Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)
It has been noticed that many individuals nowadays capture pictures of famous places rather than enjoying the place itself. In my opinion, social-media trends are the main reason behind this craze. I believe that it is a positive trend because it offers plenty of benefits which is further discussed.
To begin with, social-media has become an integral part of everyone's life. People often prefer to show-off their wealth and status on platforms which also includes their trips and vacations. I think , Taking pictures of themselves will allow them to post it later on media platforms like Instagram or Facebook. In addition , this will make them famous amongst their followers therefore they would love to capture these type of moments.
According to me , this craze is making some positive impact on society both economically and socially. One of the key benefit is that shared photographs often get people's attention and which will lead them to get more information about these places . In addition , some of the recreational places need economical support from community. However , this trend will make citizens to visit these places more often . Due to this
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words, as it is only 194 words long. This significantly impacts the development of ideas. While you have identified reasons for the trend (social media influence) and stated your position (positive), the arguments are underdeveloped. The essay ends abruptly in the third paragraph, leaving the discussion incomplete. To improve, you must expand on your points with specific examples and ensure the essay reaches the required length to fully address all parts of the prompt.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay uses basic cohesive devices such as 'To begin with' and 'In addition' to link ideas. However, the progression is interrupted by the incomplete nature of the final paragraph. Paragraphing is present, but the abrupt ending makes the overall structure feel unfinished. Referencing is generally clear, but the lack of a concluding paragraph prevents the essay from having a logical flow from start to finish. You should focus on developing a clear introduction, body paragraphs with fully supported arguments, and a summary conclusion.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but remains quite basic. You use phrases like 'integral part of everyone's life' and 'show-off their wealth', which are functional but lack sophistication. There are some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'make some positive impact' (should be 'have a positive impact') and 'economical support' (should be 'economic support'). To achieve a higher band, try to incorporate more precise, topic-specific vocabulary related to tourism and digital culture.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay contains a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures. There are several punctuation errors, such as the unnecessary spaces before commas (e.g., 'I think , Taking' and 'In addition ,'). You also have some grammatical inaccuracies, such as 'this will make citizens to visit' (should be 'this will encourage citizens to visit'). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to affect the overall clarity. Focus on proofreading for punctuation and ensuring correct verb patterns.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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