Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-07

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 6.5)

In recent years, there has been an increasing trend of people involved taking photographs without actually enjoying the place, when they visit any famous place. This is largely due to the influence of social media and I believe it is a negative trend because it creates a false sense of happiness.

One main reason that supports my statement is people visit any new place or tourist attraction to get a break from their busy work routines and enjoy the serenity of the place. On the contrary some people get completely involved in taking photos without actually enjoying the location. This is due to the trend of posting on social media and win attention with likes and comments. Some others visit a place explicitly to showcase themselves in the social media apps and stay in the trend. As a result, they focus more on snapping their pictures rather than experiencing the true beauty of the scenery.

This is a negative trend because it creates a false sense of happiness. People posting pictures on the internet with ecstatic gestures and joyous moods may not actually be the same in real. This create an impulse in others that they are not enjoying as much as other do and gives a sense of disappointment. Some people consider it as a competition and plan for trips at the expense of their valuable time and money. Therefore, it is detrimental sign especially among youth who easily get attracted to such kinds of superficial visuals.

In conclusion, Although there are few benefits of taking photographs in moderation; which remain as a fond memory, I still opine that it is negative trend as it distracts the weaker minds into believing that it is real happiness.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: the reasons for the trend and the evaluation of whether it is positive or negative. The position is clear from the introduction and maintained throughout. The ideas, such as the influence of social media and the creation of a 'false sense of happiness,' are relevant and sufficiently developed. To reach a higher band, you could provide more specific examples or a deeper analysis of the psychological impact of this trend, as some points, such as the 'competition' aspect, are introduced but could be expanded further to demonstrate a more nuanced argument.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central theme. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'On the contrary,' 'As a result,' and 'Therefore,' which help guide the reader. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and there are minor issues with referencing and flow, such as the phrase 'which remain as a fond memory' in the conclusion, which lacks a clear antecedent. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring smoother transitions between sentences would enhance the overall flow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'serenity,' 'detrimental,' and 'superficial.' However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'win attention' (should be 'gain attention') and 'stay in the trend' (should be 'keep up with trends'). Additionally, the phrasing 'people involved taking photographs' is slightly awkward. To improve, focus on using more precise collocations and idiomatic expressions to convey your ideas with greater sophistication and naturalness.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'This create an impulse' (subject-verb agreement), 'as much as other do' (should be 'others do'), and 'it is negative trend' (missing article). Punctuation is generally functional, but there are some issues with comma usage and sentence boundaries. To achieve a higher score, you should aim for more error-free complex sentences and ensure consistent control over subject-verb agreement and article usage.

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