Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-19
IELTS Writing Task 2 question
Nowadays famous people are photographed by professional photographers everywhere they go. Some people say this is a good thing because the public are interested in their lives. Other people think that photographers are wrong to follow famous people.
Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Student answer (Band 7.5)
The pervasive presence of paparazzi and professional photographers following celebrities has become a defining aspect of modern media culture. While some argue that constant photographic coverage satisfies a legitimate public desire to stay connected with famous personalities, others contend that it constitutes an unacceptable breach of personal privacy. Both perspectives raise valid arguments regarding public interest, ethics, and individual rights.
On the one hand, proponents of continuous celebrity media coverage argue that famous individuals benefit directly from public attention. Celebrities, including actors, musicians, and sports icons, build their careers and financial success on public visibility and fan engagement. High-profile coverage keeps them relevant, boosts their personal brand, and drives interest in their artistic or athletic projects. From the public's viewpoint, photos of public figures in everyday situations humanize them, making them relatable to ordinary people. Furthermore, photojournalism and entertainment media generate substantial economic value, supporting major media outlets, journalists, and publishing platforms.
On the other hand, critics argue that aggressive photojournalism severely infringes upon a celebrity's fundamental right to privacy. Being pursued continuously by photographers creates immense psychological pressure and can pose severe physical safety risks, as evidenced by historic high-speed vehicle chases and chaotic public crowds. Photographers often cross ethical boundaries by capturing images of public figures during vulnerable moments or filming their young children without consent. Everyone, regardless of their public status or fame, deserves a private realm where they can lead a normal life away from the public gaze.
In my opinion, while public figures must accept a higher degree of media attention than average citizens, the line must be drawn at intrusive harassment. A clear distinction should be made between professional events—such as red carpets, press conferences, and promotional tours—and an individual's private life. Unregulated tracking and photo taking in private spaces or personal family moments harm the well-being of public figures and set a harmful standard for boundary violation.
To achieve a fair balance, media regulations and privacy laws should enforce strict guidelines restricting non-consensual photography of celebrities and their families in non-public or personal settings, ensuring that public interest never serves as a justification for harassment.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 7.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 7.5 |
| Overall | 7.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5
The response fully addresses all parts of the task by discussing both views—the benefits of celebrity coverage and the ethical arguments against paparazzi intrusion—while clearly presenting a well-developed personal opinion. The introduction establishes a clear framework, and each viewpoint is supported by relevant examples and logical reasoning, such as economic value, humanization, psychological pressure, and physical safety risks. The writer's position is sustained throughout the essay and smoothly integrated into the conclusion, meeting the criteria for a high band score.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5
The essay is logically sequenced with a clear overall progression from introduction to body paragraphs discussing contrasting views, followed by a personal stance and concluding summary. Paragraphing is used effectively, with each body paragraph focusing on a distinct aspect of the prompt. Cohesive devices are managed skilfully without being intrusive, as demonstrated by phrases such as 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', and 'To achieve a fair balance', creating a seamless and natural flow of ideas throughout the response.
Lexical Resource — Band 7.5
The student demonstrates a wide, fluent, and flexible lexical resource appropriate for an advanced IELTS essay. Less common vocabulary items and collocations are used skillfully and naturally, such as 'pervasive presence', 'photojournalism', 'fundamental right to privacy', and 'boundary violation'. Word choice and collocations are precise, with only occasional minor inaccuracies that do not impede communication. The vocabulary allows the writer to convey sophisticated arguments with clarity and stylistic awareness.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5
The response features a wide range of complex sentence structures used with a high degree of flexibility and control. Examples include participial phrases and subordinate clauses, such as 'While some argue that constant photographic coverage satisfies...' and 'Being pursued continuously by photographers creates immense psychological pressure...'. The majority of sentences are error-free, with excellent control over punctuation and grammar. Only very occasional minor slips occur, placing the response comfortably within the Band 8 descriptor for grammatical control.
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