Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-10

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 recent years, an increasing number of tourists have chosen to visit places with challenging conditions, such as the Sahara Desert and Antarctica. Although travelling to these remote destinations can provide valuable experiences and personal benefits, it also involves considerable risks and disadvantages.

One major benefit of visiting difficult environments is that tourists can experience unique landscapes and cultures that are not available in ordinary holiday destinations. For example, visitors to the Sahara can witness vast sand dunes, traditional nomadic communities and spectacular sunsets, while tourists in Antarctica can observe penguins, whales and enormous icebergs in their natural habitat. Such experiences can broaden people's knowledge of the natural world and make them more aware of the importance of protecting fragile environments. In addition, overcoming challenging conditions can give travellers a strong sense of achievement and independence. A person who successfully completes a demanding desert expedition, for instance, may return home with greater confidence and valuable memories.

However, travelling to these places also has significant disadvantages. The most obvious problem is the danger to tourists' health and safety. Extreme temperatures, dehydration, limited medical facilities and sudden changes in weather can all cause serious problems. In Antarctica, for example, extremely cold conditions and remote locations mean that medical assistance may be difficult to obtain in an emergency. Similarly, travellers in the Sahara can become lost or suffer from severe dehydration if they are not properly prepared. These risks also mean that such trips can

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The essay addresses both the benefits and disadvantages of visiting extreme environments. The ideas are relevant and well-supported with specific examples like the Sahara and Antarctica. However, the response is incomplete as it cuts off mid-sentence at the end, failing to provide a conclusion or a full discussion of the final point. Because the response is under the 250-word minimum and lacks a conclusion, the development of ideas is curtailed, preventing a higher score. To improve, ensure you complete your arguments and provide a summary or final thought to round off the essay.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay demonstrates a clear logical progression. Paragraphs are used to separate the benefits from the disadvantages, which helps the reader follow the argument. Cohesive devices such as 'For example', 'In addition', and 'However' are used effectively to link ideas. While the abrupt ending disrupts the overall flow, the internal structure of the existing paragraphs is sound. To reach a higher band, ensure that the essay is fully finished, as an incomplete text naturally limits the ability to demonstrate a sustained, coherent argument throughout the entire response.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

The vocabulary is generally appropriate and precise for the topic. Phrases like 'challenging conditions', 'fragile environments', and 'demanding desert expedition' show a good range of topic-specific language. The student uses collocations effectively and avoids repetitive phrasing. There are no significant spelling or word-choice errors in the text provided. The lexical range is sufficient to convey complex ideas clearly. To improve further, try to incorporate more sophisticated, less common idiomatic expressions or academic collocations to demonstrate a higher level of lexical flexibility.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The essay displays a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. The grammar is accurate, with few errors in tense or subject-verb agreement. Complex structures, such as the conditional 'If they are not properly prepared', are handled correctly. Punctuation is generally accurate, aiding readability. The writing is clear and error-free for the most part, which is a strong point. To achieve a higher band, ensure that you maintain this level of accuracy throughout a longer, fully developed piece of writing, and perhaps experiment with a wider variety of complex grammatical forms.

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