Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-21

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)

Lately, tourists are visiting places with harsh climatic conditions like the Sahara desert or the Antarctic. They face some advantages as well as disadvantages while visiting such places.

One of the benefits of visiting such places is that these places are not too crowded. They are not bombarded with tourists and you can enjoy such places at your own pace. The other benefit is that these places are untouched and you can really enjoy nature in its true form. For example, I went to a place called Aut recently, where the weather is quite cold, so it is now visited by a lot of tourists. I could really enjoy peace and serenity there, because there were not a lot of people.

While there are advantages, there are also disadvantages of travelling to such places. One drawback is, that you do not get a lot of facilities like medical facilities or even basic amenities. From the above example, while I was travelling to Aut, I had to get petrol for my bike. When I reached the petrol station, I got to know that they have not received their regular supply of petrol. Because of that, I had to travel a long distance, just to find another petrol pump.

In conclusion, I would like to say, that there are numerous pros and cons of visiting places where weather conditions are tough, but if you are willing to endure with the disadvantages, then it could be an experience of a lifetime. The advantages or disadvantages can also be subjective. What one might see as an advantage could be a disadvantage for another.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses both the benefits and disadvantages of visiting extreme environments. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. While you mention the lack of crowds and the untouched nature of these places as benefits, and the lack of amenities as a disadvantage, the arguments could be more thoroughly extended. The example provided regarding 'Aut' is a bit tangential, as it is described as a cold place rather than an extreme environment like the Sahara or Antarctica. To reach a higher band, ensure your examples are more directly relevant to the prompt and provide more depth in your analysis of why these conditions impact the tourist experience.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized into clear paragraphs, each with a central theme. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'One of the benefits', 'The other benefit', and 'While there are advantages'. These help the reader follow your argument. However, the progression between sentences is sometimes a bit mechanical, and the use of cohesive devices could be more varied to improve the flow. Paragraphing is used appropriately, and the introduction and conclusion provide a clear structure to the response. To improve, try using more sophisticated linking words and phrases to connect your ideas more fluidly.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'climatic conditions', 'amenities', 'serenity', and 'subjective'. However, the vocabulary is somewhat repetitive, particularly the use of 'places' and 'advantages/disadvantages'. There are no significant spelling errors, but the range of vocabulary is not yet wide enough to demonstrate the flexibility required for a higher band. To improve, try to incorporate more precise synonyms and topic-specific collocations related to travel and extreme environments to show a greater command of the language.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While most of your sentences are clear and easy to understand, there are some minor punctuation errors, such as the unnecessary comma in 'One drawback is, that you do not get...'. Your control over basic grammar is generally good, but there is a lack of more complex grammatical structures (such as conditionals or passive voice) that would demonstrate a wider range. The errors present do not impede communication, but they do prevent the writing from being considered highly accurate or sophisticated.

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