Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

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

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)

In recent years, an increasing number of people have become more interested in taking photographs of themselves at famous tourist attractions than appreciating the places they visit. There are several reasons why this behaviour has become common, and I believe it is largely a negative trend.

There are several reasons why people focus more on taking photographs than experiencing the destination itself. The most significant factor is the influence of social media. People often want to share attractive photographs on platforms such as Instagram to show their friends that they have visited popular destinations. Another contributing factor is the desire to create a personal record of their travels. Taking a photograph is a quick and convenient way to preserve a memory, particularly when visiting a famous landmark for the first time. As a result, some tourists become more concerned with producing impressive photographs than appreciating the history or beauty of the location.

The effects of this trend are largely negative. One major consequence is that tourists may fail to appreciate the cultural and historical significance of the places they visit. For instance, someone visiting an ancient monument may spend most of their time taking selfies rather than learning about its history. Furthermore, excessive photography can contribute to overcrowding, especially when large numbers of visitors gather at the same popular viewpoint. This can reduce the enjoyment of other tourists and, in some cases, damage sensitive sites.

In conclusion, this trend is mainly driven by social media and the desire to record memorable experiences. However, I believe it is negative because it can prevent people from genuinely experiencing tourist attractions and may contribute to overcrowding and damage

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 personal records—and express a firm position that it is a negative trend. The ideas are well-developed and supported with relevant examples, such as the mention of Instagram and the impact on ancient monuments. The structure is logical, and the position is consistent throughout the essay. To reach a higher band, you could further extend the discussion on the negative consequences, perhaps by exploring the psychological impact on the traveler's ability to form genuine memories, which would add more depth to your argument.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The essay is well-organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central topic sentence, and ideas flow logically from one to the next. You use a range of cohesive devices effectively, such as 'The most significant factor,' 'Another contributing factor,' 'As a result,' and 'Furthermore.' The progression of ideas is smooth, and paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the reasons from the consequences. The referencing is clear, and the overall structure makes the essay very easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for the topic, using terms like 'tourist attractions,' 'cultural and historical significance,' and 'sensitive sites.' The word choice is generally precise and natural. While the vocabulary is sufficient and accurate, it stays within a relatively standard range. To achieve a higher band, you could incorporate more sophisticated or less common collocations and idiomatic expressions, such as 'superficial engagement' or 'the commodification of travel experiences,' to show greater flexibility and precision in your writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.0

The essay displays a good variety of complex sentence structures, such as 'In recent years, an increasing number of people have become more interested in...' and '...someone visiting an ancient monument may spend most of their time taking selfies rather than learning about its history.' The majority of your sentences are error-free, and your control over punctuation and grammar is strong. There are no significant errors that impede communication. To reach the highest band, ensure that even the most complex sentences are perfectly controlled, though your current level of accuracy is already quite high.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.