There are different customs in different countries related to how people eat, dress, and so on. Some think that people visiting a country should behave according to customs of the country they visit. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Sample Response
Many believe travellers have an obligation to follow local customs. I am in agreement with this sentiment generally but there are exceptions to this rule where some flexibility is warranted.
Proponents would argue that being culturally sensitive is a sign of respect. The burden of fitting in falls to the guest because they made the choice to travel to the country in question. For example, following local traditions is crucial when in certain Middle Eastern countries. Some of the more religious countries enforce strict restrictions on common western practices like drinking alcohol and dressing freely. To respect the locals, tourists must modify their behaviour during their stay or risk offending residents and making a bad impression. If travellers persist in flouting local customs, they are in the wrong as there are many other more liberal options for international travel.
However, there are meaningful areas where locals must also be receptive to the views of travellers. This can be broadly grouped into religious and personal beliefs. For example, an individual from a Muslim country travelling abroad may expect to be allowed to wear a head scarf in public during their visit. This should be allowed even in situations, such as during the playing of the national anthem at sporting events in the United States, when people must remove their hats. The same principle applies to personal dietary restrictions such as those of vegetarians and vegans. If they are in a country where locals primarily eat meat, they ought to be able to make substitutions and amendments to the menu if possible.
In conclusion, it is typically important to follow the customs of a country when travelling to show deference but this can be outweighed at times by personal and religious convictions. Individuals should also be mindful of potential conflicts when choosing a travel destination from the onset.
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. State agreement directly Original: in agreement with this sentiment generally Suggested revision: generally agree with this view Why it matters: The direct verb agree is more concise and places the qualifier naturally.
- 2. Fix the relative structure Original: exceptions to this rule where some flexibility is warranted Suggested revision: cases in which some flexibility is warranted Why it matters: In which correctly links the situations to the need for flexibility.
- 3. Use present perfect Original: because they made the choice Suggested revision: because they have made the choice Why it matters: The present perfect connects the earlier travel decision to the traveller's current obligation.
- 4. Complete the time clause Original: in Suggested revision: visiting Why it matters: Adding visiting makes the reduced clause explicit and natural.
- 5. Capitalize the proper adjective Original: western Suggested revision: Western Why it matters: Western is capitalized when it refers to the cultures of Western countries.
- 6. Clarify the expression Original: dressing freely Suggested revision: dressing as they wish Why it matters: The revision expresses the intended freedom of clothing choice more naturally.
- 7. Use a precise collocation Original: making Suggested revision: creating Why it matters: Creating a bad impression is the more natural collocation in this context.
- 8. Name the alternatives clearly Original: many other more liberal options for international travel Suggested revision: many more liberal international travel destinations Why it matters: Destinations identifies the available alternatives more precisely than options.
- 9. Match the plural reference Original: This Suggested revision: These Why it matters: These correctly refers back to the plural noun areas.
- 10. Use concise menu wording Original: substitutions and amendments to the menu Suggested revision: substitutions on the menu Why it matters: Substitutions on the menu expresses the intended dietary adjustment without redundant wording.
- 11. Use the correct idiom Original: onset Suggested revision: outset Why it matters: From the outset is the standard expression meaning from the beginning.
- 12. Sentence rewrite Original: This should be allowed even in situations, such as during the playing of the national anthem at sporting events in the United States, when people must remove their hats. Suggested revision: Visitors should still be permitted to wear a headscarf in situations where hats are normally removed, such as during the national anthem at sporting events in the United States. Why it matters: This rewrite states the exception first and integrates the lengthy example more clearly.
Suggested Rewrites
- in agreement with this sentiment generally generally agree with this view
- exceptions to this rule where some flexibility is warranted cases in which some flexibility is warranted
- because they made the choice because they have made the choice
- in visiting
- western Western
- dressing freely dressing as they wish
Why this response received Band 8.0
The response offers a clear, nuanced position and supports it with relevant examples covering both respect for host customs and justified personal exceptions. The main limitation is that the exceptions paragraph occasionally shifts from what visitors should do to what hosts should permit, while a few collocations are imprecise; make visitors’ obligations explicit throughout and refine phrases such as the concluding time expression.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
The response directly answers the extent question with a consistent qualified agreement and develops both the general rule and meaningful exceptions.
Frame the second body paragraph more explicitly around how visitors should act when local customs conflict with personal or religious convictions.
Coherence and Cohesion
The argument progresses clearly from the general obligation to justified exceptions, with effective paragraphing and controlled linking.
Make the logical bridge into the exceptions paragraph more explicit so the shift from visitor conduct to host tolerance feels fully integrated.
Lexical Resource
The response uses a broad, topic-appropriate vocabulary, though a few expressions such as “from the onset” and “make amendments to the menu” are imprecise.
Replace occasional awkward collocations with more idiomatic choices, especially in the discussion of dietary accommodation and the conclusion.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Complex structures are varied and generally accurate, with only isolated agreement or reference issues that do not affect clarity.
Check pronoun reference and number agreement in sentences such as “This can be broadly grouped” to make grammatical control more consistent.
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IELTS Writing Task 2
There are different customs in different countries related to how people eat, dress, and so on. Some think that people visiting a country should behave according to customs of the country they visit. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.