Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-09

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)

Some visitors and tourists like to travel to new, unknown places and to taste numerous types of new food dishes, while others are comfortable with the same things, such as regular food items, native places or traditional clothes. I firmly believe that individuals should try to explore new places and food items. The following paragraphs will further elucidate both views and pertinent examples to support them.

On the one hand, people are encouraged to go on international trips to explore cultural places, historical buildings, and gourmet foods. The foremost reason behind this is that they want to gain knowledge about different cultures and the history of their ancient lives. Besides that, they also want to eat new meals from various countries to explore new spices and methods of presentation. For example, travellers like to go to countries like India to try food dishes such as “Gujarati Thali,” which includes a starter, a meal and a sweet.

On the other hand, individuals do not want to go outside their native places because they have a better attachment and feeling with their house and their own city. Besides that, they know the people who live with them and spend their leisure time every day; thus, they do not want to break their routine by going to other cities to explore and to meet an unknown civilization. Furthermore, they feel that their native food, which they used to eat from their childhood, is healthy and delicious. That is why they cannot adopt new meals, even though they have a variety of spices and nutrients.

To recapitulate, each person has their own taste and type of hobby, such as eating new food and discovering places abroad. In my opinion, I prefer to travel to international destinations and eat new meals rather than staying at home because it has a plethora of benefits.

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, such as the desire for cultural knowledge versus the comfort of routine. However, the development is somewhat limited; while the points are clear, they could be extended with more depth or nuanced analysis to reach a higher band. For instance, the discussion on why people prefer familiarity is a bit repetitive regarding 'native places.' Overall, the position is consistent throughout the essay, and the task requirements are met effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand,' 'On the other hand,' and 'To recapitulate' are used effectively to guide the reader through the argument. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the two viewpoints. While the flow is generally smooth, some transitions between sentences feel slightly mechanical. Overall, the progression of ideas is clear, and the use of referencing is generally accurate, contributing to a coherent response.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary is sufficient to convey the intended meaning clearly. There is an attempt to use less common items such as 'elucidate,' 'pertinent,' and 'plethora,' which demonstrates a good range. However, there are some minor inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'ancient lives' or 'native places' (which is slightly unnatural in this context). The range is adequate for the task, but more precise and sophisticated vocabulary would be required for a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are error-free, and the grammar does not impede communication. There are some minor slips, such as 'attachment and feeling with their house' (should be 'to') and 'cannot adopt new meals' (should be 'cannot adapt to' or 'are reluctant to try'). Punctuation is generally accurate. While the control is good, the range of complex structures is somewhat limited, which keeps the score in the 6.5–7.0 range.

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

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