Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-10

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 5.5)

A lot of people ,in these days visit famous places just to take selfies rather than to explore the place . Many people claim that it is beneficial ,while others reject this notion . The substantial influence of this trend has sparked the controversy of its potential impact over the recent years . In my opinion , the former proposal seems to be more rational and this essay will pinpoint the reasons to prove this trend to be positive .

The first and foremost ,reason is that in this digital world it is very easy to be famous due to social media . Every one likes to be in discussion of their friends and family members . Another striking reason is that , due to advancements of technology it is very easy to make videos and photos ,instantly and easily .There is no need to take special camera ,now every one has his own mobile camera which assists to take picture any where .

Categorically discussing , the main reason behind this is that people like to be connected with there friends and families ,and this is the best way to share their pictures with them . Although ,people do not meet each other , face to face but they stay connected , exchange their emotions , and appreciations. Probing ahead ,it is a common phenomenon in this era ,specially in the youngsters that they plan their visits meticulously ,but when they reach their destinations they remain busy in just photography to preserve their experience in memories and later, uploading on social media .

To recapitulate , the above mentioned reasons explain vividly that it is a positive trend in this digital world to capture the photos of place instead looking at the place .

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both parts of the prompt, identifying reasons for the trend and expressing a clear opinion. However, the development of ideas is somewhat superficial. While you mention social media and technology, the arguments are repetitive and lack depth. For instance, the claim that it is a 'positive trend' is stated, but the justification remains focused on the convenience of photography rather than a robust argument for why ignoring the physical location is beneficial. To reach a higher band, ensure that each paragraph provides a more nuanced exploration of the topic, moving beyond simple observations to more analytical reasoning.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or slightly awkward, such as 'The first and foremost, reason is that' and 'Categorically discussing'. Additionally, there are instances where the logical flow between sentences is disjointed. For example, the transition between discussing social media fame and the ease of mobile photography could be smoother. Improving the variety and naturalness of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear, singular focus would significantly enhance the coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'meticulously', 'phenomenon', and 'recapitulate'. However, there are several issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'in these days' (should be 'nowadays'), 'take special camera' (should be 'use a professional camera'), and 'looking at the place' (should be 'engaging with the surroundings'). Some phrasing is repetitive, particularly the use of 'easy' and 'take pictures'. To improve, focus on using more precise collocations and avoiding informal or redundant phrasing to convey your ideas with greater sophistication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent errors in punctuation and grammar that occasionally distract the reader. Common issues include unnecessary commas (e.g., 'A lot of people ,in these days'), subject-verb agreement errors, and incorrect preposition usage (e.g., 'impact over the recent years'). While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding your message, they are frequent enough to limit your score. Focus on mastering basic punctuation rules and proofreading for small grammatical slips, such as missing articles or incorrect pluralization, to improve your accuracy.

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

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