Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-11-02

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 6.5)

The morality and right of photographers who take pictures of celebrities in public has been wildly debated. Paparazzi, as they are famously called, like it or not are a major part of pop culture history and while many despise them for the lengths they would go to to get a picture, others appreciate them for producing some of the most iconic pictures of celebrities.

For those who despise them, some of their reasons are valid. Every individual is entiltled to privacy, famous or not and some of these paparazzi cross the line in their quest to take photos of these famous people, especially in their most vulnerable moments. Also these paparazzi use very sophisticated cameras with very bright flash lights, blinding the celebrities in the process and this can be very frustrating.

In as much as there are downsides to the paparazzi, we cannot take away from them the fact that they have produced some of the most iconic pictures of famous people. They are also very much needed in the glamorous lifestyle that celebrities live. They are needed to cover fashion events, runways, and even movie premiers. Hell, even some famous people appreciate having them around to capture specific moments in their life.

With all these said, I personally do not think that the Paparazzi are doing much good. In as much as they produce beautiful pictures taken unaware, most of their pictures are not good and are taken at a very inconveniencing time and moment for the celebrity. A worthy example includes the infamous pictures taken of Michael Jackson following his surgical battles with vitiligo. There is also an incident where Spider man actor Tobey Maguire could not drive out after a dinner in a public restaurant because of the flashlights blinding him as he stepped into his car. With all these examples given, it is clear what my standpoint is and I know many others share similar view.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You discuss both perspectives and make your own position clear: you acknowledge that paparazzi can produce iconic images and cover fashion and film events, but conclude that their conduct does more harm than good. The examples involving Michael Jackson and Tobey Maguire also support your criticism. This meets the task well, but the two sides are not developed equally. The benefits are asserted rather than examined in much detail, and the claim that paparazzi are “needed” in celebrity life could be explained or qualified. Your examples mainly illustrate the harms, so adding a specific explanation of why the public’s interest justifies coverage would make the discussion more balanced and fully developed.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The response has a clear overall progression: an introduction frames the debate, separate paragraphs present the opposing views, and the final paragraph states your opinion and supports it. Linking phrases such as “For those who despise them” and “With all these said” help signal the direction of the argument. The examples are placed where they support your position, and the reader can follow the discussion throughout. To make the organisation more polished, avoid relying on repeated framing phrases such as “In as much as” and “With all these said.” The final sentence also repeats that your standpoint is clear rather than adding a concluding implication; a more concise conclusion would strengthen the progression.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

You use a reasonably varied vocabulary for the topic, including “privacy,” “vulnerable moments,” “sophisticated cameras,” and “iconic pictures.” These choices help communicate the contrast between public interest and intrusion, and some less common expressions show an attempt to be precise. However, several word choices or collocations are inaccurate or too informal for a formal essay: “wildly debated,” “inconveniencing time,” and “Hell, even” are examples. There are also spelling errors, including “entiltled” and “premiers” where “premieres” is intended. Greater control of collocation and a consistently formal register would make the vocabulary more flexible and precise.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex structures, including the concession in “while many despise them … others appreciate them” and the conditional clause “if they produce beautiful pictures taken unaware.” Most sentences remain understandable, and the range is adequate for presenting both sides and your opinion. Some grammatical errors persist, however. In “Every individual is entiltled to privacy, famous or not,” the sentence needs clearer punctuation or a linking structure; “some famous people appreciate having them around to capture specific moments in their life” has a number-agreement issue; and “many others share similar view” needs an article or plural form. Review sentence boundaries and agreement, while retaining the complex structures you already attempt.

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