Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-06

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 5.5)

Rapid advancements in technology have transformed the way people consume the entertainment. Some people argue that, in the digital age, films and theatres are no longer preference to people as they can watch all the entrainment through online, while others believe that cinemas and theatres are equally important both culturally and economically. This essay will discuss both the views before propounding my opinion.

On the one hand, many people prefer watching films online because it is both affordable and convenient. The cost of visiting cinema has increased significantly over the years, such as the cost of movie tickets and other foods such as popcorns and soft drinks. Moreover, middle class families and students might not be able to afford this much cost and prefer watching online. In addition, watching online has other benefits such as one can watch movie from anywhere and also, they can have the flexibility to stop, pause or skip the scenes. On top of that, people can watch entrainment from other languages and enjoy them. For example, Netflix which is an online Ott platform provides all kinds of movies, web series and shows from all languages. Hence, many people prefer watching entrainment through online because of the hike of ticket prices, food sources and also it provides convenience to the people.

On the other hand, watching entrainment through theatres is very crucial both in economic and cultural ways. While it provides economic support to produces and directors to the film. Purchasing tickets will directly support the director and producer of the particular film, and they are most likely to invest on upcoming films and they can give best entertainment. Moreover, experiencing the film in theatres with long screens and advanced music system will be never replicated by seeing in online from home. Addition to that, from a cultural point, cinemas have long served as places where people gather to enjoy stories that reflect their traditions, values and heritage. Therefore, watching entertainment through theatres will provide economic support and promote cultural heritage.

In conclusion, although theatres and cinemas are very important for providing economic support to directors and produces, and promotes cultural heritage, I strongly believe that watching entertainment through online is affordable and provides convenience to users such as watching wide range of films of other languages from any location.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both views and providing a clear personal opinion. The ideas are relevant and generally well-developed, such as the economic impact of cinema attendance and the convenience of streaming services. However, the development is occasionally repetitive, particularly regarding the 'convenience' argument. The position is consistent throughout the essay, although the conclusion could have been slightly more nuanced to better integrate the two sides of the argument rather than simply restating the preference for online viewing. Overall, the response meets the requirements of the task effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the two viewpoints. Cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand', 'Moreover', 'In addition', and 'Therefore' are used to guide the reader through the argument. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and there is occasional awkwardness in the flow of ideas, such as the transition between the economic and cultural points in the second body paragraph. Referencing is generally clear, though some minor improvements in sentence-to-sentence linking would enhance the overall flow.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the writer to express ideas clearly. There is an attempt to use topic-specific vocabulary like 'digital age', 'economic support', and 'cultural heritage'. However, there are several instances of awkward word choice and collocation errors, such as 'no longer preference to people', 'entrainment' (used repeatedly instead of 'entertainment'), and 'food sources' when referring to snacks. These errors do not impede communication but indicate a need for more precise vocabulary usage and better attention to word forms.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the writer attempts complex sentences, there are frequent grammatical errors, such as 'watching entrainment through online' (incorrect preposition usage), 'cost of visiting cinema' (missing article), and 'produces' instead of 'producers'. Punctuation is generally functional, but there are minor issues with article usage and pluralization throughout the text. Despite these errors, the meaning is always clear, and the grammatical mistakes do not significantly interfere with the reader's understanding of the arguments presented.

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