Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-09-15

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)

People have different attitudes towards experiencing new things. While some individuals enjoy visiting unfamiliar places and trying different types of food, others prefer to continue doing activities that they already know and feel comfortable with. This essay will discuss both prespectives and explain why I believe trying new things is generally more beneficial.

On the one hand, many people prefer familiar experience because they provide a sense of comfort and security. When people repeatedly visit the same places, eat familiar food or follow the same rountines, they know what to expect and are less likely to face disappointment. This can be particularly important for people who have busy or stressfull lives, as familiar activities can help them relax without requiring much planning or adjustment. For example, someone who regularly visits the same restaurant may prefer it because they already know that the food and service meet their expectations.

On the other hand, trying new things can provide valuable experiences and help people develop personally. Visiting unfamiliar places allows individuals to learn about different cultures, lifestyles and traditions. Similarly, tasting new foods can introduce people to different flavours and encourge them to become more open-minded. Furthermore, experiencing unfamiliar situations can improve a person's confidence and ability to adapt to change. For instance, travelling to another country can initially be challenging, but it can teach people how to communicate with strangers and deal with unexpected situations.

In my opinion, although there are clear advantages to remaining within one's comfort zone, people should be willing to try new things from time to time. A balance between familiarity and new experience is probably the best approach. Familiar activities provide stability, while new experiences make life more interesting and can broaden people's knowledge and perspectives.

In conclusion, some people prefer familiar activities because they offer comfort and predictability, whereas others enjoy the benefits of exploring new experiences. I believe that trying new things is more advantageous because it can increase confidence, knowledge and openness to the world.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response fully addresses all parts of the task by discussing both attitudes towards new versus familiar things and clearly providing a personal opinion. The student's position is maintained throughout the essay and supported with relevant explanations and examples, such as visiting familiar restaurants or travelling to another country. Ideas are well developed and extended appropriately. The essay flows logically from exploring the comfort of routine to the personal growth offered by novel experiences, culminating in a balanced conclusion. This performance aligns well with the Band 7 requirements for Task Achievement, as all parts of the prompt are addressed with a clear position and well-supported ideas.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay demonstrates a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct central topic, introduced effectively by clear transition signals such as 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', and 'In my opinion'. Cohesive devices are used flexibly and appropriately to guide the reader through the arguments. Paragraphing is logical and fully managed, separating the introduction, the two body paragraphs exploring opposing views, the balanced perspective, and the conclusion. Referencing is clear and appropriate. The overall structure follows a standard, highly effective essay format, fulfilling the criteria for a Band 7 performance in Coherence and Cohesion.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student uses a sufficient range of vocabulary that allows for some flexibility and precision, such as 'unfamiliar places', 'open-minded', 'comfort zone', and 'stability'. There are a few minor spelling errors, such as 'prespectives' instead of 'perspectives', 'rountines' instead of 'routines', 'stressfull' instead of 'stressful', and 'encourge' instead of 'encourage'. However, these lexical slips do not impede communication. Less common items are attempted with some awareness of style and collocation. The lexical range is adequate to convey complex ideas clearly and appropriately, which fits comfortably within the Band 6.5 to 7.0 range. A band score of 6.5 is awarded here due to the minor spelling inaccuracies.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The writer demonstrates a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including conditional-like reasoning and subordinate clauses (e.g., 'When people repeatedly visit the same places...'). Grammatical control is generally strong, with frequent error-free sentences throughout the response. Punctuation is accurate, and punctuation errors are virtually absent. While there are a few minor spelling and word-choice slips noted elsewhere, the grammar itself remains robust and clear. The structures used are varied enough to show good control, matching the criteria for Band 7, where a variety of complex structures are used with good control alongside frequent error-free sentences.

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.