Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-30

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, majority of people visit famous spots primarily to take pictures rather than to appreciate the destinations. This essay will examine the main reasons for this trend and explain why I believe this is negative.

There are several reasons why taking photographs of themselves has increased. The most significant reason is the influence of social media, as many people visit famous places mainly to create attractive content and seek online validation. This is because of peer pressure that encourages everyone to portray their trips positively on social media rather than enjoying the moment. For example, people now choose to visit particular tourist spots only because either their friend or social media influencer has been there, and they do not want to feel left out. Another contributing factor is people want to document their own experience and present an attractive lifestyle to others.

Despite these reasons, I believe this trend can have several negative consequences. When visitors are primarily concerned about taking photographs to upload on social media, they pay little attention to the history, culture and natural beauty of that destination. For example, a visitor to a historic monument may spend most of the visit taking selfies instead of learning about its history. Furthermore, people may develop unrealistic expectations after seeing carefully selected photos online, which can result in disappointment when the actual experience differs from what they expected.

In conclusion, taking pictures is primarily driven by social media influence, peer pressure, and the desire to document personal experience. In my view, it is a negative development as it can make travel superficial and distract people from genuinely enjoying the place.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The response fully addresses all parts of the task by exploring both the reasons behind the phenomenon and clearly stating a position on whether it is a positive or negative trend. The student's ideas are well-developed and supported with relevant examples, such as visiting famous spots to create attractive content and the tendency to spend time taking selfies instead of learning about history. The position is clear throughout the essay, moving logically from the causes to the negative consequences in the concluding paragraphs. The response meets all task requirements effectively, demonstrating a solid understanding of the prompt and maintaining a coherent line of argument from introduction to conclusion.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The essay demonstrates clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct central topic, beginning with an introduction that outlines the scope of the essay, followed by well-structured body paragraphs addressing causes and consequences, and a succinct conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'The most significant reason', 'Another contributing factor', and 'Furthermore' are used effectively to guide the reader through the argument. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, ensuring the essay flows smoothly from one idea to the next without abrupt transitions.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

The student uses a sufficient range of vocabulary that allows for flexibility and precision in discussing social media and modern travel trends. Phrases such as 'online validation', 'peer pressure', 'unrealistic expectations', and 'superficial' demonstrate an awareness of style and collocation appropriate for IELTS General Training. While there is a missing article in the opening sentence ('In recent years, [the] majority of people...'), the lexical errors are occasional and do not impede communication. The writer successfully attempts less common lexical items to articulate complex ideas clearly.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

The response exhibits a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as concessive clauses ('When visitors are primarily concerned...') and relative clauses ('...monument may spend most of the visit taking selfies instead of learning about its history'). There are frequent error-free sentences, and the overall control of grammar and punctuation is strong. Although a minor grammatical lapse occurs in the opening sentence regarding article usage ('majority of people'), the majority of the sentences remain accurate. Punctuation is handled correctly throughout, and complex structures are managed with reasonable success.

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