Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 16 · 2026-10-18

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)

In modern era, some people enjoy trying new things, such as visiting unfamiliar places and tasting different types of food, while others prefer to stick to what they already know. Both attitudes have their own advantages, but I believe trying nea experiences is more beneficial because it helps people to learn and grow.

On the one hand, people who prefer familiar things often value comfort, safety and peace of mind. They know what to expect and do not need to worry about unpleasant surprises. For instance, someone who always eats homemade food may prefer it because they are familiar with its taste and ingredients. Similarly, when traveling, some people choose to visit the same place for their holidays every year because they already know the area, the best restaurants and the local attractions. This approch can save time, reduce stress and help people feel relaxed, particularly if they have a busy lifestlye.

On other hand,trying new things can make life more enjoyable and meaningful.By exploring new places , people can learn about other cultures, meet nrpew people and develop better understanding of the world.Likewise, tasting unfamiliar foods can introduce to new flavours

and cooking traditions.In addition, new experiences can help people to become more confident. For example, a person who move to a foreign country for the first time may initially feel nervous , but the experience can teach them to solve problems independently and communicate with others.These skills can be useful in both personal and professional life.

In my opinion , although familiar activities provide comfort and safety, people should be willing to step outside their comfort zonefrom time to time. There is no need to take unnecessary risks; instead , they can start with small changes , such as trying new dish or visting a nearby town.

Overall, while some people prefer familiar experiences because they offer comfort and security, I believe that trying new things brings greater opportunities to enhance communication skills, personal growth and enjoyment.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

The response addresses both attitudes and gives a clear, consistent opinion: trying new experiences is more beneficial, while familiar routines offer comfort and security. The discussion is relevant and supported with examples, including returning to the same holiday destination and moving to a foreign country. The explanation of how new experiences build confidence and problem-solving skills extends the argument effectively. Some points, however, remain general: the benefits of learning about cultures and developing communication skills could be illustrated or explained more specifically, and the familiar-food example is less developed than the travel example. To strengthen the response further, develop each main claim with a more precise consequence or example rather than relying on broad statements about personal growth and enjoyment.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The essay has a clear overall structure: an introduction, separate paragraphs discussing each attitude, and a conclusion that restates the writer’s view. Ideas progress logically within the body paragraphs, and examples generally follow the claims they support. Linking expressions such as “On the one hand,” “On other hand,” “For instance,” and “In addition” help signal relationships between points. At times, however, the transitions feel formulaic, and missing spaces around punctuation make some connections harder to follow, as in “On other hand,trying” and “meaningful.By exploring.” The final paragraph also repeats the central contrast and opinion rather than adding a distinct concluding insight. Use transitions more naturally and check paragraph-level flow and sentence spacing.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for discussing preferences, travel, food, and personal development. Phrases such as “peace of mind,” “step outside their comfort zone,” “solve problems independently,” and “local attractions” communicate relevant ideas clearly. There are also attempts at more specific language, including “unpleasant surprises” and “cooking traditions.” However, spelling and word-choice errors reduce precision, including “nea experiences,” “approch,” “lifestlye,” and “nrpew people.” Some expressions are also broad or slightly awkward, such as “better understanding of the world” and “new experiences can make life more enjoyable and meaningful.” Proofread carefully and build a more precise range for describing the outcomes of trying unfamiliar activities, while keeping collocations natural.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex structures, including contrast clauses (“while others prefer to stick to what they already know”) and a conditional example (“although familiar activities provide comfort and safety…”). Most sentences communicate their meaning clearly, and the writer attempts to vary sentence openings and clause patterns. Some grammatical errors remain, such as the missing article in “On other hand,” “can introduce to new flavours” (the object is missing), and “a person who move to a foreign country” (subject–verb agreement). Punctuation and spacing also need attention, particularly where sentences run together, as in “meaningful.By exploring.” These issues rarely obscure the message, but more consistent control of articles, agreement, and sentence boundaries would make the writing more accurate.

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