Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-19
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)
Nowadays, crime novels and TV crime dramas are becoming increasingly popular. People are interested in stories about suspense, criminals and solving crimes. They also make people curious about what will happen next. This essay will discuss the main reasons for the growing popularity of the crime fiction and TV crime dramas, as well as my opinion of them.
There are several reasons why crime stories have become so popular. It is exciting and entertaining. To explain it, it creates suspense and mystery which makes people curious about the unexpected twists and endings. For example, viewers enjoy trying to guess who committed the crime and who's the villian.
Another reason is that based on real crimes or inspired by true events some people want to understand why criminals commit crimes. As a result, these kinds of show can teach us about police investigation. It is easy to watch because there are many crime shows on streaming services.
In my opinion, I think crime fiction is interesting and entertaining because its good for people who enjoy mystery and suspense. However, some crimes shows can be too violent or disturbing which may affect people's life. For example, some people follow same way to do crime and become victims in real life and harm their family members, which effects their whole life.
To conclude it, crime fiction is popular because of combine entertainment and suspense of people.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response addresses both parts of the prompt: reasons for popularity and personal opinion. However, the development is limited. The ideas regarding why these shows are popular are somewhat repetitive, and the personal opinion section lacks depth. Crucially, the response is under the 250-word minimum, which significantly impacts the ability to fully develop the arguments. The conclusion is also very brief and does not effectively summarize the main points. To improve, you should expand on your examples and ensure each paragraph provides a more thorough explanation of your points to meet the length requirement and demonstrate a more comprehensive understanding of the topic.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive (e.g., 'Another reason is', 'In my opinion', 'To conclude it'). There are instances where the flow between sentences is disjointed, particularly in the second paragraph where the transition between the excitement of crime shows and the educational aspect of police investigations is abrupt. To improve, try using a wider variety of linking words and ensure that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence that connects logically to the previous one.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is generally adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. You rely on basic terms like 'interesting', 'entertaining', and 'good'. There are also some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'follow same way to do crime' and 'effects their whole life' (where 'affects' is the correct verb). To improve, try to incorporate more sophisticated vocabulary related to the topic, such as 'gripping', 'psychological intrigue', or 'societal implications', and pay closer attention to word forms and collocations.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay uses a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. For example, 'its good for people' should be 'it is good for people', and 'because of combine entertainment' is grammatically incorrect. There are also issues with subject-verb agreement and article usage throughout the text. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these errors prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. Focusing on proofreading for basic subject-verb agreement and ensuring correct sentence construction will help improve your score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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