Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-23

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)

In recent years, more tourists have visited famous attractions mainly to take photographs of themselves, while paying little attention to the place. This behaviour is largely caused by social media, and I believe it is a negative trend.

One reason is the influence of platforms such as Instagram and Snap chat. Many people share photographs online to gain likes and attention. Visiting a landmark allows them to create content that may impress their followers. In addition, smartphones make photography easy, so tourists often concentrate more on finding the perfect angle than understanding the history or culture of a destination. Some also feel pressure to prove that they have visited popular places when their friends post similar pictures.

In my opinion, this trend has more disadvantages than benefits. Taking photographs can preserve happy memories and encourage others to travel. However, when photography becomes the main purpose of a visit, people may fail to appreciate the experience itself. For example, a tourist at the Taj Mahal may spend most of the visit posing for pictures without learning about its architecture or historical importance. Furthermore, groups taking selfies can block pathways, disturb other visitors and create safety risks near cliffs, roads or crowded monuments. Excessive photography may also reduce meaningful interaction with local people and culture.

In conclusion, people increasingly focus on photographs at famous places because of social media, smartphones and the desire for online approval. Although pictures are useful for keeping memories, I consider this a negative development because it prevents visitors from experiencing and respecting the places they travel to see.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt clearly. You have identified the causes (social media, smartphone technology, and social pressure) and provided a clear position that this is a negative trend. The ideas are well-developed, particularly the example of the Taj Mahal, which illustrates the point about failing to appreciate the experience. The argument is consistent throughout the essay. To reach a higher band, you could further extend the discussion on the 'negative' aspect by exploring the long-term impact on cultural heritage sites or the psychological effects of performative travel, providing even more depth to your analysis.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the progression of ideas is easy to follow. You use a variety of cohesive devices such as 'In addition', 'However', 'Furthermore', and 'In conclusion' effectively to link your points. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the flow between the causes and the evaluation of the trend is smooth. The structure is coherent, and the referencing is clear throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary appropriate for the topic, such as 'landmarks', 'architecture', 'performative', and 'meaningful interaction'. The language is natural and conveys your meaning precisely. While the vocabulary is sufficient and accurate, it stays within a relatively standard range. To achieve a higher score, you could incorporate more sophisticated collocations or less common lexical items related to the topic of tourism and digital culture, such as 'curated online persona' or 'commodification of travel experiences'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The essay displays a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Your control of grammar is strong, and the majority of your sentences are error-free. Punctuation is used correctly, and the sentence construction is varied enough to maintain interest. There are no significant grammatical errors that impede communication. To move into the higher bands, ensure you continue to use a wider variety of complex structures, such as conditional clauses or passive voice constructions, to demonstrate even greater flexibility in your writing.

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