Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-11

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 7.0)

Nowadays, an increasing number of people visit famous tourist attractions mainly to take photographs of themselves rather than to appreciate the places they are visiting. This trend is becoming common because if social media and the desire to share experiences with others. In my opinion, I believe it is a negative development because people may miss the real value of these places.

One major reason for this trend is the growing influence of social media. People often want to post attractive photographs on platforms such as Instagram and Facebook to show their friends that they have visited popular destinations. In addition, taking photographs has become a way of gaining attention and receiving likes and comments. For example, a person visiting a famous monument may spend more time finding a perfect angle for a photograph than learning about its history or enjoying its architecture.

I believe this is mainly a negative trend. Firstly, tourists may fail to experience the culture and history of the place they visit. Famous landmarks often have interesting stories, traditions and historical importance, but these can be overlooked when people focused only on taking pictures. Secondly, constantly trying to create attractive photo can make a trip less enjoyable. Instead of being present in the moment, people worry more about how their experience will appear to others online.

However, taking photographs are not completely negative. Photo can help people keep their memories of their trips and share their experiences with family and friends. Nevertheless, I believe photographs should be a part of the travel experience rather than main purpose of visiting a place.

In conclusion, social media and desire for online attention are the main reason why people focus heavily on taking selfies at tourist places. Although, photographs preserve memories, but this trend is negative when it prevent people from appreciating the original destinstion.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

You have addressed both parts of the prompt: the reasons for the trend and your opinion on whether it is positive or negative. Your position is clear from the introduction and is maintained throughout the essay. The ideas are relevant, such as the influence of social media and the loss of cultural appreciation. However, the development of these ideas could be more detailed. For instance, while you mention that people miss the 'real value' of places, providing a more specific example of a historical site or a particular cultural experience would have strengthened your argument and pushed the response toward a higher band.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. You use cohesive devices such as 'In addition,' 'Firstly,' 'Secondly,' and 'Nevertheless' to guide the reader through your arguments. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct ideas. However, there are minor issues with cohesion, such as the slightly awkward transition in the final paragraph where you use 'Although' and 'but' in the same sentence, which is grammatically redundant. Improving the flow between sentences would enhance the overall coherence.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic with some precision, using terms like 'tourist attractions,' 'architecture,' and 'historical importance.' There are some minor errors in word choice and form, such as 'if social media' (should be 'of social media') and 'create attractive photo' (should be 'photos'). While you attempt to use less common vocabulary, the range is somewhat limited. To improve, try to incorporate more sophisticated collocations and avoid repetitive phrasing like 'taking photographs' or 'taking pictures' by using synonyms such as 'capturing images' or 'documenting visits.'

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While many sentences are clear, there are several grammatical slips, such as 'taking photographs are' (subject-verb agreement error) and 'prevent people from appreciating the original destinstion' (spelling error). Additionally, there are minor punctuation and article usage issues throughout. To reach a higher band, focus on ensuring subject-verb agreement and refining your use of complex structures. Despite these errors, the meaning is always clear, and the mistakes do not impede communication.

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