Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-24

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 5.5)

Being photogenic is a work of art . Most of individuals travel to renowned places and took selfies regardless exploring the site itself which is a debateable issue . From my perspective , it is has balanced trend the supporting reasons will be addressed in aforementioned paragrahes eith the supporting illustrations .

On one hand , being active on social sites uploading the data related of personal activities showcasing through number of posts , videos and and on instead of palce itself . It not only reduces the quality time with their companions but also hinders them from the real glory of places which makes them prestigious alongside , the history of the monuments .

On the other hand , it do shed a positive impact on the viewers who consume the online information regarding the place and will be willing to travel to there ultimately , contributing to local business as most of uploded data through various sites such as Instagram ,Tiktok , Snapchat captures the most iconic and stunning pubic places to visit . Moreover , it can be be considered as the prominent way hold the record of memorie at the prior base . For example , the most recent FIFA world cup 2026 held in the United of America millions of people joined it and were happy to share their pride moment

Although , the this trend has a minimal negative affect but the positives impacts outweighs by adding exclusive value to famous places and do bring income to local markets.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response5.5
Coherence and Cohesion5.5
Lexical Resource5.0
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.0
Overall5.5

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: the reasons for the trend and the evaluation of whether it is positive or negative. However, the development of ideas is somewhat superficial. While you mention social media as a driver, the explanation of why people prioritize photos over the experience is underdeveloped. The position is stated as 'balanced,' but the argument lacks depth in exploring the negative aspects, such as the loss of cultural appreciation. The example regarding the FIFA World Cup is slightly confusing, as it does not clearly link to the phenomenon of ignoring a site to take a selfie. To improve, ensure each point is fully explained with clear, logical connections.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate, such as 'eith the supporting illustrations' or 'at the prior base.' There are also issues with referencing; for instance, the transition 'On one hand' is used, but the subsequent paragraph lacks a clear, cohesive flow. Some sentences are disjointed, making the progression of ideas feel somewhat forced. To reach a higher band, focus on using a wider variety of linking words more naturally and ensure that each sentence logically follows the previous one.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks precision and variety. There are several instances of awkward phrasing or incorrect word choices, such as 'aforementioned paragrahes,' 'pubic places' (likely a typo for 'public'), and 'pride moment.' The range of vocabulary is limited, and some expressions are used incorrectly, which occasionally hinders the clarity of your argument. To improve, try to incorporate more topic-specific collocations related to tourism and social media, and pay closer attention to spelling and word forms to ensure your writing sounds more professional and natural.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors throughout. Common issues include subject-verb agreement ('it do shed,' 'positives impacts outweighs'), missing articles, and incorrect preposition usage ('travel to there'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with unnecessary spaces before periods and commas. While the meaning is generally understandable, these recurring errors impact the fluency of the text. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction and proofreading for common errors like subject-verb agreement and article usage.

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

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