Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-09-18
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 5.0)
In many countries today, crime novels and TV crime dramas are becoming more and more popular and Many reasons to explain about these books and TV shows because of the popularity.
In my opinion, Every individual is crazy about crime novels and TV crime dramas because of the story, thriller, suspence and the climax.We can not really think or guess the story.I watched one recently,The drama name is "Lady Killer", The story is really intresting and crazy.The director of the crime drama written this story from the real life women story and from starting to the end of the drama.
You can use this example and conclusion:
For example, Sherlock Holmes stories encourage readers to follow clues and guess who committed the crime before the detective reveals the answer. This makes reading more engaging because the audience takes an active role in solving the mystery. Personally, I enjoy this kind of fiction because it challenges me to think carefully and pay attention to small details.
In conclusion, crime novels and television crime dramas are popular because of their suspense, unexpected twists and engaging mysteries. In my opinion, they are an enjoyable form of entertainment because they encourage audiences to think while keeping them interested until the end.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response addresses both parts of the prompt regarding the popularity of crime fiction and personal opinion. However, the length requirement of 250 words is not met, as the student's text contains only 207 words. This results in under-development of ideas, specifically in the second paragraph where the narrative shifts abruptly and includes meta-commentary such as 'You can use this example and conclusion:'. While a clear position is stated, the incomplete word count and disjointed sections prevent the score from reaching a higher band. To improve, the student must expand their supporting arguments more thoroughly and ensure they meet the minimum word count without including prompt notes.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
Paragraphing is partially attempted, but the inclusion of instructions ('You can use this example and conclusion:') severely disrupts the natural flow and logical progression of the essay. Cohesive devices like 'For example' and 'In conclusion' are used appropriately where they appear, but referencing is sometimes unclear, such as the sudden transition from 'Lady Killer' to pre-written sample text. Logical organization is hindered by these structural flaws. To achieve a higher score, the student should ensure smooth transitions between ideas and avoid mixing drafted notes into the final essay body.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is generally adequate for basic communication, featuring common words like 'suspense', 'entertainment', and 'engagement'. However, there are notable lexical inaccuracies, such as 'suspence' (misspelled) and awkward phrases like 'crazy about crime novels'. The range is quite limited and repetitive, preventing the use of sophisticated or less common lexical items effectively. Spelling errors like 'intresting' further detract from the lexical score. Expanding vocabulary related to media and literature would benefit future writing tasks.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The essay displays a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, but control over grammar is inconsistent. There are several grammatical errors and awkward constructions, such as 'and Many reasons to explain about these books and TV shows because of the popularity' and 'The director of the crime drama written this story'. Punctuation is also occasionally faulty, with missing spaces after commas and periods. While simple sentences are generally understandable, errors in verb tenses and agreement reduce the accuracy of more complex structures.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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