Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · IELTS Summit Mastery · 2026-07-30

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Tourism is one of the fastest growing industries and contributes a great deal to economies around the world. However, the damage tourism can cause to local cultures and the environment is often ignored.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Student answer (Band 7.5)

Over the past few decades, the world has seen a rise in tourism as accommodations and advancements are made within that particular field, aiding the practice. Several people see this as a positive, believing that this will allow more people to experience diverse cultures and become more knowledgeable regarding them. Additionally, it holds great economical value. However, there are those who completely disagree with this statement, and are instead more inclined to believe that tourism will have a rather negative impact on their traditions and environments. This essay will provide a list of reasons for why I gravitate strongly to the former opinion: that tourism proves to be a great deal both economically and socially.

Tourism is often seen a luxurious experience, one to be revelled. To be able to travel wherever and whenever for a pay seems like a dream, and perhaps it is. There Earth is huge, and you may encounter people who complain that their culture is not as well known as they would like it to be, for its beauty and depth. They crave for their culture to be recognised and praised for its authenticity, and this is especially prominent in minorities. I admit that I am guilty of this. Therefore, whenever we see tourists roam our very land with a big smile on their faces as they take in the new environment, that is most likely vastly different to their life back home, we share that happiness with them. This is because we are delighted that foreign eyes have finally seen the beauty of our culture. They gain a plethora of knowledge about a country they've only heard about breifly on the news. This allows them to become more in-touch with their surroundings and reality itself, and it enables respect towards the culture especially after they explore its origins and its depth. It is a beautiful exchange. For example, I am Sudanese, and our culture is so different from that of European nations. So, the first time I took in the history behind the long-lived buildings of Germany, it was like I had a revelation. It was certainly an immersive experience, and these tourists get to experience it far more frequently than we will. Isn't that amazing?

Of course, it is absolutely normal to fear the damage and neglect that some tourists inflict on these countries. However, it is important to understand that that is a rare case, since most tourists have been found to be quite respectful and aware of the environment around them given the fluctuating societal standards around the world. Therefore, they take the time to read up on the societal expectations and basic etiquette of the country they are visiting, to ensure that they are as appropriate as one can be within that environment. I, for one, spent an entire week before our travel reading articles about the manners in Germany thoroughly, so that I do not ever come off as insensitive or out-of-touch.

Over and above that, there is no denying the massive impact tourism has had on economies around the world. It is undoubtedly one of the biggest contributers to these economies, as travelling is not at all a cheap activity. These tourists devote so much of their money to a lovely, out-of-this-world experience in another country. People must be reminded that it is not just the ticket: but clothes adhering to the climate of that specific country, which may range from things as expensive as hiking equipment, to simpler, cheaper items such as socks. Some would also love to invest in guides to help them around the foreign area in an orderly manner. Hypothetically, if tourism was to be abolished, our economies would get hit extremely hard as it is such a huge market. Hence, it holds a lot of significance.

In conclusion, I must say I strongly agree that tourism is not just important regarding the economical aspect, but the societal aspect too. Tourism has managed to spread greatly, despite its great costs, and for that reason, I believe it would be nearly impossible for governments to stabilise themselves without it. It is also seen as a heartfelt exchange of cultures, and disrespect is infrequent.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, clearly stating a position in favor of tourism. The ideas are well-developed, particularly the personal anecdote regarding the Sudanese perspective on cultural exchange and the economic argument. However, the essay tends to over-generalize, such as the claim that tourism-related damage is a 'rare case,' which slightly weakens the depth of the argument against the prompt's premise. Despite this, the position is consistent throughout, and the arguments are supported with relevant examples, meeting the requirements for a Band 7.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Each paragraph has a central theme, such as cultural exchange, the behavior of tourists, and economic impact. Cohesive devices are used effectively, such as 'Over and above that' and 'In conclusion,' though some transitions feel slightly mechanical. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct ideas. The progression of ideas is clear, and the referencing is generally consistent, making the text easy to follow throughout.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

The student demonstrates a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic with some flexibility. Phrases like 'revelled,' 'authenticity,' 'plethora of knowledge,' and 'immersive experience' show a good command of language. There are occasional minor inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'contributers' (spelling) and 'economical value' (should be 'economic value'). However, these errors do not impede communication, and the student successfully uses less common lexical items to convey their points effectively.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There is good control over grammar, with many error-free sentences. However, there are occasional slips, such as 'There Earth is huge' (likely a typo for 'The Earth') and 'breifly' (spelling). Punctuation is generally accurate, though some sentence constructions are slightly wordy. The variety of structures is sufficient to demonstrate a good level of control, and the errors present do not interfere with the reader's understanding of the arguments.

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