Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-01

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 6.0)

Nowadays, many people visit tourist attractions mainly to take photos of themselves instead of enjoying the place around them. I believe this is happening because of social media, and I think it is a negative trend.

The reason for this behaviour is the influence of social media. People often want to share pictures on platforms such as Instagram and facebook. A photo taken in front of a famous building or landscape can make them feel that they have had an experience. In Addition, taking selfies is easy because almost everyone has a smartphone with a camera. As a result, people may focus more on getting the picture than experiencing the place.

In my opinion, This is a negative development Firstly, people can miss the beauty and history of a destination because they are busy taking photographs. For example, someone visiting a museum may spend more time posting for pictures than looking at the artwork or learning about their history. Secondly, taking too many photos can reduce the quality of time spent with family or friends. instead of having a conversation, people may become focused on their phones.

However, photographs are not negative. They can help people remember moments and share their travel experiences. nevertheless, I believe tourists should use their phones in moderation and spend more time appreciating the place.

In conclusion, social media and smartphones are reasons for this trend. Although taking photos has benefits, I believes people should experience famous places rather than use them as background for selfies.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, providing reasons for the trend (social media influence, ease of technology) and a clear position that it is a negative development. The ideas are relevant and logically extended, such as the mention of missing out on history or the impact on social interactions. However, the development is somewhat brief; while the arguments are clear, they could be further supported with more detailed examples or deeper analysis to reach a higher band. The position is consistent throughout the essay, and the conclusion effectively summarises the main points while reiterating the writer's stance.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organised with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the reasons for the trend from the evaluation of its impact. Cohesive devices such as 'In addition', 'Firstly', 'Secondly', and 'However' are used to guide the reader through the argument. While the flow is generally smooth, some transitions feel slightly mechanical. Referencing is generally clear, though the connection between the counter-argument in the fourth paragraph and the preceding points could be more sophisticated to improve the overall cohesion.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the writer to express their ideas clearly. There is some use of topic-specific vocabulary such as 'tourist attractions', 'destination', and 'moderation'. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there is a reliance on simpler phrasing. To improve, the writer should aim for more precise collocations and a wider variety of less common lexical items. There are minor errors, such as 'posting for pictures' (likely meant 'posing'), which do not impede communication but suggest a need for more careful word choice.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is always clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'I believes' in the conclusion and inconsistent capitalisation (e.g., 'In Addition', 'This', 'Firstly'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with the use of full stops and commas. While the errors do not prevent the reader from understanding the message, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Increasing the variety of complex structures and ensuring better control over basic punctuation would significantly improve the accuracy.

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