Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-13

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)

In recent times, it has been seen that a large number of individuals go to famous travel attractions just to capture their pictures and fail to pay attention to the surroundings. The driving factors behind the trend are the impact of social media and the changing attitudes of the demographics.

The primary catalyst is a significant impact of social media on people's lives. When individuals see pictures of their friends showing off visiting famous hotspots on their social media accounts, they want to imitate the same and plan their trips to similar travel spots. Instead of experiencing the ambience of the place, they are more interested in collecting proof of their visit to famous destinations, so that they can upload it on their social media accounts to satisfy their desire for validation.

Another contributing factor is that travelling to exotic places has become a symbol of social status. This is because travelers consider it as an opportunity to show off their wealth rather than to get a riveting experience. In this process, they fail to make a deep meaningful connection with the place and prioritize making reels or taking pictures as a memory of their expensive travel.

In my opinion, it is not a constructive development because it takes a traveler away from enjoying the true experience of visiting well-known places. The real purpose of travelling to such places should be to gain in-depth knowledge of the culture rather than wasting time in taking pictures for social recognition. For instance, tourists visiting Niagara Falls should value the magnificence of the Falls rather than focusing on taking selfies to post on Instagram for social validation.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: the reasons for the trend and the evaluation of whether it is positive or negative. The ideas are relevant and clearly presented. The explanation regarding social media validation and social status is well-developed. However, the response could be improved by providing a more nuanced exploration of the 'why'—perhaps touching on the psychological aspect of memory preservation versus experience. The position is clear throughout, and the conclusion reinforces the writer's stance effectively. To reach a higher band, the development of the 'positive or negative' aspect could be slightly more expansive, perhaps acknowledging if there are any minor benefits before firmly concluding it is a negative trend.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central theme, such as social media influence or status symbols. Cohesive devices like 'The primary catalyst', 'Another contributing factor', and 'In my opinion' are used effectively to guide the reader through the argument. The progression of ideas is smooth and easy to follow. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the reasons from the evaluation. The flow is consistent, and the relationship between sentences is clear, meeting the requirements for a well-structured response.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

The vocabulary is generally appropriate and precise for the topic. Phrases such as 'primary catalyst', 'riveting experience', and 'social recognition' demonstrate a good range. There is an attempt to use less common vocabulary, which is mostly successful. While the range is sufficient, it does not quite reach the level of 'wide and flexible' required for a band 8. The word choices are accurate and contribute to a formal tone suitable for an IELTS essay. There are no significant spelling or word-choice errors that impede communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The essay displays a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. The grammar is generally accurate, with most sentences being error-free. For example, the use of conditional-like structures and complex noun phrases shows good control. There are no major grammatical errors that hinder understanding. While the control is good, the variety of complex structures could be further increased to demonstrate more flexibility. Punctuation is used correctly throughout. The writing is clear and demonstrates a solid command of English grammar, consistent with the band 7 descriptor.

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