Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-16

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 7.5)

While some believe that theatres and cinemas are no longer essential as individuals can access all the entertainment online, I would argue that they are still crucial economically and culturally.

First and foremost, it is understandable that some places related to arts are receiving less attention from the general public on the grounds of the advancement of technology. This enables citizens to enjoy pieces of art without going out and spending too much money. For instance, people who want to watch the latest movie can use a variety of social media platforms, namely Youtube. In addition to that, individuals can even access movies that were released years ago, as compared to cinemas that usually only provide the latest ones. For these benefits, an increasing number of people are in favour of the internet over movie theatres.

Nevertheless, it must be considered that theatres and cinemas can generate a considerable amount of revenue for governments and give the general public a sense of identity. For example, citizens tend to visit cinemas when a movie is advertised heavily on the internet. This phenomenon usually happens when a movie related to a country's history is going to be released to the public. After watching it together, the general public can relate to the story, generating a strong sense of belonging. Additionally, while cinemas are making money by selling tickets, they need to take a part of their income out to their local government. This amount of money can be invested in infrastructures, such as education, healthcare, and transportation, increasing the level of people's well-being.

In conclusion, although visiting theatres is not as popular as before because of the internet, which provides people with a wide range of options, we still need to remember the merits carried by physical cinemas, such as generating an extra revenue for governments and unifying the general public.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both views and providing a clear personal opinion. The ideas are relevant and logically developed. For instance, the argument regarding the economic contribution of cinemas through government revenue and infrastructure investment is a strong, specific point. The cultural aspect is also well-supported by the example of historical films fostering a sense of national identity. The position is consistent throughout the essay. To reach a higher band, the student could further elaborate on the 'cultural' aspect by discussing the unique social experience of shared viewing, which would add more depth to the argument.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the transition between the opposing view and the author's own perspective is smooth. Cohesive devices such as 'First and foremost', 'In addition to that', 'Nevertheless', and 'In conclusion' are used effectively to guide the reader. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different viewpoints. The referencing is clear, and the flow of information is natural, making the essay easy to follow from start to finish.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

The vocabulary is sufficient and generally appropriate for the task. The student uses some good collocations like 'heavily advertised', 'sense of belonging', and 'wide range of options'. There are some minor issues with word choice, such as 'take a part of their income out to their local government', which is slightly unnatural; 'contribute a portion of their revenue to local authorities' would be more precise. However, the range is adequate to convey complex ideas clearly, and there are no significant errors that impede communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The essay demonstrates a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are error-free, and the control of grammar is generally strong. There are occasional minor slips, such as 'on the grounds of the advancement of technology' (which is slightly awkward; 'due to technological advancements' would be better) and 'generating an extra revenue' (where 'extra' is unnecessary). However, these errors are infrequent and do not interfere with the clarity of the message. The punctuation is accurate, and the overall grammatical control is consistent.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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