Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 8.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-07-30
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 8.0)
Nowadays, more and more people visit famous places mainly to take photos of themselves instead of enjoying the place. I think this is happening because of social media and the desire to show others that they have visited popular destinations. Although this trend has a few advantages, I believe it is mostly negative.
The main reason behind this trend is the popularity of social media. Nowadays, many people want to upload attractive pictures on platforms like Instagram and Facebook to get more likes and comments. They are more focused on taking the perfect photo than learning about the history, culture, or beauty of the place. Another reason is that people want to show a good lifestyle to others. They believe that posting photos from famous places makes them look successful and fashionable.
On the one hand, this trend has some positive effects. For example, these photos can encourage other people to visit those places, which can increase tourism and help the local economy. Moreover, photographs help people keep memories of their trips.
However, I believe this is mainly a negative trend. Many people spend most of their time taking pictures instead of enjoying the experience. As a result, they miss the real beauty and importance of the place. In addition, some tourists create crowds or even break rules just to take unique photos, which can disturb other visitors and damage famous attractions.
In conclusion, social media is the main reason why many people visit famous places only to take photographs. Although this trend can promote tourism and help people save memories, I believe its disadvantages outweigh its advantages because people are forgetting the real purpose of travelling.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 8.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 8.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 7.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 8.0 |
| Overall | 8.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0
The response addresses all parts of the prompt, providing clear reasons for the trend (social media, social status) and a definitive stance on whether it is positive or negative. The ideas are well-developed, particularly the discussion on the negative impact of crowds and the loss of the 'real purpose of travelling'. The position is consistent throughout the essay. To reach a higher band, the student could provide more specific, nuanced examples, such as mentioning the impact of 'selfie culture' on specific heritage sites or the psychological shift in how we perceive travel experiences versus digital validation.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.5
The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the progression of ideas is easy to follow. Cohesive devices such as 'The main reason', 'On the one hand', 'However', and 'In conclusion' are used effectively to guide the reader. The paragraphing is appropriate and contributes to the overall clarity of the argument. The flow between sentences is smooth, and the relationship between ideas is clearly established throughout the text.
Lexical Resource — Band 7.5
The vocabulary is sufficient and appropriate for the task. The student uses relevant terms such as 'popular destinations', 'local economy', and 'disturb other visitors'. While the range is adequate, it lacks a high degree of sophistication or 'less common' lexical items that would elevate the score to the 8.0+ range. The word choices are accurate and convey the intended meaning without any significant errors. To improve, the student should aim to incorporate more precise collocations and academic vocabulary related to tourism and social behavior.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.0
The essay demonstrates a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. The grammar is generally accurate, with very few errors that do not impede communication. The student uses complex structures effectively, such as 'Although this trend has a few advantages, I believe it is mostly negative.' Punctuation is used correctly throughout. While the control is good, the range of complex structures is somewhat limited; incorporating a wider variety of subordinate clauses or more sophisticated sentence patterns would further enhance the grammatical profile of the writing.
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