Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-14
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)
The growing influence of theatres and cinemas in modern society has sparked various debates. Some people say that in the digital age, theatres and cinemas are no longer valuable as people can watch all the entertainment they want online. Other argue that theatres and cinemas are still important both economically and culturally. In this essay, I will discuss both views and give my opinion with some suitable examples.
On the one hand, nowadays people know about technology very well and mostly people use the internet services. When people want to feel relax then they watch videos on the YouTube and other apps. Watching videos on the internet is the convenient away for entertainment and not need to go in the theatres and cinemas. In the modern society, everyone busies in the own work and do not have enough time for going another place, then they save time and money which spend on travelling and watching. For example, my uncle family lived in the Japen many theatres and cinemas are available there, but they save the important time and money and watch the new film and videos on the internet.
On the other hand, when people do not go in the theatres and cinemas, then countries encounter the economic and culture problems. This is also evident from the fact that countries loss the old culture and do not represent the own culture in the global world. Mostly tourist visit other countries for watching and seeing the historical places and culture of people.
In conclusion, I think both arguments have the advantages and disadvantages, but according to me the merits of internet are more than economically and culturally.
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 essay addresses both sides of the argument and provides a personal opinion, fulfilling the basic requirements of the prompt. However, the development of ideas is limited. The arguments regarding economic and cultural impacts are somewhat superficial and lack depth. For instance, the mention of 'economic and culture problems' is vague and not sufficiently explained or supported with concrete reasoning. The personal opinion in the conclusion is also slightly unclear, as it states the merits of the internet are more than 'economically and culturally,' which is grammatically incomplete and logically ambiguous. To reach a higher band, you need to provide more detailed explanations and specific examples to support your claims.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate. Phrases like 'On the one hand' and 'On the other hand' are used correctly, but the transitions between sentences within paragraphs are sometimes abrupt. For example, the jump from discussing internet convenience to the uncle's family example lacks a smooth logical bridge. Additionally, referencing is occasionally unclear, such as the phrase 'the own work' or 'the own culture,' which disrupts the flow of ideas. Improving the variety and precision of linking words would significantly enhance the coherence of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. You rely on basic terms like 'good,' 'important,' and 'problems.' There are also several instances of awkward word choice and collocation errors, such as 'everyone busies in the own work' instead of 'everyone is busy with their own work' and 'convenient away' instead of 'convenient way.' Some phrases are repetitive, and there is a lack of sophisticated vocabulary related to the topic of media, economics, or culture. To improve, focus on learning collocations and using more precise academic terminology.
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. Common issues include incorrect article usage ('the theatres'), subject-verb agreement ('Other argue'), and awkward phrasing ('my uncle family lived in the Japen'). There are also errors in preposition use and sentence construction, such as 'not need to go in the theatres.' While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of these errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. You should focus on proofreading for basic subject-verb agreement and article usage.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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