Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-08-08

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Some people like to try new things, for example, places to visit and types of food. Other people prefer to keep doing things they are familiar with.

Discuss both these attitudes and give your own opinion.

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

 

Student answer (Band 6.5)

Trying new things is applicable to some persons while other individuals prefer to stick with familiar things. I prefer sticking to familiar things. Trying new things bring about new memories and diversity.

When individuals try new food or visit new places, the brain registers it as something outside the regular routine. This leads to the formation of new memories. Whether the memory is fun or not is solely dependent on experience. Most individuals who are steadily exposed to new things and new memories often lead a very fulfilled and fun life. These persons are at a lower risk of neurological diseases such as dementia. Trying new things also brings about diversity. If individuals are opportune to travel to different parts of the world, there will be noticeable differences in food and culture. These differences allow individuals to appreciate diversity. It also allows people to learn things about different cultures and appreciate their way of life. For example, If individuals visit the western part of Nigeria, they will observe the way they dress in their BUBA and wrapper and the type of food they eat, which is different from other parts of the world.

On the other hand, some individuals will rather stick to things they are familiar with. These persons perceive new things as risky and expensive. Trying new things can be a risk as they have no idea what the outcome will be. Visting new places means being accustomed to difference in language, dressing and even food. Most persons are never ready to go through this major change in their routine. Individuals with allergies often prefer not to try new things, as you never know what will send them to the hospital. Some countries also have some tropical diseases that a foreigner's immune system cannot handle. Furthermore, trying new things can also be very expensive. These expenses make most individuals to stick with things they are familiar with. For instance, travelling to visit a new place and try new food can be expensive. These expenses can come from flight tickets, visas and even hotels.

In conclusion, trying new things is applicable to some persons while other individuals prefer to stick with familiar things. I prefer sticking to familiar things due to the risk and expenses involved. Trying new things bring about new memories and diversity.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both attitudes and providing a clear personal opinion. The ideas are relevant and supported with examples, such as the mention of Nigerian cultural attire and the practical risks of travel. However, the development is somewhat uneven; the argument for sticking to familiar things is more detailed than the argument for trying new things. While the position is clear, the conclusion repeats the introduction almost verbatim, which limits the depth of the final summary. To reach a higher band, ensure that the conclusion synthesizes the main points rather than simply restating them.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized into distinct paragraphs, each focusing on a specific aspect of the prompt. There is a clear progression of ideas from the benefits of new experiences to the drawbacks and the preference for familiarity. Cohesive devices such as 'On the other hand,' 'Furthermore,' and 'For instance' are used effectively to link sentences and paragraphs. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the referencing could be more varied. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the central topic of each paragraph is clearly identifiable, ensuring the reader can follow the argument without difficulty.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary used is generally adequate and appropriate for the task. You demonstrate the ability to use topic-specific terms like 'neurological diseases,' 'dementia,' and 'immune system.' There are some minor inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'applicable to some persons' (better: 'appealing to some people') and 'opportune to travel' (better: 'have the opportunity to travel'). While the range is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly, there is limited use of less common or idiomatic vocabulary. To improve, try to incorporate more precise collocations and varied synonyms to avoid repetition of basic words like 'things' and 'individuals.'

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There is good control over basic grammar, but there are several recurring errors. For example, subject-verb agreement issues occur, such as 'Trying new things bring' (should be 'brings') and 'These expenses make most individuals to stick' (should be 'make... stick'). Additionally, there are minor punctuation errors, such as the unnecessary capitalization of 'BUBA.' While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Increasing the variety of complex structures and proofreading for subject-verb agreement would significantly enhance the quality of your writing.

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