Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)
Today in numerous countries watching crime novel and television crime has gained a lot of attention from the individuals and many individuals like to watch the shows. There are several reasons for such situation. Both the aspects will be further explained in the following paragraphs.
Books and television show are becoming more familiar with the people because it makes individuals aware and give knowledge about the crimes which are currently faced by many nations. For example, By reading crimes books can help and develop defending skills in the individuals which can save them under the unavoidable situations. Furthermore, it can develop a sense of threat in may people by watching and reading crime books and TV shows.
Additionally, Crime fiction and TV crime dramas becoming more popular amongst the youth as many of their favorite celebrities plays a character in the shows. In addition, it is also true because of the crime casting many individuals get influenced and get idea of committing the crime by watching such shows has become the major problem in many provinces as they crime rates are increasing.
Thus, to conclude and give my opinion, i would say crime fiction and television crime dramas can help individuals to stay safe and make them strong for the unavoidable situation. However, it can influence the society and younger ones to become the criminal as they know all in and out of the crime. In a big picture, it can be very useful for the individuals who lives alone and out of their countries watching such show can create a positive impact.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses both parts of the prompt: reasons for popularity and your opinion. However, the development of ideas is somewhat superficial. For instance, the argument that crime shows help individuals develop 'defending skills' is not clearly explained or supported with convincing logic. Similarly, the opinion section is slightly contradictory, as you argue they are useful for safety but also suggest they might influence people to commit crimes. To improve, ensure your main ideas are fully extended with specific, logical reasoning rather than just stating them. The position is generally clear, but the lack of depth in supporting arguments limits the score.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or slightly awkward, such as 'Both the aspects will be further explained' or 'In a big picture'. Some transitions between sentences feel abrupt, and the logical flow within paragraphs could be smoother. For example, the transition between the benefits of crime shows and the potential for negative influence is a bit disjointed. Improving the variety and accuracy of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear, singular focus would enhance the overall coherence.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks precision and variety. There is some repetition of basic terms like 'individuals', 'crime', and 'shows'. Phrases like 'get idea of committing the crime' and 'know all in and out of the crime' are unnatural and imprecise. To reach a higher band, you should aim to use more sophisticated collocations and topic-specific vocabulary (e.g., 'criminology', 'societal impact', 'fictional narratives'). While the meaning is generally clear, the limited range of vocabulary prevents a higher score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede fluency. Examples include 'watching crime novel and television crime has gained', 'By reading crimes books can help', and 'individuals who lives alone'. Subject-verb agreement and article usage are inconsistent throughout the text. While the errors do not completely prevent understanding, they are frequent enough to be noticeable. Focusing on proofreading for basic errors like pluralisation and verb forms will significantly improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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