Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-07

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)

In the contemporary era, novels and TV dramas about crime are becoming increasingly popular. This essay will discuss both perspectives in detail, however from my perspective, these books and shows are well-liked because their stories are often related to events reported in the daily news. There are a number of crimes that are not highlighted because of the reputation of the people involved; therefore, there is a need for crime fiction.

The primary reason for this view is that such content is not properly highlighted in the media, particularly when influential people are involved. As a result, crime fiction can draw attention to such issues and raise public awareness. For example, recently I saw a news report about a two-year-old child who was kidnapped from his neighborhood. His parents took immediate action and highlighted the incident on social media and through television broadcasts. As a result, the kidnappers were caught by local people, and the baby boy was safely handed over to his family.

On the other hand, these stories also provide insights into the tricks used by criminals and help develop critical thinking skills. Young adults can learn different ideas from these stories, such as how to handle difficult situations if they are caught and how criminals try to hide clues that could lead to their arrest. For instance, last month, an eighteen-year-old boy sexually assaulted a young girl and subsequently killed her. He then hid her body in a cupboard for three days. When the case was solved, the police asked him why he had committed the crime. He told them that he had watched similar incidents on a crime television programmed and had been influenced by what he had seen.

In conclusion, crime-related books and television programmed have become increasingly popular because they are based on real-life incidents and satisfy people's curiosity about criminal behavior. Although such content can raise awareness and improve people's understanding of crime, it may also have a negative influence on some young viewers if they are exposed to inappropriate material.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

You have addressed all parts of the prompt, providing reasons for the popularity of crime fiction and expressing a clear opinion. Your ideas are relevant, particularly the point about media bias and the educational aspect of crime dramas. However, the development of your arguments is slightly uneven. The example regarding the kidnapped child is a bit tangential to the popularity of crime fiction, as it focuses more on social media's role in real-life crime solving. To reach a higher band, ensure that every example directly supports the core argument about why these specific genres are popular or your personal stance on them.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. You use cohesive devices such as 'The primary reason for this view', 'On the other hand', and 'In conclusion' to guide the reader. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the logical progression within the second body paragraph is a bit disjointed. The shift from discussing 'critical thinking' to the example of a real-life murder case is abrupt, making the link between the two ideas less clear. Improving the flow between sentences would enhance the overall coherence.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'contemporary era', 'influential', and 'subsequently'. There is an attempt to use less common vocabulary, though some word choices are slightly imprecise or repetitive. For instance, the phrase 'well-liked' is a bit informal for an academic essay. Additionally, there is a minor error in word form: you used 'television programmed' instead of 'television programs' or 'programming'. Expanding your range to include more precise collocations related to media and social issues would help elevate your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this level. Most of your sentences are clear and easy to follow. However, there are some grammatical slips, such as 'television programmed' (incorrect noun form) and 'these stories also provide insights into the tricks used by criminals and help develop critical thinking skills' (which is grammatically sound, but the overall sentence variety could be more ambitious). Punctuation is generally accurate, but ensure you maintain consistency in verb tenses when discussing hypothetical scenarios versus real-life examples.

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