Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-07-26

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 6.5)

In the era of globalization and social media, people often choose their travel destinations based an influence they fell from some short videos. Specially, the places which give more thrills and real life experiences, such as hundreds miles in a dessert or in middle of an ice cold Antarctic ocean. With an expectation of thrill, an unannounced risk is always associated.

The major perk for travelers who choose to visit such destinations is a lifetime experience. These places rewards them with something, which can not be expressed in words. Their physical and mental strength gets tested here, some which they may not even be aware of themselves. Moreover, they are able to witness a drastic improvement in their decision making and team work skills. For example, dry air and hot humid makes them realize how important it is for humans to be hydrated to survive in such conditions.

Considering the drawbacks of such trips, the cost associated with them are always higher compared to any trip abroad, due to limited transportation options. In addition, tourists has to prepare themselves for the risk of getting a stroke, a froze bite, dehydration and other physical factors. Medical resources are limited too in such areas. Lastly, remote areas offering no network to their phones, the last minute weather changes surprises them with unexpected storms whether snow, rain or sand ones.

To conclude, I feel the group of individuals who choose these sort of places for their vacation are always physically fit and mentally ready to face the last minute consequences. The thrill, excitement and experiences from these places are no ordinary. Hence, I believe the hardships improves their survival skills and they seek for similar or places with more risks for their next destination to test their learnings and capabilities.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses both the benefits and disadvantages of visiting extreme environments. The ideas are relevant, such as personal growth and decision-making for benefits, and high costs and physical risks for disadvantages. However, the development of these points is somewhat superficial. For instance, the mention of 'decision making and team work skills' is not fully explained or linked back to the specific context of extreme travel. While the position is clear, the supporting examples could be more detailed to reach a higher band. The response covers all parts of the prompt, but the depth of analysis is limited, which is characteristic of a Band 6.0 performance.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized into four paragraphs: an introduction, two body paragraphs covering benefits and drawbacks, and a conclusion. There is a clear progression of ideas. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Moreover', 'In addition', and 'To conclude', though some transitions feel slightly mechanical. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct themes. However, there are instances where the flow is slightly hindered by awkward phrasing, such as 'some which they may not even be aware of themselves'. Overall, the structure is coherent and easy to follow, meeting the requirements for a Band 6.5 or 7.0, but the lack of sophisticated linking devices keeps it at a 6.5.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task. You use some topic-specific terms like 'globalization', 'dehydration', and 'remote areas'. However, there are several inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'an influence they fell' (felt), 'hundreds miles' (hundreds of miles), and 'a froze bite' (frostbite). These errors do not impede communication, but they demonstrate a limited range of vocabulary for more complex ideas. To improve, focus on using more precise collocations and ensuring the correct form of words is used in context. The current range is sufficient to convey meaning but lacks the precision required for higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While you attempt complex sentences, there are frequent grammatical errors, such as 'tourists has to' (subject-verb agreement), 'the cost associated with them are' (subject-verb agreement), and 'whether snow, rain or sand ones'. Punctuation is generally acceptable, but the grammatical slips are noticeable throughout the text. These errors rarely impede communication, but they do occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Increasing the accuracy of basic grammatical rules and refining the use of complex structures will help elevate your score in this criterion.

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