Band 8.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-07-24

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

More and more people nowadays visit well-known places to take photographs of themselves, without looking at the place.

Why do you think this is happening?

Is it a positive or a negative trend?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Student answer (Band 8.5)

Nowadays, many people visit famous tourist attractions mainly to take photographs of themselves rather than appreciating the beauty, history, or culture of these places. I believe this trend is largely driven by the influence of social media, and overall, it is a negative development.

One of the main reasons for this behaviour is the growing popularity of social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. Many people want to share attractive photographs in order to gain likes, comments, and followers. As a result, they often focus more on taking the perfect picture than on enjoying the experience itself. For example, it is common to see tourists spending several minutes finding the best angle for a photograph while paying little attention to the historical or cultural importance of the location.

In my opinion, this is a negative trend because it reduces the true purpose of travelling. Visiting a famous place should be an opportunity to learn about its history, admire its architecture, and experience the local culture. However, when people are only interested in taking selfies, they miss these valuable experiences. Furthermore, this behaviour can also disturb other visitors, especially at popular tourist destinations where long queues are often created simply for taking photographs.

That said, taking photographs is not entirely negative. Pictures allow people to preserve memories and share their travel experiences with family and friends. Nevertheless, photographs should complement the travel experience rather than become its main purpose.

In conclusion, the increasing habit of visiting famous places only to take photographs is mainly caused by the influence of social media and the desire for online attention. Although taking pictures has some benefits, I believe this trend has more negative consequences because it prevents people from truly appreciating the places they visit.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.5

The response fully addresses all parts of the prompt. You clearly identify the reasons for the trend (social media influence and the desire for validation) and provide a well-supported argument for why it is a negative development. Your position is consistent throughout the essay. The ideas are extended logically, such as the point about how this behaviour disrupts other tourists. To reach a higher band, you could further develop the 'why' by briefly touching upon the psychological aspect of 'fear of missing out' or the commodification of travel experiences, which would add more depth to your analysis.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.5

The essay is logically organised with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central topic sentence, and the progression of ideas is smooth. You use a variety of cohesive devices effectively, such as 'As a result', 'Furthermore', and 'That said', which help guide the reader through your argument. The paragraphing is logical and contributes to the overall clarity of the response. The structure is coherent and the flow of information is natural throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 8.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary that is appropriate for the task. Phrases like 'appreciating the beauty', 'historical or cultural importance', and 'complement the travel experience' are used accurately. The language is natural and precise. To improve, you could incorporate more sophisticated or less common collocations to demonstrate a wider range. For example, instead of 'attractive photographs', you might use 'aesthetically pleasing imagery' or 'curated content'. Overall, your vocabulary is sufficient to convey your ideas with precision and style.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.5

Your grammar is strong, with a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. You use subordinate clauses effectively, such as 'when people are only interested in taking selfies, they miss these valuable experiences'. The punctuation is accurate, and there are very few errors. The sentences are generally error-free, and your control over complex structures is consistent. To reach the highest band, ensure that you continue to vary your sentence length and structure even further to maintain a high level of fluency and sophistication.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.