Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-17

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)

Many people think that online platforms can fully substitute theatres and cinemas as a way of entertainment, but I strongly agree with those who argue that they are significant for both culture and economy, because if people watch plays or movies offline, they help earning money for future author's projects.

On the one hand, a lot of individuals believe that digital era changed the way we meet with culture. People no longer need to go out to various places to listen to opera or to watch a new movie, because a large amount of content is available online. A person can choose whatever he wants and does not spend time on picking up a costume, buying tickets or going to the place. For example, ladies in the 20th century spent hours to dress up to the theatre, but now they do not need to do it, because they can watch a play from their home.

On the other hand, this is a widespread opinion that theatres and cinemas are still important as they help to develop culture. While watching movies in cinemas, people spent much money for tickets, helping the creators to collect money for their future projects, while watching these films at home they pay only for subscription which often costs less than one movie ticket and the surpassing part of this sum go to the site owner, and it regards the theatres as well. For example, the quality of new films and series significantly decreased when the majority of people started to watch them online, because the authors do not have much money to create better products.

In conclusion, while many people think the offline cinemas and theatres are out of date, I agree with those who believe they are important in cultural and economic development.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both sides of the argument and provides a clear personal opinion in the introduction and conclusion. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. The economic argument regarding the distribution of subscription fees is a bit simplistic and lacks nuance. While the prompt is addressed, the supporting arguments could be more thoroughly explored with more concrete examples beyond the general mention of film quality. The position is consistent, but the depth of analysis is more characteristic of a Band 6 level, as some points are slightly repetitive or under-developed.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized into clear paragraphs, with an introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', and 'For example' are used to guide the reader. However, the flow between sentences is occasionally mechanical, and some transitions feel slightly forced. Referencing is generally clear, but the progression of ideas within the second body paragraph is somewhat hindered by repetitive phrasing regarding 'collecting money' and 'watching online'. Overall, the structure is coherent, but the management of cohesive devices could be more sophisticated.

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 'substitute' and 'digital era'. However, there are instances of imprecise word choice and awkward collocations, such as 'surpassing part of this sum' (likely meaning 'the majority') and 'helping the creators to collect money'. The range is sufficient to convey meaning, but it lacks the precision and flexibility required for a higher band score. Spelling is accurate throughout the text.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the writer attempts complex sentences, there are frequent grammatical errors, such as 'digital era changed the way' (missing article), 'spent much money for' (preposition error), and 'it regards the theatres as well' (unnatural phrasing). Subject-verb agreement and tense consistency are generally maintained, but the errors are noticeable and occasionally distract the reader. The punctuation is generally correct, but the overall control of complex structures is inconsistent, placing this in the Band 6 range.

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