Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-09-19

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 been visiting extreme destinations, such as the Sahara desert or the Antarctic. While some argue that these trips can pose serious challengings, I firmly believe that the benefits for tourists, including unique experiences and personal growth, outweigh the disadvantages.

One of the most significant advantage of visiting extreme destinations is the opportunity to have a unique and unforgettable experience. For instance, tourists who explore the Sahara desert can witness vast sand dunes and experience traditional Bedouin culture, while those visiting the Antarctic can observe rare wildlife such as penguins and seals in teir natural habitat. Additionally, such trips often foster personal growth and resilience. Tourists learn to adapt to harsh conditions, manage discomfort, and develop problem-solving skills, which can be beneficial in their daily lives. As a result, these experiences provide both educational and emotional rewards that cannot be obtained through conventional travel.

Admittedly, travelling to extreme environments has several disadvantages. One major challenge is the physical and logistical difficulty of such trips. Tourists may face harsh weather, limited accessibility, and high costs, which can make the experience stressful or even dangerous. For example, visiting the Antarctic requires specialized clothing, guided tours, and strict safety measures to avoid frostbite or hhypothermia.

However, these risks can be effectively managed with proper planning, preparation, and guidance from experienced tour operators. Therefore, the disadvantages do not outweigh the significat benefits of experiencing such extraordinary locations.

In conclusion, although visiting extreme destinations can involve physical challenges and logistical difficulties, the benefits of unique experiences, personal growth, and exposure to extraordinary natural environments are far more siggnificant. Overall, it is evident that, for tourists who are well-prepared, the advantages of exploring such places clearly outweigh the disadvantages.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response fully addresses all parts of the task by discussing both the benefits (unique experiences, personal growth) and disadvantages (physical and logistical difficulties, dangers) of visiting extreme destinations like the Sahara or Antarctic. A clear position is established in the introduction and maintained consistently throughout the essay. Ideas are well-developed and supported with relevant examples, such as witnessing sand dunes, observing wildlife in the Antarctic, and the need for specialized clothing to avoid hypothermia. The response covers all aspects of the prompt thoroughly, earning a strong band score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

Information and ideas are logically sequenced, providing a clear progression throughout the essay. Each paragraph has a distinct central topic, moving smoothly from the introduction and position to benefits, disadvantages, risk management, and a final conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'while', 'Additionally', 'As a result', and 'Admittedly' are used effectively to connect ideas, though paragraphing and cohesion are straightforward rather than entirely seamless. Referencing is clear and appropriate, ensuring the text is easy to follow from start to finish.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The writer demonstrates a sufficient and flexible range of vocabulary suitable for the task. Less common lexical items are used with some awareness of style and collocation, such as 'extreme destinations', 'logistical difficulty', and 'specialized clothing'. However, there are a few minor spelling errors and typos present in the text, such as 'challengings', 'advantage' (instead of 'advantages'), 'teir', 'hhypothermia', and 'significat'. Despite these occasional inaccuracies, the vocabulary range is adequate to convey precise meaning without impeding communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The response features a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including conditional and participial clauses like 'Tourists who explore the Sahara desert can...'. The majority of sentences are grammatically sound, demonstrating good overall control of punctuation and syntax. There are occasional minor slip-ups, such as singular/plural agreement ('One of the most significant advantage'), but these errors do not impede communication. The variety of structures and reliable accuracy place this response comfortably in the band 7 range.

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