Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · IELTS Summit Mastery · 2026-09-12

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 7.0)

Tourism is one of the fastest-growing industries in the world and plays an important role in the economies of many countries. However, it can also have negative effects on local cultures and the natural environment. I largely agree that these harmful effects are often ignored because the economic benefits of tourism usually receive more attention.

One major problem caused by tourism is damage to the environment. Large numbers of tourists can produce huge amounts of waste, increase pollution and put pressure on natural resources. For example, popular beaches and mountains may become polluted because of plastic waste and overcrowding. In addition, the construction of hotels, roads and other tourist facilities can destroy forests and natural habitats. If tourism is not properly controlled, these environmental problems can become permanent.

Tourism can also have a negative impact on local cultures. When a large number of visitors come to a traditional community, local customs and lifestyles may gradually change to satisfy tourists. Traditional food, clothing and festivals may sometimes be turned into commercial products rather than being maintained for cultural reasons. Furthermore, the behaviour of some tourists may not respect local traditions, beliefs or social rules. As a result, the unique identity of local communities can become weaker over time.

However, tourism is not entirely harmful. It creates employment, provides income for local people and contributes significantly to national economies. It can also encourage governments and communities to protect historical buildings, traditional arts and natural attractions because these places are valuable to tourists. Therefore, the problem is not tourism itself, but uncontrolled and irresponsible tourism.

In conclusion, I strongly agree that the negative effects of tourism on local cultures and the environment are sometimes overlooked because of its economic benefits. Governments should promote sustainable tourism by controlling visitor numbers, protecting natural areas and respecting local traditions. This would allow countries to enjoy the economic advantages of tourism without seriously damaging their environment and culture.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response fully addresses all parts of the task by taking a clear and well-developed position on the extent of agreement. The writer acknowledges both the environmental and cultural damages caused by tourism while also balancing the discussion by noting its economic advantages. Ideas are well-supported with relevant examples, such as plastic waste on popular beaches, overcrowding, and the commercialisation of traditional festivals and clothing. The arguments flow logically from the introduction to the conclusion, resulting in a robust, comprehensive treatment of the prompt that aligns well with the Band 8 descriptors.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay demonstrates a clear logical progression and a well-managed overall structure. Each paragraph has a distinct central topic, moving smoothly from environmental impacts to cultural impacts, counterbalancing economic benefits, and finally concluding with sustainable solutions. Cohesive devices such as 'In addition', 'Furthermore', 'However', and 'In conclusion' are used naturally and effectively to guide the reader through the argument. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately throughout the response, meeting the criteria for a solid Band 7 or Band 8.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The student exhibits a sufficient and appropriate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully incorporating less common lexical items such as 'commercial products', 'natural habitats', 'uncontrolled and irresponsible tourism', and 'sustainable tourism'. Word choice is generally precise and collocation is natural, as seen in phrases like 'put pressure on natural resources' and 'contributes significantly to national economies'. There are occasional standard collocations, but spelling and word choice errors are virtually absent, supporting a strong Band 7 performance.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The writer demonstrates a good mix of complex and simple sentence forms, utilizing conditional structures ('If tourism is not properly controlled...') and relative clauses effectively. The majority of sentences are error-free, and grammatical control is consistently maintained throughout the text. Punctuation is accurate, and punctuation marks like commas are correctly deployed to separate clauses in complex sentences. The control over grammar and syntax easily satisfies the requirements for a Band 7.

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