Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-02
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 7.5)
Nowadays, more and more people visit famous places mainly to take photos of themselves instead of enjoying the place. I believe this is happening because of social media and the desire to share experiences with others. In my opinion, this is a negative trend because people miss the real value of travelling.
One of the main reasons for this trend is the popularity of social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook. Many people want to post attractive pictures to get more likes and attention from their friends and followers. Because of this, they spend more time taking selfies than learning about the history or culture of the place they visit. In addition, some people feel pressure to visit popular tourist attractions simply because everyone else is doing the same.
I believe this is a negative development. Travelling should be about exploring new places, learning about different cultures, and creating meaningful memories. However, when people focus only on taking photos, they often ignore the beauty and importance of the destination. For example, I have seen tourists at famous landmarks spending a long time taking pictures without even reading the information about the site or enjoying the view. As a result, they may remember the photo but not the actual experience.
In conclusion, social media has encouraged many people to visit famous places mainly for taking photographs. Although sharing memories with others can be enjoyable, I think this trend has more disadvantages because it reduces the true purpose of travelling and appreciating different places.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 7.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 7.5 |
| Overall | 7.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5
The response addresses all parts of the prompt clearly. You have identified the reasons for the trend (social media, validation, peer pressure) and provided a clear, consistent position that it is a negative development. The ideas are relevant and supported by a personal observation about tourists at landmarks. To reach a higher band, you could further extend your arguments by discussing the psychological impact of this behavior or the long-term consequences for cultural heritage sites, which would provide more depth to your analysis.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5
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. You use cohesive devices such as 'In addition', 'However', and 'As a result' effectively to link your points. The paragraphing is appropriate and contributes to the overall flow. To improve, you could experiment with a wider variety of cohesive devices to ensure the transitions between sentences feel even more natural and less mechanical.
Lexical Resource — Band 7.0
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary that is appropriate for the task. Phrases like 'meaningful memories', 'tourist attractions', and 'appreciating different places' show a good grasp of topic-specific language. However, the vocabulary is somewhat functional and lacks the more sophisticated, less common lexical items that would elevate the response to a higher band. To improve, try to incorporate more precise collocations or academic synonyms to express your ideas with greater nuance.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5
The essay displays a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Your grammar is generally accurate, and there are no errors that impede communication. You use complex sentences effectively, such as 'Although sharing memories with others can be enjoyable, I think this trend has more disadvantages...'. While the control is good, the range of structures is somewhat limited. To achieve a higher score, try to incorporate a wider variety of complex grammatical forms, such as conditional sentences or passive voice constructions, while maintaining your current level of accuracy.
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