Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · 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 7.5)

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 largely caused by social media and the desire to share experiences online. In my opinion, this is generally a negative development because it can reduce people's appreciation of culture and create an unhealthy focus on appearances.

One major reason for this behaviour is the growing influence of social media. Platforms such as Instagram and TikTok encourage people to share attractive photographs and receive likes, comments and attention from others. As a result, some tourists become more concerned about taking the perfect picture than actually experiencing the destination. For example, a person visiting the Eiffel Tower may spend a considerable amount of time finding the best angle for a photograph instead of learning about its history or enjoying the view.

Another reason is that photographs have become a way of showing one's lifestyle and experiences to others. People may feel that visiting a famous location is only valuable if they can prove that they were there through photographs. This can create pressure to visit popular destinations simply because they are considered fashionable or impressive on social media.

I believe this is mostly a negative trend. When people focus excessively on taking pictures, they may miss the cultural, historical and natural importance of the places they visit. Tourism should ideally provide opportunities to learn about different cultures and create meaningful memories, rather than simply producing attractive photographs. For instance, someone visiting the Taj Mahal could spend the entire visit taking selfies while missing the historical significance and architectural beauty of the monument.

In conclusion, the popularity of social media and the desire to present an attractive lifestyle are the main reasons why many people focus more on photographs than on the places themselves. Although taking pictures can help preserve memories, I believe excessive attention to photography is a negative trend because it can prevent people from genuinely experiencing and appreciating the destinations they visit.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The response fully addresses all parts of the prompt. You clearly identify the reasons for the trend—social media influence and the desire for social validation—and provide a consistent, well-supported position that this is a negative development. The ideas are well-developed with relevant examples, such as the mention of the Eiffel Tower and the Taj Mahal, which effectively illustrate your points. The argument is logical and flows well, demonstrating a clear understanding of the task requirements. To reach a band 9, you could further explore the nuance of whether this trend might have any minor positive aspects, such as the democratization of travel photography, to provide a more balanced, sophisticated analysis.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central topic sentence, and the transition between the reasons for the behavior and your opinion on the trend is smooth. You use a variety of cohesive devices effectively, such as 'As a result,' 'Another reason is,' and 'In conclusion,' which help guide the reader through your argument. The paragraphing is appropriate, with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. The flow is natural, and the relationship between ideas is always clear, meeting the criteria for a high band score in this category.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary that is appropriate for the topic. Phrases like 'growing influence,' 'unhealthy focus,' 'genuinely experiencing,' and 'historical significance' show a level of precision and natural collocation. The vocabulary is sufficient to convey your ideas clearly and effectively. While the range is good, it is not consistently 'sophisticated' or 'uncommon' enough to reach the highest band. To improve, you could incorporate more precise academic collocations or idiomatic expressions related to the impact of technology on human behavior to add more variety and depth to your writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The essay displays a good variety of complex sentence structures, such as the use of conditional and subordinate clauses (e.g., 'When people focus excessively on taking pictures, they may miss...'). The grammar is generally accurate, and there are no significant errors that impede communication. The majority of your sentences are error-free, which is a strong indicator of good grammatical control. To reach a higher band, ensure that you continue to experiment with more sophisticated structures, such as inversion or more varied passive constructions, while maintaining the high level of accuracy you have already achieved.

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