Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-26
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 this contemporary era, dramas and novels related to criminal activities are very popular among the public. I partially agree with this statement. I will explain my viewpoint in the following paragraphs with examples.
Initially, crime novels and TV shows were popular because the present generation likes to see movies that include action. Moreover, this type of movies aware general public about what's going on in the world and how to deal with this situation. For instance, women's safety: As per a newspaper survey, they found in 2003 that 30% of women died because of rape cases because they did not know how to handle the situation, but now they are aware of fighting for their rights, as shown in crime dramas for the effect.
On the other hand, these types of offensive activities negatively impact the daily crime rate. For example, over the past decade, children did not know what drugs are and what their effects are, but because of crime dramas and novels, the younger generation is taking drugs without any awareness. Not only this, many people are now smuggling drugs to become richer soon and exporting and importing drugs. Furthermore, these types of criminal activities are reducing the life expectancy rate among the younger generation.
From my perspective, these types of offensive activities have not only positive effects but also negative effects as well. On one hand, the novels and dramas like this make the ordinary public in regards of safety, but on the other hand it is also a source of human extinction soon.
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, but the development of ideas is inconsistent. While you provide reasons for the popularity of crime dramas, the argument regarding their impact is somewhat illogical and lacks nuance. For example, the claim that crime dramas are directly responsible for children taking drugs is a significant over-generalisation that lacks supporting evidence or logical connection. Furthermore, the conclusion is slightly confusing, as it labels these shows as a source of 'human extinction,' which is an extreme and unsupported assertion. To improve, ensure your arguments are grounded in realistic observations and provide more balanced, logical explanations for your opinions.
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 sometimes mechanical or misused. For instance, the transition 'Not only this' is used awkwardly to introduce a new point, and the phrase 'in regards of safety' is grammatically incorrect and disrupts the flow. While there is a clear attempt to use linking words like 'Moreover' and 'On the other hand,' the logical progression between sentences is occasionally weak, particularly in the second body paragraph where the link between media consumption and drug smuggling is not clearly explained.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the precision and variety required for a higher band. You rely on basic phrasing such as 'very popular,' 'offensive activities,' and 'good/bad effects.' There are also instances of awkward collocation and word choice, such as 'make the ordinary public in regards of safety' and 'become richer soon.' To achieve a higher score, try to incorporate more sophisticated vocabulary related to the topic, such as 'sensationalism,' 'societal impact,' 'fictional portrayals,' or 'heightened awareness,' and ensure your word choices are contextually appropriate.
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 clarity. Examples include 'this type of movies aware general public' (should be 'these types of movies make the public aware'), 'they found in 2003 that 30% of women died' (the tense and logic are unclear), and 'make the ordinary public in regards of safety.' Punctuation is generally functional, but the sentence construction often feels clunky. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles and prepositions, and aim to vary your sentence structures with more complex, error-free clauses.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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