Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-09-15
IELTS Writing Task 2 question
In the future, more people will choose to go on holiday in their own country and not travel abroad on holiday. Do you agree or disagree?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Student answer (Band 6.5)
Travel abroad on holiday will become a matter of considerable debate in contemporary society in the future. While others believe more people will choose to go on holiday in their own country. There are valid arguments on both sides but I disagree with this statement. This essay will examine the principal reasons behind this view and consider its wider implications.
One significant reason is that travel to different country for vocation can play a pivotal role in shaping individuals' personal development. This is largely because it can encourage people to step outside their comfort zones and adapt to unfamiliar circumstances. As a result, they may become more self-reliant, resilient and capable of dealing with unexpected challenges. For instance, people who encounter unfamiliar environments are often required to make independent decisions and find practical solutions to everyday problems. Consequently, such experiences can broaden their horizons and foster long-term personal growth.
Another compelling argument concerns the broader social implications of travel abroad on holiday. More specifically, it can expose individuals to diverse perspectives, cultures and ways of life. This exposure can foster greater understanding and enable people to appreciate viewpoints that differ from their own. A clear example of this can be seen when individuals interact closely with people from different cultural or social backgrounds. Over time, such experiences can cultivate cultural awareness, mutual understanding and stronger social cohesion.
In conclusion, while there are valid arguments concerning travel for vocation, I believe that holiday on new country is always a better choice. Ultimately, the potential consequences for individuals, communities and society should be carefully evaluated, particularly in terms of personal development, social interaction and long-term opportunities.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.0 |
| Overall | 6.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5
The candidate addresses all parts of the prompt by taking a clear position ('I disagree with this statement') and extending well-developed ideas regarding personal development and social implications. The position is maintained throughout the essay. However, there is a slight lack of direct engagement with the specific nuance of the prompt regarding holiday preferences in one's own country versus abroad, focusing instead heavily on the generalized benefits of foreign travel. Despite this minor narrowing of scope, the main arguments are adequately supported with relevant reasoning, aligning well with the Band 6.5 to Band 7 descriptor range for clear positioning and extended ideas.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0
The response demonstrates a clear logical organisation with an introduction, well-defined body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Ideas are logically sequenced, moving from personal development to social implications. Cohesive devices such as 'This is largely because', 'As a result', and 'More specifically' are employed effectively to guide the reader through the text. Paragraphing is used appropriately, and referencing is generally clear throughout. While cohesion can occasionally feel slightly formulaic, the overall structure supports a coherent progression of ideas, comfortably satisfying the requirements for Band 7.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.0
The candidate uses an adequate and at times ambitious range of vocabulary suitable for the task, incorporating less common items such as 'contemporary society', 'pivotal role', 'self-reliant', and 'cultural awareness'. However, there are noticeable lexical errors and awkward collocations that detract from precision, such as 'travel to different country for vocation' (vacation/holiday), 'holiday on new country', and 'travel for vocation'. Spelling and word-choice errors do not impede communication, placing the vocabulary performance solidly at Band 6.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0
A mix of simple and complex sentence forms is used throughout the response, featuring complex structures like 'While others believe more people will choose to go on holiday in their own country' (though technically a sentence fragment as written) and 'For instance, people who encounter unfamiliar environments are often required to...'. There are several grammatical and mechanical errors, including sentence boundary issues in the introduction ('While others believe more people will choose to go on holiday in their own country. There are valid arguments...') and awkward phrasing ('Travel abroad on holiday will become... in the future'). These errors do not impede communication, fitting the Band 6 descriptor well.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.