Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-17
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)
In the recent years, crime novels and TV crime dramas have become a mainstream category. It's gaining worldwide attention specially among teens and young adults. Gradually, the entertainment industry is now observing an increase in production of more realistic crime dramas, some of them even based on books, over light hearted sitcoms.
The key reason of this popularity could be due to lack of thrill and adventure in their everyday life that is lost specially among the younger generation. Most of the youth now is stuck on their computers with monotonous and repetitive work and miss the adrenaline rush. Watching or reading crime related material diverts their minds, gives sufficient suspense in the form of entertainment, be it imaginative or real.
There are so many shows and books which that shows how the mind of a murderer works, this feels like an expansion in their thinking minds and gives a jolt in in brain. Although, most of the work is fiction, some mischievous teens try to implement it in real life get punished. Therefore supervision to this kind of genre should be advised and it should be kept away from kids.
In conclusion I would like to say that criminal themed novels and dramas are a very intriguing genre of entertainment but sensiorship to soome contnect and supervision aboung thee the youger generatiojn ius strongly advised as tit could lead to harmful coonsequiences
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 personal opinion. However, the development is limited, and the essay falls short of the 250-word minimum requirement, which negatively impacts the depth of the argument. While the ideas are relevant, they are somewhat underdeveloped. For instance, the point about 'mischievous teens' is a good start but lacks specific examples or a more nuanced discussion. To improve, you should expand on your arguments with more detailed explanations and ensure you meet the minimum word count to allow for a full exploration of the topic.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, and there is a clear progression of ideas from the introduction to the conclusion. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and occasionally repetitive. For example, the transition 'Therefore' is used, but the overall flow between sentences could be smoother. Additionally, there are some issues with referencing and clarity, such as the phrase 'supervision to this kind of genre', which is slightly awkward. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring clear logical transitions between sentences would help elevate your score in this criterion.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the precision and range required for higher bands. There are several instances of awkward phrasing and word choice, such as 'jolt in in brain' and 'sensiorship to soome contnect'. While the meaning is usually clear, the range of vocabulary is somewhat limited, and there are noticeable spelling errors throughout the text (e.g., 'sensiorship', 'contnect', 'aboung', 'ius'). To improve, focus on using more precise academic vocabulary and proofreading carefully to eliminate spelling mistakes that distract the reader.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the flow of reading. Examples include 'In the recent years', 'shows how the mind... works, this feels', and 'supervision to this kind of genre should be advised'. There are also several punctuation and typing errors, such as 'which that shows' and 'in in brain'. While the errors do not completely prevent understanding, they are frequent enough to affect the overall quality. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and eliminating redundant words would significantly improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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