Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-25

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 7.5)

Nowadays, crime novels and television crime dramas are becoming increasingly popular, and more people are interested in this genre. This is largely because such stories contain suspenseful mysteries that encourage viewers to solve cases themselves. While I acknowledge that crime dramas can be entertaining, I believe that they should be restricted to certain age groups rather than being freely accessible to everyone.

To begin with, many people enjoy crime dramas and novels because of the suspense and mystery involved. In most cases, the identity of the culprit is not revealed until the end, which encourages viewers to remain engaged throughout the episode. They often try to identify the offender and solve the case before the characters do. This makes crime-related entertainment particularly engaging and encourages audiences to watch more episodes. Consequently, producers are motivated to create additional content in response to public demand.

However, I believe that this genre can have negative effects, particularly on younger audiences. Some crime programmes provide detailed portrayals of criminal activities, including how crimes are committed and how offenders avoid being caught. Although these scenes are fictional, young and impressionable viewers may imitate certain behaviours or become desensitised to violence. Furthermore, children and adolescents may not have sufficient maturity to distinguish fully between entertainment and reality. Excessive exposure to disturbing content could also negatively affect their emotional well-being and, in some cases, lead to anxiety or behavioural problems.

In conclusion, although crime novels and television dramas provide entertainment and encourage people to think critically, they may have harmful effects on younger viewers. Therefore, I believe that access to such content should be restricted according to age, while adults should remain free to enjoy these programmes.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt effectively. You clearly explain the popularity of the genre through the lens of audience engagement and mystery, and you provide a well-reasoned opinion regarding the need for age restrictions. The ideas are extended and supported with relevant reasoning, such as the psychological impact on younger viewers and the desensitisation to violence. The position is clear throughout the essay, and the conclusion effectively synthesises your main points. To reach a higher band, you could include a specific example of a popular crime show or a real-world scenario to further illustrate your points, which would add more depth to your arguments.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The essay is logically organised with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the transition between the popularity of the genre and your personal opinion is smooth. You make good use of cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'Consequently', 'However', and 'Furthermore', which help guide the reader through your argument. The paragraphing is appropriate, with a clear introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. The referencing is consistent, and the flow of information is natural, making the text easy to follow throughout.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your ideas with precision. Phrases like 'impressionable viewers', 'desensitised to violence', and 'distinguish fully between entertainment and reality' show a good command of topic-specific language. There is an awareness of style and collocation, and the vocabulary is used accurately. While the range is adequate for the task, incorporating a few more sophisticated or idiomatic expressions could elevate the response further. There are no spelling or word-choice errors that impede communication, and the language used is appropriate for the formal tone of an IELTS essay.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.0

The essay displays a good variety of complex structures, such as the use of conditional-like reasoning ('if... then' implied) and subordinate clauses ('Although these scenes are fictional, young and impressionable viewers may...'). The majority of your sentences are error-free, and your control over punctuation is excellent. You use a mix of simple and complex sentence forms effectively to maintain interest. The grammar is accurate, and there are no significant errors that cause confusion or difficulty for the reader. The sentence construction is sophisticated enough to support a high band score.

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