What 6.5 looks like. What 7.5 looks like.

Band 6.5

Dear Sarah,

I am writing to tell you I moved to a new house last month. I moved because my old flat was too small and the rent was very expensive. Also my office is far from there so I spent long time on bus every day.

My new house is nice. It has three bedrooms and a big kitchen. There is a garden in the back and my children can play there. The living room is big too and we bought new furniture. The neighbours are friendly and the area is quiet.

I want you to come and visit me. You can come next Sunday if you are free. We can have lunch together and I will show you around. Please tell me if you can come.

Your friend, Anna

Band 7.5

Dear Sarah,

I'm delighted to tell you that we've finally moved into our new house, and I'd love you to be one of our first guests.

The move was long overdue. Our old flat had become far too cramped once the twins started school, and the landlord kept raising the rent, so when a modest house came up for sale twenty minutes from my office, we jumped at the chance.

The house itself is nothing grand, but it suits us perfectly. Downstairs there's an open-plan kitchen and living area that gets the sun all afternoon, and upstairs we have three bedrooms, so there's a proper guest room waiting for you. Best of all, the garden is big enough for the children to run around in while we sit on the terrace with a coffee.

Why don't you come and stay over on the weekend of the 14th? The train from your place takes under an hour, and I can pick you up from the station. We could have a barbecue on Saturday evening if the weather holds.

Do let me know if that weekend suits you — I can't wait to show you around.

With love, Anna

Band 6.5

In today's world, education is very important for everyone. Some people think university should be free for all students. I agree with this idea to some extent, but I also think there are some problems.

Firstly, if university is free, more people can go to university. Many good students cannot study because their family is poor. This is not fair. Education should be for everyone, not only rich people. Also, when more people have degrees, the country will have more doctors, teachers and engineers, and this is good for the economy.

On the other hand, free university costs a lot of money. The government must pay for teachers, buildings and books. This money comes from taxes, so people must pay more tax. Some students also may not study hard because they do not pay anything.

In conclusion, I think university education should be free because it gives chances to poor students, but the government should be careful about the cost. Maybe students can pay a small fee.

Band 7.5

Whether the state should fund university education for everyone is a question that goes to the heart of what a society owes its citizens. On balance, I believe tuition should be abolished, provided that places are allocated on merit rather than on demand alone.

The strongest argument for free tuition is equality of opportunity. At present, able students from low-income families routinely turn down university places, or graduate with debts that shape their choices for a decade. Neither outcome has anything to do with talent. A system in which access depends on parental income wastes ability on a national scale, and it entrenches the very inequalities education is supposed to dissolve. The benefits are not only private: countries with a highly qualified workforce adapt faster to economic change, and graduates repay the investment many times over through higher lifetime taxes.

Critics rightly point out that "free" education is not costless; it is paid for through general taxation, including by people who never attend university. There is also a risk that removing fees devalues the degree in students' eyes. These concerns, however, argue for careful design rather than for fees. Entry can remain competitive, so places go to those most likely to complete; and a graduate contribution, collected only once earnings pass a threshold, preserves a sense of personal stake without deterring the poor.

In conclusion, the fairest and most productive arrangement is free tuition at the point of use, funded progressively and rationed by ability. A society that charges for talent development ends up paying more, in lost potential, than it saves.