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 generally agree with this viewin agreement with this sentiment generally but there are cases in which some flexibility is warrantedexceptions 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 have made the choicebecause they made the choice to travel to the country in question. For example, following local traditions is crucial when visitingin certain Middle Eastern countries. Some of the more religious countries enforce strict restrictions on common Westernwestern practices like drinking alcohol and dressing as they wishdressing freely. To respect the locals, tourists must modify their behaviour during their stay or risk offending residents and creatingmaking a bad impression. If travellers persist in flouting local customs, they are in the wrong as there are many more liberal international travel destinationsmany other more liberal options for international travel.
However, there are meaningful areas where locals must also be receptive to the views of travellers. TheseThis 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 on the menusubstitutions 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 outsetonset.
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.
Write this task while it is fresh
Try the same task now. It helps you remember the feedback and write better next time.
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.