Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-09-04
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)
There is an rising popularity of crime fiction novels and TV programs amongst the people. I believe the popularity is mainly because of the storytelling technique and the return of investments. I personally believe that people should read and watch crime dramas to enjoy the levels of human creativity.
First of all, the storytelling technique of crime related novels and TV dramas are different from others. The way they build up the suspense in the story is always fascinating. The readers or the viewers is hooked till the end of the story. The story gets more interesting if there are sequel.
The growing popularity of the crime novel and TV programs are also attributed to the increase in the competition in the industry. With proven success in return of investments by handful of books or movies, the writers are encouraged to produce more.
In conclusion, I believe that the increasing popularity of crime novels and TV crime dramas are due to the way the story is narrated and the successful return on investments. I strongly believe that reading and watching these stories is enjoyable and at the same time helps us to acknowledge the human creativity.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| 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 196 words. This significantly impacts the development of ideas. While you address both parts of the prompt—the reasons for popularity and your personal opinion—the arguments are underdeveloped. For instance, the point regarding 'return of investments' is vague and lacks specific examples or logical explanation to support how this drives popularity. To reach a higher band, you must expand your points with concrete examples and ensure the response meets the length requirement to allow for full development of your position.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organized into clear paragraphs, and there is a basic logical progression. You use some cohesive devices like 'First of all' and 'In conclusion' to signal structure. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the second paragraph where the connection between 'sequel' and the previous sentence is weak. To improve, focus on using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph develops a single, clear central idea with sufficient supporting evidence.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.0
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. You use some repetitive phrasing, such as 'crime novels and TV programs' and 'storytelling technique'. There are also minor collocation issues, such as 'return of investments' (usually 'return on investment') and 'There is an rising popularity' (should be 'a rising'). To improve, try to incorporate more sophisticated synonyms and idiomatic expressions related to the topic of media and entertainment to demonstrate a more flexible command of the language.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text, such as subject-verb agreement issues: 'the storytelling technique... are different' (should be 'is') and 'The readers or the viewers is hooked' (should be 'are'). Additionally, 'There is an rising' contains an article error. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Focus on proofreading for basic agreement and article usage to improve accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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