Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-11-06
IELTS Writing Task 2 question
Some people say that in the digital age, theatres and cinemas are no longer important as people can watch all the entertainment they want online. Others argue that theatres and cinemas are still important both economically and culturally.
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 6.5)
In the age of technology, people can watch all the entertainment online without the need of going to theatres and cinemas. Some people argue that theatres and cinemas are no longer important while another group argues that they are still important, both economically and culturally.
Those who argue against the importance of theatres and cinemas, mostly base their argument on feasibility, ease, and cost-effectiveness of digital streaming platforms where you can watch all sorts of entertainment media. The viewer has the flexibility of watching at the time and place of his choice, moreover they can pause and play it according to their convenience. Going to theatres and cinemas costs money and watching it with a large gathering can be uncomfortable for some people, many times there are children in the cinemas or theatres screaming and crying, ruining the whole experience.
On the other hand, some argue that despite all the downsides, theatres and cinemas are still important. Many people prefer to watch movies on a big sceern with high definition video and audio quality, same experience cannot be replicated any other way. Theatres and cinemas also hold cultural significance. many of the dramas in theatres date back to more than 100 years, it plays a vital role in upholding cultural values. Furthermore, theatres and cinemas contribute a lot to the economy. Not only the owners of theatres and cinemas earn, but popcorn stalls, restaurants and cafes surrounding them see an increase in their sales.
In my opinion, even after the advent of digital age, theatres and cinemas still hold importance, both economically and culturally. Many people prefer to watch movies on large screens giving them an immersive experience. Physically watching dramas in theatres revives the sense of cultural history as well. From my personal experience, when i went to watch an action movie in cinema, i enjoyed it much more than when i watched it online later in my home. Although convenience provided by watching the entertainment media online cannot be denied.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.0 |
| Overall | 6.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5
You address both views and give a clear opinion that cinemas and theatres remain important, so the response covers the main parts of the task. The online-view paragraph gives relevant reasons—convenience, flexibility and cost—and the opposing view includes cultural and economic contributions. Your personal cinema example also supports your position. However, some points are asserted rather than fully explained: for instance, the claim that theatre dramas preserve cultural values would be stronger with a specific example, and the economic point could explain the wider employment or local-business impact. The conclusion is also weakened by ending with “Although convenience… cannot be denied,” which leaves the final contrast incomplete. More balanced development and a fully resolved ending would strengthen the response.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5
The response has a clear overall structure: an introduction, a paragraph for each view, and a final paragraph stating your opinion. Transitions such as “On the other hand,” “Furthermore,” and “In my opinion” help readers follow the discussion. The progression is generally logical, and the personal example is placed appropriately in the conclusion. At times, however, connections are mechanical or unclear. The second paragraph shifts from streaming convenience to noisy audiences without a clear link, while “moreover” joins ideas that would be clearer as separate sentences. The final “Although” clause is a fragment and does not complete the contrast. Use linking phrases selectively and make each paragraph’s supporting points build more explicitly toward its main idea.
Lexical Resource: Band 6.5
You use an adequate range of topic vocabulary, including “digital streaming platforms,” “cost-effectiveness,” “cultural significance,” and “immersive experience.” These choices communicate the main ideas clearly, and you attempt some less common expressions. However, several phrases are imprecise or repetitive: “all sorts of entertainment media” is broad, “the same experience cannot be replicated any other way” is awkwardly phrased, and “theatres and cinemas” is repeated frequently. There are also spelling and capitalization slips, including “sceern” and lowercase “many” and “i.” These do not prevent understanding, but careful editing and more precise collocations would improve control. Aim to vary references naturally, for example by using “venues” or “the big-screen experience” where appropriate.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0
You use a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including relative and subordinate clauses, as in “where you can watch…” and “Although convenience… cannot be denied.” Most ideas remain understandable, but some grammatical and punctuation errors persist. The final “Although” clause is incomplete and needs to be joined to a main clause. In “Theatres and cinemas… it plays,” the pronoun does not agree with the plural subject; use “they play” or recast the sentence. The sentence beginning “The viewer has the flexibility…” also joins independent ideas with a comma, and “same experience” needs an article (“the same experience”). Review sentence boundaries, agreement, and articles, while continuing to use varied structures.
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