Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-11-14

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 5.5)

It is often argued that now a days, cinemas are no longer valuable because online entertainments have taken their place While some people believe that these are still important both for economic and culture values. In my opinion, the second one argue is right that cinemas are still crucial because they provide employments and income to many people.

Firstly, if we talk about online entertainment no doubt they have many advantages. One of the main advantages of online platforms provide people a large number of contents. People can watch everything on their mobile phones, having no need to go to cinema or theatre. For example, People can use YouTube and Netflix for entertainment in their free time. As a result, they can save their rent cost and time.

On the other hand, some people believe that cinemas are still important in present age. I support this vision because these are the source of many people employment. In addition, these are also source of income in form of rent. The owner of the building get rent, having a source of income for him. For example, many people get different kinds of jobs like ticket seller, cleaners, and security staff etc. As a result, people get benefit and cinemas preserve our cultural values.

In conclusion, although some people claim that cinemas are no longer valuable, theatres and cinemas provide a lot of fun, and source of income. On the other side, the advantage of platforms we should not ignore as people can watch different types of contents through YouTube`, or Netflix. In my opinion, the first one is right and cinemas are still play important role in entertainment.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response5.5
Coherence and Cohesion6.0
Lexical Resource5.0
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.0
Overall5.5

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address both views and state a clear preference for the continued importance of cinemas, especially because they provide jobs and income. The examples of YouTube and Netflix also make the online-entertainment view relevant. However, the discussion is uneven: the online side is explained mainly through convenience and saving time and money, while the cultural importance of theatres and cinemas is only asserted in phrases such as “preserve our cultural values.” The economic point about rent is also not fully explained, and the response focuses on cinemas more than theatres. Develop each side with a specific reason or example, and explain more clearly how cultural venues benefit communities, to make the response more complete and persuasive.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, separate paragraphs for the two views, and a conclusion. Signposts such as “Firstly,” “On the other hand,” and “In conclusion” help readers follow the main direction. However, some connections are mechanical or unclear. For example, “On the other side” introduces a point that does not clearly contrast with the preceding sentence, and “these” in the second body paragraph has an uncertain reference. The conclusion also repeats both sides without bringing their relationship together clearly. Use linking phrases that show the precise relationship between ideas, and make each paragraph progress from a main point to explanation and example.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use relevant vocabulary for the topic, including “online platforms,” “employment,” “source of income,” and “cultural values,” and the meaning is generally understandable. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations sound unnatural, such as “online entertainments,” “the second one argue,” “rent cost,” and “this vision.” Repetition of “important,” “source,” and “people” also reduces precision. Aim to use more natural topic-specific expressions and check whether nouns are countable and whether phrases commonly occur together. For instance, describing venues as “cultural institutions” or saying they “generate local employment” would express your ideas more precisely.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including a conditional opening with “if we talk about online entertainment” and clauses beginning “because” and “although.” However, complex constructions are often faulty, and errors in agreement, articles, and sentence boundaries sometimes make the reader pause. Examples include “the owner of the building get rent,” “these are also source,” and the opening sentence, where two contrasting clauses run together without clear punctuation. There are also inconsistent capital letters after full stops. Practise checking subject–verb agreement and singular/plural forms, and separate complete clauses with appropriate punctuation. More accurate control of these patterns would make your argument easier to read.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.