Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)
In my country crime novel, and TV crime dramas are getting popular day by day. The reason behind this is somewhat their personal choice, Moreover the crime rate in my country is raising day to day. We have seen a lot of crime stories on Television or News paper. This might be the reason why people relate to these kind of stories and watch them . For example I have witness a murder of the a well known tv actress. After almost one year I have seen the documentary on her life and how she was killed by her brother. Mostly people use these kind of real life based stories not to haunt anyone, but to spread awareness to the people that they should be careful in future with these kind of incidents.
To my stance these kind of stories should not be made as they provide awareness to people but on the other hand some people may get influence with these kind of activities and I witness the crime rate is increasing everyday. In my country mostly kids use to watch these kind of shows for this parents should pay check and balance on their kids activity and keep an eye on them what are they watching. In place of crime stories I belive there must be entertainment and funny Tv dramas should be made. For example funny comedy family shows give positivity to the environment. That would be the cherishable moment for the families to see and make memories togethe.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses both parts of the prompt, identifying reasons for the popularity of crime fiction and providing a personal opinion. However, the development of ideas is limited. The explanation regarding why people relate to these stories is somewhat superficial, and the argument about the negative influence of crime dramas is repetitive. The example provided about a real-life murder case is personal but lacks a clear connection to the broader appeal of fictional crime narratives. To improve, you should expand on the psychological or societal reasons for this popularity, such as the human fascination with mystery or the 'safe' thrill of experiencing danger from a distance.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into two paragraphs, but the logical progression within them is weak. While some cohesive devices are used, such as 'Moreover' and 'For example', they are sometimes used incorrectly or mechanically. The transition between the popularity of crime shows and your personal opinion is abrupt. Furthermore, the referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the sentence 'Mostly people use these kind of real life based stories', where the intended meaning is difficult to follow. Improving the use of linking words and ensuring each paragraph has a clear, singular focus would significantly enhance the flow of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for a higher band. There is a reliance on basic phrasing, such as 'getting popular day by day' and 'these kind of stories'. Some word choices are inaccurate, such as 'witness a murder' (when you likely mean 'heard about' or 'followed the case of') and 'pay check and balance' (which is an idiom used incorrectly here). To improve, focus on learning collocations and more sophisticated vocabulary related to media, entertainment, and social impact, while ensuring you use these terms in their correct context.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede communication. Issues include subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'crime rate is raising'), article usage (e.g., 'the a well known'), and punctuation errors. The sentence 'In my country crime novel, and TV crime dramas are getting popular' contains unnecessary commas. Additionally, there are awkward phrasings like 'kids use to watch' instead of 'kids used to watch' or 'children watch'. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, subject-verb agreement, and the correct use of articles before attempting more complex structures.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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