Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-10
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)
People hold different views about how theatres and cinemas are treated by society. While some claim that individuals can watch all of that content at home using online platforms, others think that theatres and cinemas are highly beneficial both economically and culturally. I would argue that, although online applications allow people to watch the same movies at home, theatres and cinemas can teach younger generations how to respect history and increase employment opportunities.
On the one hand, online platforms offer the same content at the same time to people due to the substantial increase in technology over the last decades. Today, many streaming applications are accessible to users to check the latest movie or series updates regardless of their current location. For instance, platforms, namely Netflix and Eve, offer a large variety of different subscriptions, which are affordable, giving an opportunity for users to watch their favorite actors and movies online. Hence, they are likely to see upcoming movies earlier than others.
On the other hand, theatres and cinemas are critical to the preservation of the economy and culture. Economically, cinemas are one of the most profitable sectors for the nation. For example, promoting national movies with a strong plot and cast can be advantageous to the country's economy because the film industry creates thousands of jobs, ranging from production crews to hospitality staff in cinemas. Culturally, theatre scenes are of paramount importance to the description and the discussion of themes regarding a country's history and historical events. Consequently, ensuring that young people can enhance their historical awareness and protect national heritage.
In conclusion, while online applications provide comfortable access to movies, I believe that theatres and cinemas can affect our society positively by preserving historical heritage and offering new jobs.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.0 |
| Overall | 6.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5
The response addresses all parts of the prompt, providing a clear position from the introduction through to the conclusion. Both sides of the argument are discussed, and the student provides relevant supporting points, such as economic benefits and cultural preservation. The ideas are generally well-developed, although the explanation of how theatres 'teach younger generations' could have been expanded with a more specific example to reach a higher band. Overall, the response is focused and maintains a consistent stance throughout the essay, meeting the requirements for a Band 7.0.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5
The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the transition between the two sides of the argument is smooth, using standard cohesive devices like 'On the one hand' and 'On the other hand'. While the paragraphing is appropriate, some of the linking phrases are slightly mechanical. The referencing is generally clear, though the final sentence of the third paragraph is a sentence fragment ('Consequently, ensuring that...'), which slightly disrupts the flow of the argument. Overall, the structure is coherent and easy to follow.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.0
The student demonstrates a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic with some precision. Phrases like 'paramount importance', 'national heritage', and 'substantial increase' show an ability to use less common items effectively. There are occasional minor inaccuracies in collocation, such as 'theatre scenes' (which is not standard usage; 'theatrical productions' or 'theatre' would be better) and 'check the latest movie' (where 'access' or 'browse' would be more natural). However, these errors do not impede communication, and the vocabulary is adequate for the task.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0
The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There is good control over basic grammar, and the meaning is always clear. However, there are some grammatical slips, such as the sentence fragment in the third paragraph ('Consequently, ensuring that young people can enhance...') which lacks a main verb. Additionally, there are minor issues with article usage and prepositional phrases. While the student attempts complex structures, the frequency of error-free sentences is not high enough to reach the Band 8 level. The current level reflects a solid command of grammar with occasional lapses.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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