This is an IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay on the topic of travelling to foreign countries and the internet.

A very, very similar question came up on IELTS earlier in the year. You can read about that question here.

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IELTS Essay: Travelling to Foreign Countries

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?

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 around both its value in itself as well as its utility. Most travellers can justify the time and money by the enjoyable experience and discovery of another country, including their 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 a lot and this 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 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 the local online versions of magazines, watch videos of both foreigners and residents from all over the country, follow individuals from a wide segment of society on Instagram, and generally get a good sense for the country without ever setting foot there. In the past, limited access to technology in those 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 expense.

Analysis

1. The growth of information available on the internet in recent decades has prompted some to question the value of international travel. 2. In my opinion, travelling to other countries is a rewarding experience, but I am largely in agreement with this position.

1. Paraphrase the overall essay topic.
2. Write a clear opinion and include your main ideas if possible. Read more about introductions here.

1. Those who still advocate travelling abroad highlight how important the experience can be. 2. This argument centres around both its value in itself as well as its utility. 3. Most travellers can justify the time and money by the enjoyable experience and discovery of another country, including their people and traditions. 4. These experiences are also formative. 5. 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. 6. They will therefore have a fuller understanding of the rest of the world if they travel a lot and this could impact both their political views and their actions later in life.

1. Write a topic sentence with a clear main idea at the end.
2. Explain your main idea.
3. Begin to develop it.
4. Vary long and short sentences.
5. Use specific examples.
6. Extend them as fully as possible.

1. Nonetheless, travel is no longer as important as it used to be because it is now possible to learn about countries online. 2. The experience is still valuable but online information is actually likely to be more accurate and comprehensive. 3. An individual who wants to research life in Vietnam, for instance, can scroll through lifestyle blogs, read the local online versions of magazines, watch videos of both foreigners and residents from all over the country, follow individuals from a wide segment of society on Instagram, and generally get a good sense for the country without ever setting foot there. 4. In the past, limited access to technology in those developing countries might have made it impossible to understand how locals live, but that is no longer a problem.

1. Write a clear topic sentence with a main idea at the end.
2. Explain your new main idea.
3. Add in as much specific detail as possible.
4. Conclude with a strong statement.

1. In conclusion, the information that can be found on the internet has greatly diminished the importance of the experience of travelling to other countries. 2. Each individual must nonetheless decide for themselves whether it is still a worthwhile expense.

1. Summarise your ideas and repeat your opinion.
2. Add a final thought/detail. Read more about conclusions here.

Vocabulary

What do the words in bold below mean?

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 around both its value in itself as well as its utility. Most travellers can justify the time and money by the enjoyable experience and discovery of another country, including their 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 a lot and this 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 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 the local online versions of magazines, watch videos of both foreigners and residents from all over the country, follow individuals from a wide segment of society on Instagram, and generally get a good sense for the country without ever setting foot there. In the past, limited access to technology in those 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 expense.

Answers

in recent decades the last 20 or 30 years

prompted make them think

question the value doubt the importance

rewarding experience worthwhile

largely in agreement mostly agree

position opinion

advocate support

highlight point to

centres around has to do with

value in itself not for an outside reason

utility usefulness

justify a reason for doing it

discovery finding out

traditions cultural ways of doing things

formative shape you

wealthy European nation rich countries in Europe

developing poor

ethnically diverse countries nations with many different ethnicities/races

fuller understanding better understanding

rest of the world everywhere else on Earth

political views opinions about social and political issues

later in life as they get longer

no longer as important as it used to be less important now

accurate correct

comprehensive full

scroll through lifestyle blogs read articles about living

local online versions of magazines online news and articles

foreigners people from another country

residents people who live there

wide segment of society lots of people in a country

generally overall

good sense good idea

without ever setting foot there never having been there

limited access not able to get it

locals live how people from there live day to day

no longer a problem not an issue now

greatly diminished a lot less important

decide for themselves make the choice on their own

worthwhile expense worth spending money on

Pronunciation

ɪn ˈriːsnt ˈdɛkeɪdz 
ˈprɒmptɪd 
ˈkwɛsʧən ðə ˈvæljuː 
rɪˈwɔːdɪŋ ɪksˈpɪərɪəns
ˈlɑːʤli ɪn əˈgriːmənt 
pəˈzɪʃən
ˈædvəkɪt 
ˈhaɪˌlaɪt 
ˈsɛntəz əˈraʊnd 
ˈvæljuː ɪn ɪtˈsɛlf 
ju(ː)ˈtɪlɪti 
ˈʤʌstɪfaɪ 
dɪsˈkʌvəri 
trəˈdɪʃənz
ˈfɔːmətɪv
ˈwɛlθi ˌjʊərəˈpi(ː)ən ˈneɪʃən 
dɪˈvɛləpɪŋ 
ˈɛθnɪkəli daɪˈvɜːs ˈkʌntriz
ˈfʊlər ˌʌndəˈstændɪŋ 
rɛst ɒv ðə wɜːld 
pəˈlɪtɪkəl vjuːz 
ˈleɪtər ɪn laɪf
nəʊ ˈlɒŋgər æz ɪmˈpɔːtənt æz ɪt juːzd tuː biː 
ˈækjʊrɪt 
ˌkɒmprɪˈhɛnsɪv
skrəʊl θruː ˈlaɪfˌstaɪl blɒgz
ˈləʊkəl ˈɒnˌlaɪn ˈvɜːʃənz ɒv ˌmægəˈziːnz
ˈfɒrɪnəz 
ˈrɛzɪdənts 
waɪd ˈsɛgmənt ɒv səˈsaɪəti 
ˈʤɛnərəli 
gʊd sɛns 
wɪˈðaʊt ˈɛvə ˈsɛtɪŋ fʊt ðeə
ˈlɪmɪtɪd ˈæksɛs 
ˈləʊkəlz lɪv
nəʊ ˈlɒŋgər ə ˈprɒbləm
ˈgreɪtli dɪˈmɪnɪʃt 
dɪˈsaɪd fɔː ðəmˈsɛlvz 
ˈwɜːθˈwaɪl ɪksˈpɛns

Vocabulary Practice

Remember and fill in the blanks:

The growth of information available on the internet i______________________s has p_____________d some to q__________________e of international travel. In my opinion, travelling to other countries is a r_____________________e, but I am l__________________________t with this p___________n.

Those who still a_____________e travelling abroad h____________t how important the experience can be. This argument c__________________d both its v________________f as well as its u_________y. Most travellers can j_________y the time and money by the enjoyable experience and d___________y of another country, including their people and t____________s. These experiences are also f____________e. For example, someone who grows up in a w__________________________n might not have seen how people live in d______________g or more e_____________________________s. They will therefore have a f_______________________g of the r__________________d if they travel a lot and this could impact both their p__________________s and their actions l________________e.

Nonetheless, travel is n_________________________________________e because it is now possible to learn about countries online. The experience is still valuable but online information is actually likely to be more a__________e and c___________________e. An individual who wants to research life in Vietnam, for instance, can s_________________________s, read the l____________________________s, watch videos of both f_______________s and r__________________s from all over the country, follow individuals from a w__________________________y on Instagram, and g_______________y get a g__________________e for the country w___________________________e. In the past, l_______________________s to technology in those developing countries might have made it impossible to understand how l_____________e, but that is n_________________________m.

In conclusion, the information that can be found on the internet has g______________________d the importance of the experience of travelling to other countries. Each individual must nonetheless d_________________________s whether it is still a w________________________e.

Listening Practice

Listen more about this topic below and use some of the ideas here to improve:

Reading Practice

Learn more about the world and practice with these ideas:

https://www.theatlantic.com/international/

Speaking Practice

Practice with the following real questions from IELTS speaking:

The Internet

1. How often do most people use the internet?
2. Are there drawbacks to its overuse?
3. What kind of information can people find online?
4. How has this changed the way that people get their information?
5. How will the internet change society in the future?

Writing Practice

Write about the following related topic and check with my sample answer below:

Some today argue that schools are no longer necessary because children can learn so much from the internet and be educated at home.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample Answer Essay: The Internet & School (Real Past IELTS Exam/Test)