Culture & TraditionTwo-part
IELTS Essay: Learning About Other Cultures (Band 9 vs 6.5)
In short
Below is a full Band 9 model answer to this IELTS Writing Task 2 question, the same question written at Band 6.5, and a criterion-by-criterion breakdown of exactly what separates them — so you can see what to change in your own writing. Then check your essay with the free tool.
The question
Many people are interested in learning about cultures that are different from their own. Why do people enjoy learning about other cultures? What are the best ways to do this?
How to approach a Two-part question
A two-part question contains two direct questions; you must answer both, and roughly equally. Plan one body paragraph per question so neither is neglected — writing 200 words on the first part and 50 on the second is a common way to lose Task Response marks even when the English is strong.
The plan
- 01Introduction: restate the two questions — why people enjoy other cultures and the best ways to learn about them.
- 02Body 1: reasons for enjoyment — curiosity and discovery, plus deeper self-knowledge through comparison.
- 03Body 2: best methods — immersion abroad, with accessible alternatives like friendships, language, film and food.
- 04Conclusion: curiosity and self-understanding drive the interest; immersion plus everyday practice is the richest route.
Band 9 model answer
Human beings have always been fascinated by lives unlike their own, and the appetite for understanding foreign cultures shows no sign of fading. This essay considers why such learning is so appealing and suggests the most rewarding ways of pursuing it.
The enjoyment stems, above all, from curiosity and the pleasure of discovery. Encountering unfamiliar customs, cuisines and beliefs offers a welcome escape from the routine of daily life, and each new insight carries the small thrill of expanding one's mental horizons. Just as importantly, looking outward tends to sharpen self-knowledge: it is only by seeing how differently others organise their families, celebrate their milestones or express respect that people come to recognise which of their own assumptions are universal and which are merely local habit. In this sense, studying another culture is also a quiet way of studying oneself.
As for the most effective methods, nothing rivals sustained immersion. Living or working abroad forces a person to navigate everyday life on someone else's terms, yielding an understanding no guidebook can match. Where relocation is impractical, however, several accessible alternatives come close: forming genuine friendships with people from other backgrounds, learning even the rudiments of a foreign language, and engaging seriously with a country's literature and film. Cooking regional dishes or attending community festivals adds a sensory dimension that deepens the connection further, turning abstract knowledge into lived experience.
In conclusion, people are drawn to other cultures because doing so satisfies their curiosity while illuminating their own way of life. The richest routes to such understanding combine first-hand immersion with the everyday practice of language, friendship and shared food.
The same question at Band 6.5
These days many people like to learn about other cultures which are different from their own culture. There are some reasons why they enjoy it and also some good ways to do this. In this essay I will explain both of them in detail.
People enjoy learning about other cultures for different reasons. Firstly, it is very interesting to know how other people live, what they eat and how they celebrate their festival. It make our life more colourful and less boring. Secondly, when we learn about another culture we also understand our own culture better, because we can compare the two cultures and see the difference. Also it help people to become more open minded and respect other people who are not same like them.
There are also many ways to learn about other cultures. The best way is to travel to another country and stay there for some time, because then you can see everything with your own eyes. But travelling is expensive, so not everybody can do it. Another way is to make friends with foreign people, watch foreign movies or read books about different country. Also learning a new language and trying different food from restaurant is a good way to know about a culture.
In conclusion, people enjoy learning about other cultures because it is interesting and it help them to understand themselves. The best ways to do this are travelling, making foreign friends and learning language, so everyone can choose what is suitable for them.
What separates them, criterion by criterion
| Criterion | Band 9 | Band 6.5 |
|---|---|---|
| Task Response | Answers both questions in depth, pairing curiosity with the subtler idea that studying others 'sharpen[s] self-knowledge', and grading methods from full immersion down to accessible alternatives. | Addresses both parts but the ideas are general and listed, e.g. 'it is very interesting to know how other people live'. |
| Coherence & Cohesion | Cohesion is woven in naturally ('Just as importantly', 'As for the most effective methods', 'Where relocation is impractical'). | Depends on mechanical linking ('Firstly', 'Secondly', 'Also') to move between points. |
| Lexical Resource | Precise collocation such as 'expanding one's mental horizons', 'sustained immersion' and 'the rudiments of a foreign language'. | Adequate but repetitive high-frequency vocabulary — 'interesting', 'good way' and 'other people/cultures' recur. |
| Grammatical Range & Accuracy | Wide range of accurate complex structures, including the cleft 'it is only by seeing... that people come to recognise' and non-finite 'yielding an understanding no guidebook can match'. | Mostly simple and compound sentences with recurring errors ('It make', 'it help', 'not same like them'). |
Examiner's note
The Band 9 answers both questions in depth, pairing curiosity with the subtler idea that studying others sharpens self-knowledge, and grading its methods from full immersion down to accessible alternatives; the 6.5 addresses both parts but merely lists ideas. Cohesion flows through phrasing like 'Just as importantly' and 'Where relocation is impractical', not repeated 'Firstly / Secondly / Also', and the lexis ('expanding one's mental horizons', 'sustained immersion') is precise and varied. The complex structures are accurate, while the 6.5 repeats errors such as 'It make' and 'it help'.
Vocabulary from the Band 9 answer
| Word / phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| shows no sign of fading | is not becoming weaker or less common |
| the pleasure of discovery | the enjoyment of finding out new things |
| expanding one's mental horizons | broadening one's range of knowledge and ideas |
| sharpen self-knowledge | to improve one's understanding of oneself |
| sustained immersion | a long, deep involvement in something |
| on someone else's terms | according to conditions set by another person, not by you |
| the rudiments of a foreign language | the basic elements of a language |
| a sensory dimension | an aspect that involves the senses, such as taste and sight |
Frequently asked questions
How do I structure a two-part (direct) question essay?
Answer each question in its own body paragraph. Here, one paragraph explains why people enjoy other cultures and the next covers the best methods, so no part of the task is neglected.
Do two-part questions need an opinion?
Not usually. They ask you to answer specific questions rather than take a side, so focus on giving clear, developed answers to each part rather than arguing agree or disagree.
How many ideas should I give per question?
Two well-developed ideas per part are enough. Depth beats quantity — explaining and illustrating a couple of reasons scores higher than listing many undeveloped points.