Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-12
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)
Some people believe that in this digital era, watching movies in theater and cinemas are no longer significant for the people as they have other options to watch online. Others consider that theatres and cinemas are still valuable for both cultural and economical activities. This essay will discuss both the view and my perspective will be shared.
Firstly, the movie prices in theatres are more expensive and they are released in online platform after few weeks. People are subscribed to all the entertainment platforms to watch the newly released movies. This makes them very convenient to watch the movie they can pause & play whenever they want. Comparatively the price is cheap and affordable for everyone. For instance, on the first day first show movie in the theatre will cost around 20 dollars however, the cost of the subscriptions is 50 dollars per year. In this lakhs of movies and TV shows will be available.
On the other hand, by theaters many are getting employed and some bussiness are running in daily basis. The operator, lightman, technician, housekeeper, ticket checker and few food stall people are employed there and its boosting the economy. Online platforms can't beat the feel of watching a movie in a big screen will full crowded audience in theatre. Only in the theatre it will give you the sensory emotion and the excitment, whenever a mass sequence appears people used to do whistle and celebrate the moment. For example, my dad used to watch the movies only in theatres to get connected with scene and still continuing it for almost 50 years.
Overall, from my point of view the prices are higher and with the subscriptions people can watch the movie whenever they want, but only by watching a movie in theater will give you the feel and emotion to stay connected. So watching a movie in theatre is better when compared with watching it in online platform
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses both sides of the argument and provides a clear personal opinion. The ideas are relevant, such as the economic impact of cinemas and the convenience of streaming services. However, the development of these ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the economic argument could be expanded beyond listing job titles to discuss the broader cultural significance or the impact on local communities. The conclusion is a bit repetitive, restating the points rather than synthesising them into a more nuanced final stance. Overall, the task is addressed, but the depth of analysis is consistent with a mid-range band.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, each with a clear focus. The use of cohesive devices like 'Firstly', 'On the other hand', and 'Overall' helps guide the reader through the argument. However, some transitions are mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the sentence 'In this lakhs of movies and TV shows will be available', where the pronoun 'this' does not clearly refer to a preceding noun phrase. Paragraphing is used appropriately, but the internal flow within paragraphs could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words to connect ideas more fluidly.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the writer to express their ideas clearly. There are some attempts at less common vocabulary, such as 'sensory emotion' and 'economical activities'. However, there are also some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'bussiness are running in daily basis' (should be 'businesses run on a daily basis') and 'first day first show' (an informal regionalism). The range is sufficient to convey meaning, but lacks the precision and sophistication required for a higher band score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with subject-verb agreement ('theatres and cinemas are no longer significant', 'movie prices... are more expensive') and article usage. Some sentences are slightly awkward, such as 'watching a movie in theater will give you the feel'. Punctuation is generally functional, but there are minor errors throughout. The errors do not impede communication, but they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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