Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

Some people believe that due to the availability of online streaming platforms nowadays, theaters and cinemas are no longer important. While others argue that they are still valuable both economically and culturally. Both views will be discussed in this essay and I will also state my opinion that both theater and cinema are still significant as they provide more jobs to people and help preserve historical events of the place.

On one hand, a lot of people opt to subscribe to online streaming platforms since the fees are inexpensive and they can already watch all the shows they want at the convenience of their home. Instead of paying for individual entrance fees in the theater and cinema, families can already watch a show available in the platform. In addition, there is no need for them to travel and spend additional fees for transportation and meals. As a result, more people prefer to just watch online rather than going to theaters and cinemas.

On the other hand, some people believe that theaters and cinemas are still significant both economically and culturally. One of the reasons is when people support movies shown in cinemas, they help the entertainment industry to thrive and earn more profit. This is beneficial to those individuals who worked on producing the film like the artists and the employees as this will give them the opportunity to work on another project in the future. Another reason is that there are cultural performances that are shown in theaters. This helps preserve the history of the place as more people are informed about these through dance, acting, and other forms of cultural performance. These are the two reasons why it is still important to have theaters and cinemas.

In conclusion, while most of the people nowadays are subscribed to different online streaming platforms, it is still important to support the theaters and cinemas for both economical and cultural reasons.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both views and providing a clear personal opinion in the introduction. The ideas are relevant and generally well-developed. For example, the economic argument regarding job creation and the cultural argument regarding historical preservation are logical and clearly explained. However, the development could be more sophisticated; the points are somewhat predictable and could benefit from more specific examples or deeper analysis to reach a higher band. The position is consistent throughout the essay, and the conclusion effectively summarizes the main points while reiterating the author's stance.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central topic, and the progression of ideas is easy to follow. Cohesive devices such as 'On one hand', 'In addition', 'As a result', and 'On the other hand' are used effectively to link sentences and paragraphs. However, the transition between some ideas is slightly mechanical, and the referencing could be more varied. Overall, the paragraphing is appropriate, and the logical flow is maintained throughout the text, meeting the requirements for a Band 7.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary used is sufficient to convey the intended meaning clearly. The student uses some topic-specific terms like 'streaming platforms', 'entertainment industry', and 'cultural performance'. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there is a reliance on simpler, repetitive phrasing such as 'important' and 'people'. To achieve a higher band, the student should aim to incorporate more precise, less common lexical items and demonstrate better control over collocations. While the current vocabulary is adequate for the task, it lacks the flexibility and sophistication required for higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are clear, and communication is not impeded by the occasional grammatical errors. For instance, the phrase 'economical and cultural reasons' in the conclusion should ideally be 'economic and cultural reasons' (adjective vs. noun). There are also minor issues with article usage and prepositional phrasing. While the student attempts complex structures, the control is not consistent enough for a Band 7. The majority of sentences are error-free, but the range of structures remains somewhat restricted.

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