Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-06

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)

Undoubtedly, an increasing number of people are visiting places like Sahara desert or Antarctica where the living conditions are difficult. This essay will discuss the positives and negatives for the tourists travelling to such places.

There are some advantages for travellers going to Sahara and Antarctica. Firstly, by spending some time in these areas people can deeply understand the phenomena of nature and experience the wildlife there. This information is provided by the guides who often take visitors for the walk in the surroundings where they obtain knowledge about the desert life and glaciers. Furthermore, this also gives the chance to the individuals to test themselves in the extreme weather conditions. This also shows their level of fitness because people who are suffering from life threatening diseases such as heart and respiratory problems are not permitted by the physicians to take this trip. Therefore, these unique journeys given them the chance for personal growth.

The idea of going to Sahara and the Antarctic comes with a plenty of drawbacks. This includes extreme weather conditions and limited medical assistance in case of an emergency. Although these trips are planned by professional teams, the weather conditions cannot be controlled by humans. Tornados in the desert and melting ice-bergs in the southern pole can become a threat to human lives at anytime. In addition, gaining this experience is expensive. Its high cost makes it unaffordable for the majority of the public.

In conclusion, it is irrefutable that observing the Sahara and Antarctica closely provides us with a knowledge while experiencing it live and challenge our physical ability. Nonetheless, people also become prone to face natural disasters along with limited supply for medicines.

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 the educational value and personal growth versus the risks and high costs. However, the development is somewhat limited; for instance, the point about 'testing oneself' is a bit brief, and the conclusion introduces a slight shift in focus by mentioning 'limited supply for medicines' which was not fully explored in the body paragraphs. To reach a higher band, ensure that each point is fully extended with more specific examples or deeper analysis of the implications.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the benefits from the drawbacks. Cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'Furthermore', 'In addition', and 'Nonetheless' are used to guide the reader through the argument. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the referencing could be smoother. For example, the phrase 'This also shows their level of fitness' is a bit abrupt. Overall, the progression of ideas is clear and easy to follow throughout the response.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, with some attempts at less common items like 'phenomena', 'respiratory', and 'unaffordable'. There are some minor errors in collocation and word choice, such as 'a plenty of drawbacks' (should be 'plenty of drawbacks') and 'provides us with a knowledge' (should be 'provides us with knowledge'). While the range is sufficient to convey meaning clearly, it lacks the sophistication and precision required for higher bands. Expanding the use of topic-specific collocations would improve the score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'travelling to such places' (should be 'traveling to such places' or 'who travel'), 'given them the chance' (should be 'gives them'), and 'challenge our physical ability' (should be 'challenges'). Punctuation is generally correct, but there are minor slips in article usage and subject-verb agreement. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Increasing the variety of complex structures while maintaining accuracy would be beneficial.

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