Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-03

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 6.0)

The topic of photography on popular places has become a subject of major discussion in recent times. While some people argue that it is better for promotions, others believe that we should respect the integrity of the location. In my opinion, this trend has more positive effects, primarily because it provide support to local businesses and promotes our culture.

On the one hand, a major argument supporting the photographs at well-known places is that people are socially dependent. This is largely because they get to post those clicks over social media. Take, for instance, applications like Instagram and Facebook has started giving money to people for their likes and comments. As a direct result, people has started taking videos and pictures without looking at the place.

Another important aspect stems from the fact that nowadays, online media has become a signature of validation. To illustrate further, to get more attention it is required to post fresh and new content, it naturally leads to increment in reach of not so popular places. Therefore, it become evident to do the photography overlooking the places.

Admittedly, critics may argue that it has a negative impact. For example, to gain some followers, people tend to say things which is not legit and spread false information, which also cause damage to the reputation of that place and their people. However, this perspective is less convincing because negative publicity is also a publicity. Consequently, promotions via photography may helps in the development of new jobs.

In conclusion, although doing photography without looking at the location presents valid concerns, I firmly believe that we should let this trend continue. However, Government could impose some restrictions on places which are not allowed to be clicked and is the best way forward.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: why this is happening (social media validation) and whether it is positive or negative. However, the development of ideas is somewhat inconsistent. While you provide reasons for the trend, the argument that it is a 'positive' trend is slightly underdeveloped and relies on the assumption that 'negative publicity is also publicity,' which is a weak justification for the behavior described. The position is clear throughout, but the link between taking photos without looking at a place and the resulting economic benefit is not fully explored or logically convincing. To improve, ensure your supporting arguments are more robust and directly address the core of the prompt.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is organized into clear paragraphs, each with a central theme. You use cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand,' 'Another important aspect,' and 'In conclusion' to guide the reader. However, some transitions feel mechanical, and the logical progression within paragraphs is occasionally disrupted by awkward phrasing. For instance, the transition between the discussion of social media validation and the conclusion about government restrictions is abrupt. The use of referencing is generally clear, but the flow could be improved by using more varied linking words to connect sentences more naturally rather than relying on standard signposting phrases.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'integrity of the location,' 'socially dependent,' and 'signature of validation.' There are some instances of imprecise word choice, such as 'not legit' (too informal) and 'increment in reach' (awkward collocation). Additionally, the phrase 'doing the photography' is repetitive and unnatural. While you attempt to use more sophisticated vocabulary, the accuracy is inconsistent. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise collocations and avoiding informal language, ensuring that your word choices are appropriate for a formal essay context.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader. Subject-verb agreement is a recurring issue, such as 'it provide support' (should be 'provides'), 'applications... has started' (should be 'have started'), and 'people has started' (should be 'have started'). There are also errors with articles and pluralization, such as 'on popular places' (should be 'at popular places') and 'the photography' (should be 'photography'). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Focus on proofreading for basic agreement and verb tense consistency.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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