Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Summit Mastery · 2026-10-12

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 5.5)

It is often argued that tourism contributes a great deal to economies around the world despite the damage tourism can cause to local cultures and the environment. I completely agree with this view because it can be a huge factor deciding economy of a country.

One of the main advantages of tourism is that it contributes significantly to the economic development of a country. This is because it is a source of foreign income. As a result countries with low economic status may gain economic stability over time.Ultimately it contributes to increase gross domestic production of the country. Another benefit of tourism is that it create huge amount of employment opportunities and also create business opportunities. For example, in Sri Lanka many people working in hotels, guiding tourists and selling local products. As a result it increases living standard of the people and contributes to the increase of per capita income.

However tourism can create some drawbacks for local residents. Excessive tourist activity can cause pollution. Also overcrowding may damage natural habitats such as forest or reserves. Facility development can be a problem because it can alter the local habitats. This can lead to destruction of some cultures and habitats. Therefore, Authorities need to control the flow of tourists and should maintain in on acceptable levels. It may be a sustainable solution for both the economy and the environment.

In conclusion, Although tourism can create damages to local cultures and the environment, i believe that it provides great deal to economies around the world.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

Your position is clear: you agree that tourism brings substantial economic benefits, while acknowledging harm to cultures and the environment. You support the economic case with foreign income, employment, and a Sri Lankan example, and you mention pollution, overcrowding, and habitat damage. However, the response does not fully develop the task: the cultural impact is asserted rather than illustrated, and the environmental points would benefit from a specific example and fuller explanation. The conclusion also repeats your view without weighing the benefits against the harms. The response is 234 words, below the required 250, which limits the space available to develop these ideas. Extend the discussion with relevant examples and explain why the economic gains outweigh, or do not outweigh, the costs.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The essay has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, a paragraph on economic benefits, a paragraph on drawbacks, and a conclusion. Linking expressions such as “As a result,” “However,” and “In conclusion” help signal the main stages of the argument. At times, though, the progression within paragraphs is repetitive or abrupt: several economic benefits are listed without enough explanation connecting them, and “This can lead to destruction of some cultures and habitats” follows habitat-related points without clearly showing how cultural damage occurs. Some transitions also feel mechanical. Develop each paragraph around a clear central point, then use explanation or an example to show how that point supports your position. This would make the argument easier to follow from one idea to the next.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant topic vocabulary, including “foreign income,” “employment opportunities,” “overcrowding,” “natural habitats,” and “sustainable solution,” so the reader can understand the main ideas. However, the range is limited by repeated use of general terms such as “contributes,” “create,” and “damage,” and some combinations are not natural or precise. For example, “contributes to increase gross domestic production” and “provides great deal to economies” do not express the intended meaning idiomatically. “Low economic status” is also vague in this context. Aim for more precise collocations and vary the language used to describe economic effects and environmental costs. This will help you express familiar ideas more flexibly and accurately.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and complex sentences, including cause-and-effect structures such as “This is because…” and “As a result…,” and most of the message remains understandable. However, errors in agreement, articles, verb forms, and sentence boundaries are noticeable. Examples include “it create huge amount,” “many people working,” and “it contributes to increase”; these need more accurate verb patterns and sentence construction. There are also punctuation and capitalisation problems, such as “over time.Ultimately” and the lower-case “i” in the conclusion. Practise checking subject–verb agreement and ensuring each sentence has a complete, correctly formed clause. More accurate control of these patterns would make your argument clearer and more fluent.

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