Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Momentum Workout · 2026-08-31

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Some people think that the fictional violence portrayed on television is harmless entertainment. Others disagree and think that it encourages violent behaviour.

Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Student answer (Band 5.5)

Violence potrayed on television can be viewed differently by people. Some may take it as harmless entertainment while some may have their reservations about it. It may be viewed as harmless entertainment by some, as they may have a preference for the action movies, view it as purely fictional, and a way to spend their free time. However some may consider such movies to be influencing the people and most importantly the children negatively.

My opinion on the matter, is that fictional violence potrayed on television can encourage violent behaviours especially in today's teenage children. In today's evolving world, the children have access to a wide range of entertainment. At the same time children often idolise the heroes of the movies or the shows, wanting to practise what they do. Thus, it is very easy to influence the children about anything. They can quickly pick up on the fictional violence that is potrayed on television. It can also grow from the urge to compete and potray themselves as better than the others. These can therefore affect the understanding of the very basic core values that one should always believe in. They might come to think of violence as the first instinct or response in any situations, as they may believe it to be the only to respond. Therefore, it might become difficult for people to navigate any situations with calm and an understanding. Such exposure and belief can sooner or later have negative effects on their mental health as well as physical health.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both sides of the argument and provides a clear personal opinion. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. While you mention that children idolise heroes and may view violence as a primary response, the essay lacks specific, concrete examples to support these claims. The discussion remains quite general, which prevents it from reaching a higher band. To improve, ensure that each main point is supported by a specific illustration or a more detailed explanation of the causal link between media consumption and real-world behavior. The structure is logical, but the depth of analysis needs to be expanded to fully explore the implications of the prompt.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into two distinct paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression of your argument. You use some cohesive devices such as 'However', 'Thus', and 'Therefore' to link ideas. However, the transition between the two paragraphs is a bit abrupt, and some of the internal linking is slightly mechanical. The referencing is generally clear, but the flow could be improved by using a wider variety of cohesive devices to connect sentences more fluidly. Paragraphing is present, but the introduction and the body paragraphs could be more clearly delineated to enhance the overall structure.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'reservations', 'idolise', and 'navigate'. However, there is some repetition, particularly with the word 'potrayed' (which is also misspelled as 'potrayed' instead of 'portrayed'). The vocabulary is generally functional but lacks the precision and sophistication required for higher bands. To improve, try to incorporate more topic-specific collocations and avoid repeating the same verbs or nouns. Expanding your range to include more nuanced academic vocabulary would significantly enhance the quality of your writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this level. There are some grammatical errors, such as 'the children have access' (unnecessary article) and 'the only to respond' (missing noun/verb). Additionally, there are consistent spelling errors with the word 'portrayed'. While these errors do not significantly impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct usage of articles. Proofreading for common spelling mistakes and ensuring that complex sentences are constructed accurately will help you achieve a higher band.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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