Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-05

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, an increasing number of people visit famous tourist attractions mainly to take photographs of themselves rather than to appreciate the places they are visiting. This is largely due to the growing influence of social media, and I believe that this is a negative trend because it can reduce people’s ability to enjoy meaningful experiences and appreciate cultural heritage.

One major reason for this behaviour is the desire to share experiences online and receive attention from others. Social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook encourage people to document their activities through photographs, and visiting a famous landmark provides an opportunity to create attractive content. In addition, people often feel pressure to demonstrate that they are travelling and enjoying an exciting lifestyle. Consequently, taking the perfect photograph can become more important than actually exploring the destination.

I believe this is predominantly a negative development. When visitors concentrate primarily on taking selfies, they may pay little attention to the historical, cultural or natural significance of the place. For example, a person visiting the Taj Mahal may spend most of their time finding the best angle for a photograph instead of learning about its history and architecture. This can make tourism a superficial experience in which people remember their photographs but not what they learned or felt during the visit.

Furthermore, excessive photography can sometimes disturb other visitors and even damage important tourist sites. People may enter restricted areas or behave carelessly simply to obtain a unique picture. In contrast, taking a few photographs while also exploring the surroundings can help people preserve memories without preventing them from experiencing the destination itself.

In conclusion, the increasing tendency to prioritise photographs over the actual experience is mainly driven by social media and the desire for online recognition. Although photographs can be a valuable way of preserving memories, I believe that this trend is negative when taking pictures becomes more important than appreciating the place.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The response fully addresses both parts of the prompt. You clearly identify the influence of social media as the primary driver and provide a well-reasoned argument for why this is a negative trend. Your ideas are well-developed, particularly the example of the Taj Mahal, which effectively illustrates the shift from cultural engagement to superficial content creation. The position is consistent throughout the essay, and the conclusion effectively synthesises your main points. To reach an even higher band, you could further explore the nuance of whether this trend is entirely negative, perhaps by briefly acknowledging the role of photography in personal documentation, though your current focus is sufficient for a high score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The essay is logically organised with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a distinct focus, starting with the causes, moving to the negative impact, and concluding with a summary. Cohesive devices such as 'In addition', 'Consequently', 'Furthermore', and 'In contrast' are used effectively to link sentences and paragraphs. The referencing is clear, and the flow of information is smooth throughout the text. The paragraphing is used appropriately, and the overall structure is very coherent, making the argument easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary that is appropriate for the topic. Phrases such as 'cultural heritage', 'superficial experience', 'online recognition', and 'demonstrate that they are travelling' show a level of sophistication. The word choice is generally precise and natural. While the vocabulary is effective, it is consistently functional rather than highly idiomatic or academic. To achieve a higher band, you could incorporate more precise collocations or less common lexical items to add further depth to your arguments.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.0

The essay displays a high level of grammatical control. You use a variety of complex structures, such as conditional clauses ('When visitors concentrate...') and participial phrases ('...without preventing them from experiencing...'), with very few errors. The majority of your sentences are error-free, and the punctuation is used correctly throughout. The writing is fluent and demonstrates a strong command of English grammar, which allows for clear and precise communication of your ideas. There are no significant errors that impede meaning.

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