Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-18

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 6.0)

Nowadays, an increasing number of tourists are travelling to places with challenging environmental conditions, such as the Sahara Desert and Antarctica. Although such destinations can provide valuable experiences can several benefits, they also involved considerable risks and drawbacks.

To begin with, one key merit is that visiting extreme environments requires individuals to push their limits, leading to increased self-confidence and resilience. Overcoming challenges in difficult conditions often results in significant personal growth. Also, Tourists develop greater environmental awareness and appreciation by witnessing pristine, untouched natural landscapes. This exposure can encourage conservation-minded behaviours. For instance, travelling to challenging destinations can help people develop confidence and resilience. Overcoming difficulties such as extreme temperatures, long journeys and limited facilities can be personally and memorable.

Furthermore, challenging environments offer thrilling adventures unavailable elsewhere, attracting tourists seeking extraordinary experiences. These adventures make life exciting and fulfilling. For example, trekking in Antarctica or scaling active volcanoes offers an unparalleled sense of achievement and adventure beyond conventional vacations. Moreover, harsh destinations offer unique experiences that cannot be replicated elsewhere, providing lifelong memories. These exceptional journeys can greatly enrich a person's life. As an example, observing the Northern Lights in remote Arctic regions creates lasting memories that traditional tourist spots cannot match.

In conclusion, visiting challenging destinations can offer unforgettable experiences, educational benefits and economic opportunities. Nevertheless, to potential risks to tourists and the environment should not be ignored. Therefore, such tourism should be carefully managed so that people can explore these remarkable places without causing unnecessary harm.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: benefits and disadvantages. The position is clear throughout. However, the development of the 'disadvantages' is somewhat limited. While you mention that these places involve 'considerable risks and drawbacks' in the introduction, the body paragraphs focus almost exclusively on the benefits. The conclusion briefly mentions that risks to tourists and the environment should not be ignored, but these points are not developed with specific examples or explanations in the body of the essay. To achieve a higher band, ensure that the disadvantages are given equal weight and depth of analysis as the benefits.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the progression of ideas is generally easy to follow. You use a range of cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'Furthermore', and 'Moreover' to link your ideas. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the referencing could be more precise in places. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the overall structure supports the development of your argument effectively.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic with some precision. Phrases like 'pristine, untouched natural landscapes', 'conservation-minded behaviours', and 'unparalleled sense of achievement' are well-chosen and appropriate for the context. There are occasional minor errors in word choice, such as 'they also involved' (should be 'involve') and 'can several benefits' (which is grammatically awkward). While you successfully use some less common items, the vocabulary is generally functional rather than highly sophisticated. Expanding your range of collocations would further enhance your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several error-free sentences, which indicates good control. However, there are some persistent grammatical slips, such as 'Although such destinations can provide valuable experiences can several benefits' (a redundant verb) and 'to potential risks' (an unnecessary preposition). These errors do not impede communication, but they do prevent the essay from reaching the higher bands where the majority of sentences are error-free. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and avoiding redundant words will help improve your accuracy.

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