Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-03

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

In many countries today, crime novels and TV crime dramas are becoming more and more popular. Why do you think these books and TV shows are popular? What is your opinion of crime fiction and TV crime dramas?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

 

Student answer (Band 6.5)

Today's generation shows an overwhelmingly positive attitude towards a crime novel or true crime-based dramas. These trends shifted many readers and viewers perspective to change their habit of their activities or hobbies as individuals are spending their quality time either by deeply involving their time by watching a true story crime documentaries or by understanding the fictional books with imaginary characters. In my opinion, this adaptability has more positive impact rather than having any adverse effects on their mental wellbeing. I will share below in brief stating the possible results with some examples.

On the one hand, it's arguably true that it is creating a new social trend amongst the new population of today's era; especially on thriller based novels and TV shows. These may include several types of investigations, solving a murder case or a cliff-hanging ending. Furthermore, it does not only create a suspenseful environment but also, it challenges the audience to stay focused and alarming to stick till the end. For example, psychologists have conducted a survey between the poetic readers and crime fictional readers, it has proven that it does not only improves their cognitive abilities, but also challenges them to think of many possibilities to outcome the obstacles in their daily life.

On the other hand, it might affect some public on a negative side as they might implement some hypothetical scenarios to get some attention from the news and media. To describe in more detail, one must not think of this task to bring in the real world. For instance, an article was published in "New York Times", stating a person from Brooklyn has read more than 100 books which mentally made him think he could learn the skills and escape the scene by stabbing someone with sharp object. In addition to this, it gives an obvious illustration how it can impact one's mental health if they do not take any step back or create a boundary between their imagination and thought-process.

However, my opinion is still firm and intact towards the bright note as it helps you to stay calm and think of many outcomes when an individual is under high-pressure or stuck in difficult situations. It is undeniable that it surely has some dull and obnoxious side; however, one must always compare the benefits rather than highlighting the other side.

In conclusion, we should always learn that it should not overpower our thinking abilities and have always the capability to control our mind to not to overshadow it completely. Therefore, the positive effects outweighs far away from the bad side of the these popularity.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: reasons for popularity and your personal opinion. You have a clear position throughout, and the ideas are generally well-developed. However, the development of the 'reasons' section is slightly repetitive, focusing heavily on cognitive benefits. The example regarding the Brooklyn individual is a bit extreme and lacks clear logical connection to the broader argument about why these shows are popular. To reach a higher band, ensure that your supporting examples are more balanced and directly tied to the prompt's core questions rather than anecdotal scenarios that may distract from the main argument.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. You use a variety of cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand,' 'Furthermore,' and 'In conclusion' to guide the reader. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical or forced, such as 'I will share below in brief stating the possible results.' Additionally, the referencing in the third paragraph is a bit clunky, and the flow between the negative impact and the conclusion could be smoother. Improving the sophistication of your linking phrases would help the essay read more naturally.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic with some precision, using terms like 'cognitive abilities,' 'hypothetical scenarios,' and 'mental wellbeing.' However, there are instances of awkward word choices and collocations, such as 'alarming to stick till the end' (should be 'alert') and 'overpower our thinking abilities.' Some phrasing is slightly unnatural, such as 'the positive effects outweighs far away from the bad side.' Expanding your range of collocations and refining your word choice would significantly enhance the impact of your writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this level. There are several grammatical errors, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('the positive effects outweighs') and awkward phrasing ('stating the possible results with some examples'). Punctuation is generally functional, but there are some minor errors in sentence construction that occasionally impede the flow. To improve, focus on ensuring that complex sentences are constructed accurately and that your subject-verb agreement is consistent throughout the text.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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