Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-09-21

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 7.0)

In the majority of nations today, TV crime dramas and crime novels are becoming increasingly popular.There are some possible causes behind this growing trend. From my perspective,these media formats can have a negative impact because they are often responsible for influencing rising crime rates in society.

There are two main reasons why crime fiction and television shows attract such a large audience. First and foremost,human beings are naturally curious about the darker sides of psychology and the thrill of problem-solving. Shows and books allow the audience to step into the shoes of a detective, piecing together clues and solving a mystery from the safety of their own homes. Furthermore, these dramas provide a form of intense escapism. The fast-paced plots and high-stakes drama offer a complete distraction from the mundane routines of daily life, keeping viewers hooked until the very final scene.

Despite their entertainment value, I believe that excessive exposure to crime media has a detrimental effect on public behavior. The primary concern is that these programs often glamorize criminal lifestyles or detail sophisticated methods of lawbreaking. Impressionable viewers, particularly young people, may attempt to copycat the actions they see on screen. For instance, detailed depictions of cybercrimes or robberies can essentially act as an instructional guide for real-world criminals. Additionally, constant exposure to violence normalizes aggressive behavior, making society less sensitive to actual crimes occurring around them.

In conclusion, crime stories and television dramas are highly popular because they satisfy human curiosity and offer an engaging escape from reality. Nevertheless, they pose a significant danger by romanticizing illegal behavior and providing blueprints for potential wrongdoing, which ultimately impacts societal crime rates.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The candidate has fully addressed all parts of the task prompt, examining both the reasons why crime fiction and TV dramas are popular and presenting a clear personal opinion regarding their societal impact. The response opens with a well-defined stance in the introduction, arguing that these media formats contribute to rising crime rates. Ideas are well-developed and extended throughout the body paragraphs. In the second paragraph, the appeal of crime fiction is explained through human curiosity and escapism. In the third paragraph, the counter-perspective on negative impacts is robustly supported with examples such as copycat actions and cybercrime instruction. The conclusion neatly summarizes the main points. The development of ideas meets all criteria for Band 7.0, showing a clear, consistent position supported by relevant and extended explanations.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay displays a clear logical organization and progression from start to finish. Paragraphing is used appropriately and effectively, with each paragraph focusing on a distinct central theme: reasons for popularity, negative impacts, and a summary conclusion. Cohesive devices are used flexibly and appropriately to guide the reader through the arguments, as seen with phrases like 'First and foremost', 'Furthermore', 'Despite their entertainment value', and 'Additionally'. Referencing throughout the text is clear and logical, avoiding ambiguity. The progression of ideas is smooth, linking the psychological appeal of crime media directly to the subsequent discussion on behavioral consequences, aligning well with the Band 7 descriptors for cohesion and logical sequencing.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

The writer demonstrates a sufficient and flexible range of vocabulary suitable for the task. Less common lexical items are used with good awareness of style and collocation, such as 'darker sides of psychology', 'intense escapism', 'mundane routines', and 'glamorize criminal lifestyles'. While there are a few minor spacing and punctuation mechanical issues in the student's raw text (such as missing spaces after commas), the actual lexical choices are precise and convey the intended meaning effectively. The vocabulary allows for fluent expression and precise articulation of complex ideas regarding psychological appeal and societal consequences, comfortably fitting the Band 7 criteria for lexical resource.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The response features a wide variety of complex sentence structures used with a high degree of accuracy. The candidate successfully employs subordinate clauses, participial phrases, and conditional structures, such as 'Shows and books allow the audience to step into the shoes of a detective, piecing together clues...' and 'Impressionable viewers, particularly young people, may attempt to copycat the actions they see on screen.' Grammatical control is strong throughout, with frequent error-free sentences. Punctuation and verb tenses are handled very well, and the minor mechanical spacing slips do not detract from the overall grammatical competence. The structural variety and high proportion of error-free sentences strongly reflect Band 7 performance.

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