Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-07

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)

It is a common observation nowadays that when people visit well-known places, they tend to click more pictures of themselves but do not pay much attention to the place.

This essay will discuss the positive and negative aspects of this trend before explaining why I believe this is a negative trend.

Photography has been a popular activity ever since the first camera came into being. In human psychology, every human has the nature to be known and the desire to be seen. With the advancement of smart phone technology and the ease of access to professional cameras, one finds a camera in almost every hand. Big companies are competing with each other in terms of their camera and picture quality. Furthermore, social media accounts provide a platform where people can upload their selfies and portraits and get tons of likes and comments from their followers and friends.

Some people believe that this trend is positive and healthy while others argue that the joy and spirit of exploring a well-known place diminishes this way.

Those who support this trend state that taking pictures of themselves gives them memories to look back and reflect on the time they visited popular destinations. While those who disagree with this opinion argue that the purpose and importance of popular places is undermined if more attention is paid to taking pictures alone. They argue that more attention should be paid on exploring famous places and on learning why they are popular in order to enjoy the whole experience.

In my opinion, losing the moment and the chance to explore is an irreparable loss. One should take pictures to make memories but missing the chance to get an experience of a lifetime can prove to be costly.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: the reasons for the trend and the evaluation of whether it is positive or negative. The position is clear throughout the essay. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. While you mention social media and human psychology as reasons, these points could be expanded with more specific examples or deeper analysis to reach a higher band. The discussion of the positive and negative aspects is balanced, but the conclusion is quite brief. To improve, ensure that each body paragraph provides a more detailed explanation of the 'why' and 'how' behind your arguments to fully satisfy the requirements of a Band 7 or higher.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central topic, and the progression of ideas is easy to follow. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Furthermore' and 'While those who disagree', which help connect your thoughts. However, the transition between the reasons for the trend and the discussion of its nature could be smoother. Additionally, some of the linking phrases are a bit mechanical. To achieve a higher score, try to use a wider variety of cohesive devices and ensure that the relationship between sentences is more fluid and less reliant on simple connectors.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'irreparable loss', 'undermined', and 'professional cameras'. The meaning is consistently clear, and there are no significant spelling errors. However, the vocabulary is somewhat functional rather than sophisticated. To reach a higher band, you should aim to incorporate more precise collocations and less common lexical items. For instance, instead of 'big companies', you could use 'multinational corporations' or 'tech giants'. Expanding your range to include more nuanced academic vocabulary will help elevate your writing style and demonstrate greater control over word choice.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay displays a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. You show good control over basic grammar, and your sentences are generally error-free, which ensures that your message is communicated clearly. There are no major grammatical errors that impede understanding. To improve, you should aim to incorporate a wider variety of complex structures, such as conditional sentences or more sophisticated relative clauses. Currently, the sentence structure is somewhat repetitive. Increasing the variety of your grammatical forms will demonstrate a higher level of proficiency and help you move toward a higher band score.

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

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