Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · IELTS Momentum Workout · 2026-08-30

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Concern for the environment is growing rapidly and more and more people are choosing to be 'eco-tourists' - travelling in responsible, environmentally-friendly ways. As a result, the eco-tourism industry is expanding.

To what extent do you think this is a positive trend?

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

Student answer (Band 6.5)

In recent years, concern about environmental protection has grown considerably, and an increasing number of people have chosen to travel in responsible and environmentally friendly ways. As a result, the eco-tourism has expanded rapidly. I believe that this is a very positive trend because it helps to protect natural environments and can provide economic benefits to local communities.

To commence with, one major advantage of eco-tourism is that it encourages people to protect the natural environment. Unlike traditional mass tourism, responsible tourism aims to reduce pollution, waste and damage to natural habitats. Eco-trourists are often encouraged to avoid littering, reduce the use of plastic and respect wildlife and local ecosystems. For example, visitors to national parks may be required to folloe specific rules, such as staying on designated paths and avoiding contact with wild animals. As a result, tourism can generate income without causing unnecessary damage to forests.

Furthermore, the growth of eco-tourism can provide economic opportunities for local communities. Tourist often spend money on local accommodation, transportation, food and guided activities. This can create employment opportunities and increase the income of people living near tourist destinations.

However, eco-tourism can still create environmental problems if it is not properly managed. A large number of visitors to a natural area can damage ecosystems, produce waste and disturb wildlife, even when tourists attempt to behave responsibly. In addition, some companies may describe their services as eco-friendly mainly to attract customers without genuinely following sustainable practices. Therefore, governments and tourism companies should establish strict environmental regulations.

In conlcusion, I believe that the rapid growth of eco-tourism is a highly positive trend. It encourages environmental protectiona and provides emplyment and income for local communities. However, disadvantages can be reduced through strict laws or regulations establish by governments and tourism organisations.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

You have addressed all parts of the prompt, providing a clear position that the trend is positive while acknowledging potential drawbacks. Your ideas are relevant and well-supported, particularly in the body paragraphs where you contrast traditional tourism with eco-tourism and discuss the economic benefits. The conclusion effectively summarizes your stance. To reach a higher band, ensure that your counter-argument in the fourth paragraph is more deeply integrated into your overall argument; while you mention that management is needed, you could further explain how this regulation reinforces the 'positive trend' rather than just acting as a caveat.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central theme, and you use cohesive devices such as 'To commence with', 'Furthermore', and 'However' to link your points effectively. The paragraphing is appropriate and contributes to the overall clarity of the argument. To improve, ensure that referencing is always precise; for example, in the third paragraph, 'Tourist often spend' should be 'Tourists often spend'. Additionally, try to vary your cohesive devices slightly more to avoid a somewhat mechanical feel in the transition between paragraphs.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic with precision. Terms like 'natural habitats', 'designated paths', and 'sustainable practices' are used appropriately. However, there are some spelling errors, such as 'folloe' (follow), 'conlcusion' (conclusion), 'protectiona' (protection), and 'emplyment' (employment). These minor slips do not impede communication but prevent a higher score. To improve, focus on using more sophisticated collocations or idiomatic expressions to demonstrate a wider, more flexible range of vocabulary, and ensure you proofread for these small mechanical errors.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this task. Most of your sentences are clear and error-free, allowing for easy reading. There are a few minor grammatical slips, such as 'the eco-tourism has expanded' (remove 'the') and 'Tourist often spend' (should be plural 'Tourists'). Punctuation is generally accurate. To achieve a higher band, aim to incorporate a greater variety of complex structures, such as conditional sentences or passive voice constructions, while maintaining the high level of accuracy you have already demonstrated.

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

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