Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-07-24

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Today more and more tourists are visiting places where conditions are difficult, such as the Sahara desert or the Antarctic.

What are the benefits and disadvantages for tourists who visit such places?

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

 

Student answer (Band 7.0)

It has become increasingly common for individuals to visit famous attractions such as the Sahara Desert and Antarctica, and this number is increasing with the passage of time. In my opinion, although the benefits of this trend are significant, despite having negative effects.

One of the main advantages of visiting the Sahara Desert and Antarctica is make this a memorable experience. These kinds of places offer the opportunity to see different species of flora and fauna, to observe their habitat and how they survive in these extreme environments. Therefore, it not only broadens people's horizons, but also allows them to enjoy a breathtaking and tranquil atmosphere.

Personal development is the other major benefit of travelling to such places. If people travel in the Sahara Desert and Antarctica, then they can learn how important it is to attain goals to move out of their comfort zone by observing the local cultures and traditions of those areas. As a result, this may develop confidence, problem-solving and decision- making.

On the other hand, travelling to these areas can be dangerous and expensive. For example, the Sahara Desert has the highest temperature, which may cause health issues such as sunburn. Additionally, there are very few medical facilities, some proper safety measures and equipment, which are expensive.

This trend may also disturb the ecosystem. If the tourists number increase day by day, then it produces huge waste in the surroundings. It means more pollution in the environment. Therefore, a growing number of visitors may disrupt the local wildlife due to pollution, global warming and greenhouse gases.

To conclude, though tourists can gain knowledge and personal development by learning through local experiences, it is likely to be difficult and increase expenditure for visitors, as well as disturb the whole ecosystem due to more pollution.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt by discussing both benefits and disadvantages of extreme tourism. The position is clear from the introduction, and the main ideas—such as personal development and environmental impact—are relevant. However, the development of these ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the point about 'problem-solving' is mentioned but not fully explained or illustrated with a concrete example. To reach a higher band, ensure that every point is supported by a clear, logical explanation or a specific example. The conclusion effectively summarizes the main points, maintaining a consistent stance throughout the essay.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organized into distinct paragraphs, each focusing on a specific aspect of the topic. Cohesive devices such as 'Therefore,' 'On the other hand,' and 'Additionally' are used to guide the reader through the argument. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and there are instances where the flow between sentences could be smoother. For example, the transition between the benefits of personal development and the disadvantages of safety is clear, but the internal structure of the paragraphs could be more sophisticated. Overall, the progression of ideas is easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the writer to convey their ideas clearly. There is an attempt to use topic-specific vocabulary such as 'extreme environments,' 'flora and fauna,' and 'ecosystem.' However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'make this a memorable experience' (which lacks a subject) and 'some proper safety measures' (which is slightly awkward in context). The range is sufficient to discuss the topic, but more precise or sophisticated vocabulary would be needed to reach a higher band.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text, such as 'the tourists number increase' (should be 'the number of tourists increases') and 'despite having negative effects' (which is a fragment). Punctuation is generally functional, but there are minor errors in sentence construction. The writer demonstrates an ability to use complex structures, but these are not always error-free. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and sentence completeness would significantly improve the accuracy of the writing.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.