Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-07

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 5.5)

In this contemporary era, tourists likes to explore those areas where conditions are not acceptable .However, it leads several pros and cons which will be elaborated in the forthcoming paragraph along with relevant examples.

Discussing its lighter sides, The first and the foremost merit of this views is that, " Boost the economy of area" To explain further, Local residence of that area are mostly depend on the tourist for their survival of their family. As a result, tourists provide them an opportunity to earn money which is not only helpful for their betterment but also for the maintenance of that place. Another benefit is that, they can get enough knowledge by visiting that area To add it more, nowadays influencer are visiting such places to make content for their viewer .

On the darker sides, it have myriad of drawbacks as well. Primarily, it is really rocket science for the tourist to find a appropriate accommodation within a budget because all the hotels and foods are so expensive at the place. Beside this , those people want to visit that place where conditions are so critical they should be physical fit or have strong stamina. Consequently, its owing to some hazard issues. For instance, a survey contacted by government of India over 70% of people got injured during their journey in harsh destinations.

To recapitulate, Although, visiting those places provides them proper knowledge about the culture, language and traditional food of that area, sometimes in various conditions they could face different circumstances related to their health issues or personal life.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses both the benefits and disadvantages of visiting extreme locations. However, the development of ideas is somewhat superficial. For instance, the point about 'influencers' is mentioned but not clearly linked to the benefits for the tourist themselves. The example regarding the Indian government survey is specific but feels slightly disconnected from the general argument about physical stamina. To reach a higher band, you should ensure that each point is fully explained with a clear logical link to the prompt. The position is clear, but the overall depth of analysis is limited, which is characteristic of a Band 5.5 or 6.0 response.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate. Phrases like 'Discussing its lighter sides' and 'To add it more' are awkward and do not flow naturally. Additionally, some transitions are misused, such as 'Beside this' (should be 'Besides this') and 'To recapitulate' (which is slightly formal for the context). While there is a logical progression, the lack of sophisticated linking words and occasional issues with referencing make the flow feel somewhat disjointed.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks precision and variety. There are several instances of awkward phrasing and incorrect collocations, such as 'lighter sides' instead of 'advantages', 'rocket science' (which is an idiom used incorrectly here to mean 'difficult'), and 'hazard issues'. The range of vocabulary is limited, and the repetition of basic words hinders the sophistication of the argument. To improve, focus on using more academic collocations and avoiding informal or misused idioms.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('tourists likes', 'it have myriad'), incorrect article usage ('the first and the foremost merit'), and awkward sentence construction ('Local residence of that area are mostly depend'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with comma placement and the use of quotation marks. While the meaning is generally conveyed, the high frequency of errors prevents the essay from reaching a higher band.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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