Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-22

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)

Nowadays, visitors are getting more attracted to adventurous places such as Sahara desert and Antarctic. The climatic conditions of theses places are not but people still visit these areas a lot. There are numerous benefits and drawbacks for tourists who visit such places which would be discussed below.

On the one hand, visitors get a chance to explore new places. People also learn about the living style of people which varies from the people who visit their places as tourist. In this way they enjoy their visit to places where conditions are difficult to live because they come to know that how people save themselves from harsh environment. As a result, this makes them feel glad because they get a unique experience. Moreover, visiting these places is difficult which build a sense of confidence in tourists. People who visit the risk taking places are more flexible to tackle the daunting situations. This is because they go more prepared for their trip which is also good for their safety. For example, people who are going to trip to Antarctic region needs to carry extra clothes and safety equipment with them. This makes them prepare to face any challenges on their way.

On the other hand, safety risk at dangerous destinations. The people may has to face numerous problems if they are not taking enough precaution with them to deal with harsh climate. For instance, people may slip from the top areas of mountains while climbing. And some even may be infected by some unknown different allergies at new places. Furthermore, visitors has to deal with high financial cost. Visiting adventurous places always require more savings which would disbalance the account of an individual. The accommodation and travelling cost are often very high at these places. This is because very few facilities are available there.

To conclude, visiting extreme destinations have both merits and demerits. Undoubtedly, it offers a chance to get unique experience as well as appreciate the beauty of nature. However, it is costly as well as some sought of risk is involved in visiting these places. Visitors should take proper precautions and could enjoy the journey at these places.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: benefits and disadvantages of visiting extreme environments. The ideas are relevant, such as the development of confidence and the financial burden of such trips. However, the development is sometimes superficial. For example, the point about 'living style' is a bit vague and could have been better linked to cultural exchange. The position is clear throughout, and the essay maintains a consistent focus on the topic. To reach a higher band, ensure that each point is fully extended with more specific, logical reasoning rather than just stating the idea.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'On the one hand,' 'Moreover,' and 'To conclude,' which help guide the reader. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical, and there are instances where the flow is interrupted by awkward phrasing, such as 'The people may has to face' or 'some sought of risk.' Paragraphing is used appropriately, and there is a clear progression of ideas from the benefits to the drawbacks, which helps the overall structure.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the writer to express ideas clearly. There are some attempts at less common vocabulary, such as 'daunting situations' and 'precautions.' However, there are several word-choice errors and awkward collocations, such as 'disbalance the account' instead of 'strain the budget' and 'risk taking places' instead of 'high-risk destinations.' Spelling is mostly accurate, but the range is somewhat limited, preventing the essay from reaching a higher band. Focusing on more precise collocations would improve the score significantly.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'visitors has to deal,' 'people may has to face') and article usage (e.g., 'the Sahara desert,' 'the Antarctic'). Some sentences are slightly clunky, such as 'The climatic conditions of theses places are not but people still visit.' These errors are noticeable but do not consistently impede communication. To improve, the student should focus on basic agreement rules and proofreading for minor slips.

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