Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-09
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)
Unquestionably, every coin has two sides and so are the people. Society's people are divided into two groups and therefore, online entertainment platforms are changing the view of people towards the theatres and cinemas while some still know the importance of it by both economically and culturally, this has become a topic of debate among people. This essay will compare and contrast both of the opinions along with my thoughts which is in the favour of latter view will be discussed in a sensible conclusion.
Initiating with the points supporting first school of thought, online streaming is growing rapidly in this decade ignoring the movie hall. The people who support this say that they have much more content and do prefer to watch it alone in their home with only their loved ones. However, the consequence of this aspect is that people miss out the energy which surrounds the whole theatre when watching with a lot of people. To quote and instance, my brother watches the web series and movies online most of the time but on coincidently one day he went to a cinema and shocked by the atmosphere and vibe it has.
On its contrasting side, people who held another viewpoint say that the theatres and cinemas are much important for both economically and culturally. The believe that it helps people bond together when they are from different cultures or watch the movies which are made on various cultures and helps economically to staff and other small businesses operating in the theatres and cinemas. In addition, the opposing view highlights the preferences of watching it alone or with groups and scams which are now days happening in the small shops by selling spoiled and expensive food. To exemplify now days a small packet of popcorns is more costly than a normal meal outside.
To conclude, I would like to say that, going out and spending time with your loved ones to watch movie in a theatre or a cinema is much appreciated by them and various spot you visit while reaching your destination is quite memorable too. However, it will depend upon the mindsets of the people that which view they are in a favour of. To make it more effective a joint effort is needed by the citizens.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The essay addresses both sides of the argument and provides a clear personal opinion. However, the development of ideas is somewhat inconsistent. While the first body paragraph touches on the 'atmosphere' of cinemas, the second body paragraph becomes distracted by irrelevant details, such as the cost of popcorn and food scams, which detracts from the core argument regarding economic and cultural importance. The position is clear, but the supporting arguments lack the depth required for a higher band score, as some points are under-developed or tangential.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, and there is a logical progression of ideas. However, the use of cohesive devices is sometimes mechanical or slightly awkward, such as 'Initiating with the points supporting first school of thought' and 'On its contrasting side'. Additionally, some sentences lack clear logical flow, such as the opening sentence which is grammatically confusing. Referencing is generally clear, but the transitions between ideas could be smoother to improve the overall readability and cohesion of the response.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the precision and range expected at higher levels. There are several instances of awkward phrasing and word choice, such as 'ignoring the movie hall', 'shocked by the atmosphere', and 'scams which are now days happening'. The student relies on fairly basic vocabulary and makes some errors in collocation. To improve, the student should focus on using more sophisticated academic vocabulary and ensuring that words are used in their correct context.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'so are the people', 'by both economically and culturally', 'The believe that it helps', and 'which view they are in a favour of'. Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with comma usage. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of errors in basic grammar and sentence construction prevents the essay from reaching a higher band score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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