Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · IELTS Summit Mastery · 2026-10-06

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 6.0)

In today's world, tourism is one of the fastest growing industries and contributes a great deal to economics around the world. However, the damage tourism can cause to local cultures and the environment is often ignored. I partially agree with this view because tourists may disrespect the culture and pollute the environment while visiting different places but at the same time, the government is also putting some restrictions on the environmental and cultural damage caused by visitors.

Firstly, tourism often damage the environment as tourists litter places by throwing garbage in random areas. Visitors throw the garbage on streets and in restricted areas instead of into dustbins. They also use plastic products instead of biodegradable items, which damage the environment. Secondly, tourists can disrespect the culture of the country. This is because visitors are eager to participate in the culture of any nation and they may disrespect it by performing in a disrepectful or an insulting manner, regardless of their intention.

On the other hand, the government is putting some restrictions on tourism by allowing only biodegradable products in tourist spots. For example, encouraging people to use paper bags instead of plastic bags. This helps to prevent the environment from being damaged. Furthermore, the government is also preventing people from participating in some sensitive cultural events. Visitors can be prevented from disrespecting the culture by allowing them only for watching the events instead of becoming a participant.

In conclusion, I partially agree that the damage tourism can cause to local cultures and the environment is often ignored because tourists can damage the environment by throwing the garbage and affect the culture by disrespecting it. However, the government is considering the damage caused by visitors as allowing only biodegradable items and preventing visitors from participating in sensitive cultural events. I believe that some damage may be ignored, but the government is considering some amount of damage caused to tourist places.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

Note that 46 words copied from the task prompt were not counted towards the minimum length. The response addresses all parts of the task and presents a clear position throughout, acknowledging both sides of the issue. The main ideas are relevant, but some are more fully developed than others. For example, the points regarding environmental damage and government restrictions on biodegradable products are adequately explained with examples like paper bags. However, the explanation regarding cultural disrespect is somewhat repetitive and under-developed, relying on general statements like 'performing in a disrespectful or an insulting manner' without providing a concrete example. To reach a higher band, all ideas would need equal extension and support with more specific illustrations.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response presents a coherent overall arrangement with a clear, logical structure, dividing the arguments into environmental and cultural impacts followed by governmental countermeasures. Paragraphing is used appropriately, with distinct introductions to each body paragraph. However, cohesion is sometimes mechanical or repetitive, particularly in the transitions between paragraphs, relying heavily on basic linkers such as 'Firstly', 'Secondly', 'On the other hand', and 'Furthermore'. Referencing is generally clear, but the flow between sentences could be smoother to avoid a formulaic progression. To achieve a higher level of cohesion, the writer should employ a wider variety of more subtle and flexible cohesive devices rather than standard listing words.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The response demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully communicating the main arguments about tourism, economies, and environmental damage. The writer attempts less common vocabulary, such as 'biodegradable', 'restrictions', and 'participation', but there are some inaccuracies in word choice, collocation, and word form. For instance, the phrase 'contributes a great deal to economics' incorrectly uses 'economics' instead of 'economies', and 'disrepectful' contains a spelling error. Other minor lexical slips occur, such as 'allowing them only for watching', which impacts naturalness and precision. To progress further, the student needs to use less common lexical items with greater precision and stylistic awareness.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing relative clauses and conditional-like structures successfully. There are some errors in grammar and punctuation, but they rarely impede communication. Examples of grammatical lapses include preposition and article usage within patterns, such as 'tourism often damage the environment' (subject-verb agreement error) and 'throwing the garbage' (unnecessary definite article). Additionally, phrasing like 'by allowing only biodegradable products' and 'considering some amount of damage' shows slight awkwardness in structural control. The majority of simple sentences are clear, but attempts at complex structures occasionally introduce minor errors. To improve, the writer should focus on greater accuracy in verb agreement and prepositional patterns.

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.