Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · IELTS Summit Mastery · 2026-08-05

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 6.5)

In recent times, toursim is considered as one of the rapidly growing industries and accounts for a huge benefit to economies all over the world. However, toursim can leave detrimental effects on both local cultures and environment which is often neglected. I agree to a large extent with former view because in a globally-connected world, toursim has the huge potential to alleviate the poverty of numerous societies.

To begin with, due to technological advancements, residents from different countries are connected with each other via media, internet and social media. An American businessman can easily explore the historical sites in India on his smartphone and plan for next vacation. Considering the inexpensive ticket prices of airlines and affordable hotels in India, he is inclined to travel in upcoming holidays. During his stay, he not only contributes to local economy but also promotes tourist sites with friends and family on social media. For example, Youtube Mark Weins, often travels to India for his food vlogs and documentaries. His Youtube channel is popular all over the world.

On the other hand, the citizens assert that foreign tourists misrepresent the image of local cultures and contributes pollution on their beaches and rivers by throwing garbage. They also argue their actions are neglected because of friendly treatment given to visitors. It may be true for a few cases but a large proportion of tourits honors the local laws, culture and environment by participating in local festivals like Holi festival in India. Moreover, it is a common practice of foreigners to visit sikh temples to strengthen religious harmony. They also participate in public campaigns to promote the reduction of pollution on roads, beaches and rivers. Therefore, opponents don't have any strong grounds to justify their position.

In conclusion, tourism can not only upgrade the living conditions of poorer nations but also promote their reputation around the globe. Although a small percentage of tourists may be involved in undermining the local toursim but it doesn't mean majority of tourists damage the environment and norms. Most of tourists takes great memories with them to their homes.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, maintaining a clear position throughout. You acknowledge the negative impacts mentioned in the prompt while arguing that the economic and cultural benefits outweigh them. The ideas are relevant and generally well-supported, particularly the example of the food vlogger and the mention of cultural festivals. However, the development could be more nuanced; for instance, the argument that opponents lack 'strong grounds' is a bit dismissive. To reach a higher band, ensure that the counter-arguments are addressed with more depth rather than simply being countered by personal observation. Overall, the position is consistent and the task is fully addressed.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the progression of ideas is easy to follow. You use a range of cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'On the other hand', and 'Moreover' effectively. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and there are minor issues with referencing (e.g., 'former view' should be 'the former view'). Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different sides of the argument. The flow is generally smooth, though more sophisticated linking between sentences would enhance the overall coherence.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic with some precision. Phrases like 'detrimental effects', 'alleviate the poverty', and 'strengthen religious harmony' are used effectively. There are some spelling errors, such as 'toursim' (repeatedly) and 'tourits', which are distracting. Additionally, some word choices are slightly imprecise, such as 'accounts for a huge benefit' (a better collocation would be 'provides significant economic benefits'). While you attempt less common vocabulary, the recurring spelling errors and occasional awkward collocations prevent a higher score. Focusing on accurate spelling and natural word combinations will improve this score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as the conditional 'If... then' logic and relative clauses. There are several grammatical slips, including subject-verb agreement issues (e.g., 'Most of tourists takes' should be 'Most tourists take') and article usage errors (e.g., 'contributes pollution' should be 'contributes to pollution'). While these errors are noticeable, they do not impede communication. To improve, pay closer attention to pluralization and the correct use of articles. The variety of structures is adequate for the task, but more consistent accuracy in complex sentences is needed to reach the next band level.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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