The internet means people do not need to travel to foreign countries to understand how others live. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Sample Response
The growth of information available on the internet in recent decades has prompted some to question the value of international travel. In my opinion, travelling to other countries is a rewarding experience, but I am largely in agreement with this position.
Those who still advocate travelling abroad highlight how important the experience can be. This argument centres onaround both its intrinsic value and its practical utilityboth its value in itself as well as its utility. Most travellers can justify the time and money through the enjoyable experience of discoveringby the enjoyable experience and discovery of another country, including itstheir people and traditions. These experiences are also formative. For example, someone who grows up in a wealthy European nation might not have seen how people live in developing or more ethnically diverse countries. They will therefore have a fuller understanding of the rest of the world if they travel widelytravel a lot and this experience could influencethis could impact both their political views and their actions later in life.
Nonetheless, travel is no longer as important as it used to be because it is now possible to learn about countries online. The experience is still valuable, but onlinevaluable but online information is actually likely to be more accurate and comprehensive. An individual who wants to research life in Vietnam, for instance, can scroll through lifestyle blogs, read local online magazinesthe local online versions of magazines, watch videos of both foreigners and residents from all over the country, follow individuals from a broad cross-section of societya wide segment of society on Instagram, and generally get a good sense offor the country without ever setting foot there. In the past, limited access to technology in developing countriesthose developing countries might have made it impossible to understand how locals live, but that is no longer a problem.
In conclusion, the information that can be found on the internet has greatly diminished the importance of the experience of travelling to other countries. Each individual must nonetheless decide for themselves whether it is still a worthwhile investmentexpense.
Why this response received Band 8.0
This is a focused and persuasive response with a clear qualified position, logically developed paragraphs, and a specific example that illustrates how online sources can provide broad cultural access. The main limitation is that the claim that online information is more accurate and comprehensive is asserted more strongly than it is evaluated. The priority is to compare the limitations of virtual information and firsthand travel more explicitly before confirming the final judgment.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
The response fully addresses the extent question, maintains a clear qualified agreement, and develops both the remaining value of travel and the strength of online alternatives.
Evaluate possible limits of online representations more directly to make the comparative judgment even more convincing.
Coherence and Cohesion
The essay is logically sequenced, each paragraph has a clear purpose, and cohesive devices guide the contrast without disrupting progression.
Tighten the transition from travel's general benefits to the specific issue of understanding how people live.
Lexical Resource
Vocabulary is varied, precise, and appropriately sophisticated, with effective topic-specific language and only occasional awkward phrasing.
Refine expressions such as discovery of another country, including their people, and avoid slightly redundant pairings.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Complex sentence forms are varied and consistently well controlled, with only very minor lapses in phrasing or reference.
Polish the longest list-based sentences so coordination and reference remain maximally clear.
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IELTS Writing Task 2
The internet means people do not need to travel to foreign countries to understand how others live. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.