Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-28
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)
Books and TV dramas related to criminal activities are being more popular in many countries these days. This essay shall discuss some of the possible reasons and my personal view on this phenomenon.
To begin with, watching TV shows has become a trend nowadays and especially crime related dramas. The possible reason might be that people find these types of shows more fascinating to watch.
As these dramas are showing all the thriller stories which makes people more concern about what would happen next. Moreover, the episodes are designed to be more interesting as you watch and get addicted about the ending. Although some people find it scary or see this as a waste of time, once they start watching they are more likely to watch till the end. For instance, many of my friends used to watch crime shows and they were addicted to it as it was being more interesting after each episode. The visuals, storyline, sounds, and the characters are really well organized that people would forget anything else
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words, reaching only 172 words. This significantly impacts the development of ideas. While the essay introduces the topic and mentions reasons for the popularity of crime dramas, the discussion is superficial and lacks the depth required for a higher band. The second part of the prompt, which asks for your personal opinion, is not clearly addressed or developed. To improve, you must expand your arguments with more detailed explanations and specific examples, and ensure you fully answer all parts of the question. The current length prevents a full exploration of the topic.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into two short paragraphs, but the progression of ideas is limited due to the brevity of the text. There is an attempt to use cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'Moreover', and 'Although', but the flow feels somewhat mechanical. The paragraphing is insufficient, as the essay lacks a clear conclusion or a distinct structure that separates the reasons from the personal opinion. To improve, ensure that each main idea is developed in its own paragraph and use a wider variety of linking words to connect sentences more naturally.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is generally adequate for basic communication but lacks the range and precision expected at higher levels. Phrases like 'more and more popular' and 'really well organized' are somewhat repetitive and simplistic. There are some minor issues with word choice, such as 'get addicted about the ending' (should be 'addicted to'). To achieve a higher score, you should aim to incorporate more sophisticated vocabulary and collocations related to the topic, such as 'gripping narratives', 'suspenseful plotlines', or 'psychological intrigue', rather than relying on common, everyday language.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are several grammatical errors that affect the clarity of the writing. For example, 'are being more popular' is an incorrect tense usage; 'are showing all the thriller stories' is awkward; and 'makes people more concern' should be 'concerned'. Additionally, there are punctuation and phrasing issues throughout. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction and subject-verb agreement. Try to vary your sentence structures by using more complex forms, but ensure they are grammatically accurate to avoid impeding the reader's understanding.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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