Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-15

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 8.0)

Nowadays, visiting famous tourist attractions has become increasingly popular among people of all ages. However, an increasing number of people visit these places mainly to take pictures of themselves rather than properly exploring them. This trend is mainly driven by the growing influence of social media and people's desire to impress others. I believe it is a negative development because it prevents people from fully enjoying and appreciating the places they visit.

There are several reasons why people are becoming more interested in taking photographs at famous places. The main reason is the popularity of social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook. Many people want to share attractive pictures online and show their friends and followers that they have visited popular destinations. Another reason is the desire to gain attention and create an impressive online image. As a result, some tourists spend most of their time finding the perfect location, pose, and angle for photographs instead of learning about the place itself.

In my view, this is largely a negative trend. When people focus too much on taking pictures, they may fail to enjoy the actual experience of travelling. Famous attractions often have historical, cultural, or natural importance, and visitors can learn a great deal by exploring them carefully. Moreover, constantly using phones and cameras can reduce people's connection with their surroundings. For example, a person visiting Niagara Falls may spend most of the visit taking selfies and recording videos instead of enjoying the beauty and sound of the waterfalls. Therefore, although photographs are a good way to preserve memories, they should not become the main purpose of travelling.

In conclusion, the influence of social media and the desire to impress others are the main reasons why people increasingly visit famous places mainly to take photographs. I consider this a negative trend because people may miss valuable experiences and fail to appreciate the true importance and beauty of the places 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 well-reasoned argument for why it is a negative development. The ideas are extended and supported with relevant examples, such as the mention of Niagara Falls, which helps illustrate your point effectively. Your position is clear from the introduction and is maintained consistently throughout the essay. To reach a higher band, you could further explore the nuance of the trend, perhaps acknowledging why some might view it as a positive (e.g., documenting history or personal growth), before refuting it to strengthen your argument.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the transition between the causes and the negative impacts is smooth. You make effective use of cohesive devices such as 'However', 'The main reason is', 'Moreover', and 'Therefore' to link your thoughts. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. The flow is natural, and the referencing is clear throughout the text. The structure is highly effective and supports the overall argument without any mechanical or repetitive feel.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic with precision. Phrases like 'growing influence', 'impressive online image', and 'preserve memories' are used accurately. While the vocabulary is appropriate and conveys your meaning clearly, it is mostly standard. To achieve a higher band, you could incorporate more sophisticated or less common collocations and idiomatic expressions. For example, instead of 'attractive pictures', you might use 'aesthetically pleasing content' or 'curated imagery'. The spelling is accurate throughout, and your word choice is consistently appropriate for the formal tone of an IELTS essay.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.0

Your grammar is strong, with a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. You use subordinate clauses effectively, such as 'When people focus too much on taking pictures, they may fail to enjoy the actual experience of travelling.' The majority of your sentences are error-free, and your control over punctuation is excellent. There are no significant grammatical errors that impede communication. To push into the higher bands, you could experiment with a wider variety of complex structures, such as inversion or more advanced conditional sentences, to demonstrate even greater flexibility in your writing.

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