Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-07

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 6.0)

In recent years, a growing number of individuals visit major attractions sites to take photographs of themselves overlooking the place. While this trend enables tourists to create memories, I believe this is a largely negative trend because neglecting the place can limit their overall visiting experience.

A key reason for this is that an increasing number of tourists might prioritise taking selfies without exploring well-known places. This is largely due to the fact that taking photographs of themselves help them to capture unforgettable moments. For instance, many visitors take their photos without considering the place and share them on social media. Because of this, visitors might get a chance to receive more likes and comments for their images. Although exploring a site is extremely important, many travellers neglect popular places to take beautiful selfies.

This is largely a negative development mainly because tourists might restrict their visiting experience at renowned places. Visiting a popular place can not only affect their personal experience but also culminate in overcrowding. For example, a large number of tourists prefer to visit the Taj Mahal in India, only to snap their selfies. This shift tend to degrade the value of many historical sites. If individuals excessive amount of their time clicking their photos, they are more likely to neglect the valuable experience.

In conclusion, a significant number of tourists visit renowned places to take images of themselves without exploring the site. This selfies helps visitors to capture moments and share them on social media. From my perspective, this is a negative development because neglecting a place can create overcrowding and hinder their overall visiting experience.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address both questions: you explain that social media attention and the desire to capture memorable moments motivate visitors, and you clearly judge the trend to be negative. The Taj Mahal example is relevant, and your conclusion restates your position. However, some points are less fully developed than others. The link between taking selfies and overcrowding is asserted rather than explained, and the claim that this behaviour “degrade[s] the value” of historical sites needs clarification or support. Develop the causes and consequences with a more specific explanation—for example, how time spent staging photographs reduces engagement with a site, or how selfie-focused visits contribute to congestion. This would make the response more fully supported.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall structure: an introduction, separate paragraphs for the cause and negative effects, and a conclusion. Ideas generally progress in a sensible order, and linking phrases such as “For instance,” “Because of this,” and “In conclusion” help guide the reader. At times, however, connections are mechanical or unclear. “Although exploring a site is extremely important” does not clearly contrast with the preceding point, while “This shift” in the next paragraph has an uncertain reference. The conclusion also repeats much of the introduction rather than drawing the main reasoning together. Use more precise referencing and make each transition show the relationship between ideas, such as cause and consequence, rather than relying mainly on familiar linking phrases.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of topic vocabulary, including “major attractions,” “social media,” “overcrowding,” and “historical sites,” and the meaning is generally clear. There are also attempts at less common expressions, such as “culminate in” and “renowned places.” Some choices are inaccurate or unnatural, however: “attractions sites” is not a natural phrase, “culminate in overcrowding” is an awkward collocation, and “degrade the value” does not express the intended effect precisely. Repetition of “place,” “visitors,” and “selfies” also limits flexibility. Aim for accurate collocations and more specific wording, such as “tourist attractions,” “contribute to overcrowding,” and “diminish the visitor experience.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including a concessive opening (“While this trend enables…”) and a conditional sentence (“If individuals… they are more likely…”). Most errors do not prevent understanding, but some agreement and sentence-structure problems remain. In “taking photographs of themselves help them,” the gerund subject requires a singular verb: “helps.” “This shift tend” should be “This shift tends,” and “This selfies helps” needs a plural subject and matching verb, such as “These selfies help.” The sentence beginning “If individuals excessive amount of their time” is also grammatically incomplete; use “If individuals spend an excessive amount of time…” Reviewing subject–verb agreement and checking that each clause has a complete structure would improve accuracy.

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