into starting in the first place, which is the part that most often goes missing. I'd say individuals are responsible for their own choices, and treating adults as helpless doesn't really help anyone. Governments should make the healthy option possible and affordable — spaces, safe streets, school sport. Employers matter too, through hours and conditions that leave room for a life. And communities are where the habit actually starts, since almost nobody keeps exercising alone for long.

   Why this band

   • FC“Honestly, everyone, at their own scale” — A hedge marker showing spoken reflection right from the opening, more considered in tone than 6.5's flat "Everyone, in their own way" and less rhetorically pointed than 7.5's unhedged version.
   • LR“treating adults as helpless doesn't really help anyone” — A softer, more conversational phrasing than 7.5's sharper "faintly insulting", but more developed than 6.5, which omits this evaluative point entirely.
   • GRA“The ward built the hall, which no individual could manage alone; the four of us actually turn up, which no government can force; and Đức nagged the rest of us into starting in the first place, which is the part that most often goes missing” — A semicolon-chained triple clause structure, more complex layering than 6.5's separate short sentences for the same three facts.

   Band 7.5

   The punchy closing line "Pin it on just one of them, and the rest quietly get off the hook" gives the shared-responsibility argument a final evaluative twist the other bands lack.

   Everyone, at their own scale, and my badminton group is the model. The ward put up the hall, something no single person ever could; the four of us are the ones who actually turn up, something no government can compel; and it was Đức who kept pushing us to begin in the first place — the piece most often missing from the whole equation. Individuals own their own choices, and treating grown adults as incapable is more than a little insulting. Governments carry the job of making the healthy option both possible and affordable — public spaces, safe streets, school sport, sound food policy. Employers are on the hook for hours and working conditions that actually leave room for a life outside them. And it's communities — family, friends, the neighbours next door — where the habit genuinely takes root, because almost no one keeps it up alone for very long. Pin it on just one of them, and the rest quietly get off the hook.

   Why this band

   • FC“Pin it on just one of them, and the rest quietly get off the hook.” — A punchy, idiomatic closing evaluation that lands the whole argument, sharper than 7.0's plainer closing sentence on the same idea.
   • LR“treating grown adults as incapable is more than a little insulting” — A pointed, understated evaluative phrase that upgrades 7.0's flatter "doesn't really help anyone", a point 6.5 skips entirely.
   • GRA“The ward put up the hall, something no single person ever could; the four of us are the ones who actually turn up, something no government can compel; and it was Đức who kept pushing us to begin in the first place — the piece most often missing from the whole equation.” — A tight, elliptical semicolon-chain (each clause built on "something no...") ending in a dash-set summary noun phrase, more compact and flexible than 7.0's fuller "manage alone" phrasing of the same triple clause.

7. 7. What are the best ways of teaching children about keeping fit and healthy?

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

   Band 6.5

   The point about modelling behaviour is stated as a short, plain rule ("Children learn from what adults do, not what they say"), without the layered example sentence used at 7.0 and 7.5.

   Let them see you doing it. My nephew has never had a fitness lesson, but he practises a badminton swing at home because he sees me leave with my racket every Tuesday. Children learn from what adults do, not what they say. Make exercise fun, not a duty — a child who loves a sport will keep doing it, but a child forced to run will stop as soon as they can. Cook with children so they understand food. Keep screens away from bedrooms and mealtimes. Schools should teach through doing things too, like sport and cooking, and avoid fear or shame, which just makes children anxious.

   Why this band

   • FC“Children learn from what adults do, not what they say.” — A short, plainly stated point that stands on its own, unlike the dash-linked generalising clause the higher bands attach directly to the nephew anecdote.
   • LR“Make exercise fun, not a duty” — A simple everyday contrast, less economical than 7.5's near-identical but tighter "Make it play rather than duty".
   • GRA“Make exercise fun, not a duty — a child who loves a sport will keep doing it, but a child forced to run will stop as soon as they can.” — Simple contrastive clauses joined by "but" — clear and correct, but a more basic pattern than the parallel "while"-clause used at 7.0 and 7.5.

   Band 7.0

   The hedges "Honestly" and "to be fair" bookend the answer, and the concession "yet" links the nephew anecdote directly to the generalisation about how children learn.

   Honestly, the best way is simply to be seen doing it. My nephew has never had an actual lesson on fitness, yet he practises a badminton swing in the living room purely because he's watched me leave with a racket every Tuesday — children pick up health from what adults around them do, and almost nothing from what they say. I'd say making it play rather than duty matters too: a child who genuinely loves a sport tends to keep it for life, while one made to run laps usually stops the moment they're allowed to. Cooking with them helps, so food becomes something understood rather than something that simply arrives. And to be fair, schools should teach the basics through doing, not lecturing.

   Why this band

   • FC“Honestly, the best way is simply to be seen doing it.” — A hedge opener that frames the advice as personal reflection, more natural in register than 6.5's flat imperative "Let them see you doing it", though less rhetorically compact than 7.5's unhedged version.
   • LR“children pick up health from what adults around them do” — A more natural verb choice ("pick up") than 6.5's plain "learn from", though less compact than 7.5's "absorb health from".
   • GRA“My nephew has never had an actual lesson on fitness, yet he practises a badminton swing in the living room purely because he's watched me leave with a racket every Tuesday — children pick up health from what adults around them do, and almost nothing from what they say.” — A long dash-linked sentence combining a concession ("yet") with a generalising clause, more complex than 6.5's shorter separate sentences for the same idea.

   Band 7.5

   The clipped opening imperative "Model it, and let them watch" and the closing aphorism "Enjoyment, in the end, is the only lesson that sticks" bracket the answer with evaluative punch the other bands lack.

   Model it, and let them watch. My nephew has never had a lesson on fitness, and yet he now practises a badminton swing in the living room purely because he's watched me leave with a racket every Tuesday; children absorb health from what the adults around them do, and almost nothing from what they say. Make it play rather than duty — a child who loves a sport will keep it for life, while one made to run laps will drop it the day they're allowed to. Cook with them, so food becomes something understood, not something that simply arrives. Keep screens out of bedrooms and mealtimes. Teach the basics at school through doing — sport, gardening, cooking classes — and steer well clear of fear and shame, which breed anxious children rather than healthy ones. Enjoyment, in the end, is the only lesson that sticks.

   Why this band

   • FC“Enjoyment, in the end, is the only lesson that sticks.” — A concise, evaluative closing aphorism, more polished than 7.0's more procedural ending about schools teaching through doing.
   • LR“children absorb health from what the adults around them do” — A precise, slightly idiomatic verb ("absorb") that upgrades 7.0's "pick up" and 6.5's plain "learn from" for the same idea.
   • GRA“Teach the basics at school through doing — sport, gardening, cooking classes — and steer well clear of fear and shame, which breed anxious children rather than healthy ones.” — A dash-set appositive list embedded mid-sentence, plus a following relative clause, giving flexible compact grammar beyond 7.0 and 6.5's simpler listing sentences.

8. 8. What are some good ways of giving adults information about health issues?

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

   Band 6.5

   The comparison with a poster is stated as a plain, separate sentence ("This works better than just putting up a poster") rather than folded into the anecdote itself.

   Take the information to places where adults already go, and make it personal to them. A nurse in our area put up a free blood-pressure table next to our sports hall for a month, and she found three people with problems they would never have gone to a clinic to check. This works better than just putting up a poster. Doctors and pharmacists are trusted, so they need time to explain things, and employers can offer checks too. Famous or respected people can also help spread the message. Short, clear messages on the apps people already use work better than leaflets, and your own numbers matter more than general statistics.

   Why this band

   • FC“This works better than just putting up a poster.” — A simple comparative statement placed after the anecdote, plain and direct, unlike the higher bands' habit of folding the comparison straight into the same sentence as the story.
   • LR“Famous or respected people can also help spread the message.” — Generic, plain wording compared with 7.5's specific "from the retired teacher next door to a popular singer" for the same idea.
   • GRA“A nurse in our area put up a free blood-pressure table next to our sports hall for a month, and she found three people with problems they would never have gone to a clinic to check.” — One sentence joined by "and" — correct but simply coordinated, unlike the dash-linked explanatory clause used at 7.0 and 7.5.

   Band 7.0

   The hedge "Honestly, the trick is" frames the advice as a personal insight, and the dash-linked clause turns the anecdote into an explicit explanation of why it works.

   Honestly, the trick is to take information to where adults already are, and make it personal rather than general. A ward nurse set up a free blood-pressure table beside our sports hall for a month, and caught three people with problems they'd probably never have gone to a clinic to find — which shows how much better it works when information meets people at the moment they're already thinking about their bodies. Doctors and pharmacists are still the most trusted voices on this, so it's worth giving them real time to explain. Employers can host checks, and trusted community figures, from a retired teacher to a popular singer, reach people who tend to ignore officials. To be fair, short messages on the platforms people actually use beat leaflets every time.

   Why this band

   • FC“Honestly, the trick is to take information to where adults already are” — A hedge signalling a considered personal take, more reflective in tone than 6.5's flat imperative and closer to conversational register than 7.5's unhedged version of the same idea.
   • LR“information meets people at the moment they're already thinking about their bodies” — More developed, natural phrasing than 6.5's flat comparison with a poster, though slightly less compact than 7.5's version of the same point.
   • GRA“A ward nurse set up a free blood-pressure table beside our sports hall for a month, and caught three people with problems they'd probably never have gone to a clinic to find — which shows how much better it works when information meets people at the moment they're already thinking about their bodies.” — A long dash-linked sentence with an explanatory clause attached directly to the anecdote, more elaborate than 6.5's simpler coordination with "and".

   Band 7.5

   The dash-linked judgement "works far better than a poster ever could" turns the anecdote straight into a general claim, giving the answer a confidently evaluative close.

   Deliver it to where adults already gather, and make it personal. A ward nurse set up a free blood-pressure table beside our sports hall for a month, and caught three people with problems they'd never have gone to a clinic to find — information delivered at the point where people are already thinking about their bodies works far better than a poster ever could. Doctors and pharmacists remain the most trusted sources, so give them time to explain. Employers can host checks; trusted community figures, from the retired teacher next door to a popular singer, reach people who tune officials out entirely. Short, clear messages on the platforms people actually use beat leaflets hands down. Honesty about uncertainty builds trust, since adults can tell when they're being managed. A number about your own body outweighs any statistic about everyone else's.

   Why this band

   • FC“information delivered at the point where people are already thinking about their bodies works far better than a poster ever could” — A vivid, emphatic evaluative clause capping the anecdote directly, sharper than 7.0's more hedged "which shows how much better it works".
   • LR“beat leaflets hands down” — An idiomatic, punchy phrase that upgrades 7.0's flatter "beat leaflets every time" for the same comparison.
   • GRA“Employers can host checks; trusted community figures, from the retired teacher next door to a popular singer, reach people who tune officials out entirely.” — A semicolon join plus an embedded appositive list gives flexible, layered grammar beyond 7.0's simpler comma-separated version and 6.5's two short separate sentences.

9. 9. What are some popular ways for people in your country to keep fit?

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

   Band 6.5

   The closing summary ("early, outdoors, and done together") lists the same three qualities as the higher bands but keeps them as plain, separate adjectives rather than an idiomatic collocation.

   Go to any beach or park in Vietnam at six in the morning and you will see most of it. There is group aerobics to music, mostly done by older women; people jogging by the sea; people swimming, in my city; badminton on the sand; and tai chi under the trees for older people. Young people play football on empty land. Cycling has become popular in the last ten years, both for work and as a weekend hobby. Gyms are cheap and everywhere, and walking round lakes in the evening is popular too. What's special here is that exercise is early, outdoors, and done together, and it's usually free.

   Why this band

   • FC“What's special here is that exercise is early, outdoors, and done together, and it's usually free.” — A clear, plain summarising sentence that wraps up the list, functional but without the dash-expanded elaboration the 7.5 version adds to the same closing idea.
   • LR“done together” — Plain phrasing for the communal aspect, compared with 7.5's more precise, compact "public and communal".
   • GRA“There is group aerobics to music, mostly done by older women; people jogging by the sea; people swimming, in my city; badminton on the sand; and tai chi under the trees for older people.” — A listed sentence using repeated noun-phrase structure — correct and clear, but a simpler parallel pattern than the same list dash-expanded at 7.5.

   Band 7.0

   The hedges "Honestly" and "to be fair" bookend the list, and the inserted "I'd say" mid-sentence breaks up the cycling claim as a personal judgement rather than a flat fact.

   Honestly, head to any beach or park in Vietnam around six in the morning and you'll see the whole picture. Older women lead aerobics sessions to a loudspeaker, runners go by along the seafront, swimmers take to the water in my city, badminton gets played out on the sand, and the oldest generation works through tai chi under the trees. Football, meanwhile, takes over every spare patch of ground for the young. Cycling, I'd say, has grown fast over the last decade, both for commuting and as a weekend sport with fairly pricey gear. Gyms are cheap and easy to find in the cities, and evening walks around lakes and rivers are popular too. What's distinctive, to be fair, is that exercise here is early, public and communal, and mostly free.

   Why this band

   • FC“Honestly, head to any beach or park in Vietnam around six in the morning and you'll see the whole picture.” — A hedge-opened invitation that frames the whole list as personal testimony, more reflective in tone than 6.5's plain instruction and closer to spoken register than 7.5's unhedged version.
   • LR“exercise here is early, public and communal, and mostly free” — Closer to 7.5's precise triad than 6.5's plainer "early, outdoors, and done together", though the delivery is slightly less polished than the dash-expanded 7.5 version.
   • GRA“Cycling, I'd say, has grown fast over the last decade, both for commuting and as a weekend sport with fairly pricey gear.” — An inserted hedge ("I'd say") breaks up the main clause, a moderately complex structure distinct from 6.5's plain, unbroken listing sentences.

   Band 7.5

   The dash-bracketed expansion in the final sentence ("— people move together, outdoors, ahead of the heat and the working day —") elaborates the closing triad in a way neither other band attempts.

   Head to any beach or park in Vietnam around six in the morning and the whole picture unfolds in front of you. Groups of women past fifty move through aerobics routines to a crackling loudspeaker; runners thread along the seafront; swimmers cut through the water in my city; badminton rallies play out across the sand; the oldest generation moves slowly through tai chi beneath the trees, while the young take over every spare patch of ground with football. Cycling has surged over the past decade, both as a way to commute and, increasingly, as a weekend pursuit with surprisingly pricey gear. Gyms, cheap and plentiful, dot every city district, and an evening walk around a lake or a river is just as common. What sets it apart is that exercise here happens early, in public, and almost always as a group activity — people move together, outdoors, ahead of the heat and the working day — and, better still, hardly any of it costs a thing.

   Why this band

   • FC“and, better still, hardly any of it costs a thing” — An evaluative closing flourish that ranks the final point, more polished than 7.0's flatter "and mostly free" tacked onto the same sentence.
   • LR“exercise here happens early, in public, and almost always as a group activity” — A precise triad, more compact and idiomatic than 6.5's plainer "early, outdoors, and done together".
   • GRA“What sets it apart is that exercise here happens early, in public, and almost always as a group activity — people move together, outdoors, ahead of the heat and the working day — and, better still, hardly any of it costs a thing.” — A dash-bracketed expansion inserted mid-sentence before the final clause, a more flexible, layered structure than 7.0's simpler comma-listed closing sentence.