Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-19

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 6.0)

The rapid growth of digital technology has transformed the way people consume entertainment, with streaming platforms allowing films and other forms of content to be accessed from almost anywhere. While some people therefore believe that theatres and cinemas have become unnecessary, others argue that they continue to have significant economic and cultural value. Although online entertainment is undoubtedly more convenient, I believe that traditional values are important.

On the one hand, it is understandable why some people consider streaming platforms or other forms of content. The main advantage of online platform is advantage. People can watch films, television programmes and other content whenever they want wihtout going to a specific location or paying for an individual cinema ticket. In addtion, streaming services allows audience to reach out to enourmous genres and content. For example, a person can use a streaming platform to watch an international film at home at a relatively low cost. As a result, digital entertainment can provide greater flexibility and affordability than traditional values.

On the other hand, theatres and cinemas offer experiences that cannot be fully replicated online. Going to a cinema or attending a theatre performance is often a social activity in which people share an experience with others in the same physical environment. This is quite important for live theatre, where the presence of actors and audience creates an atmosphere that a recorded performance reproduced. Furthermore, these venues make an important contribution to the economy by creating employment for performers, technicians, managers and other workers, while also giving social activity for the audiences. From a cultural perspective, theatres also provide a means of preserving and presenting artistic traditions and allowing local performers to reach wider audiences.

In conclusion, as in my perspective digital platforms have made entertainment more accessible, convenient and affordable, and this has quite reduced people's reliance on cinemas and theatres. Nevertheless, theses venues continue to provide unique social and cultural experiences while supporting employment and other economic activity. For these reasons, I believe that theatres and cinemas remain important despite the growth of online entertainment.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both views and providing a clear personal opinion. The ideas are relevant and generally well-developed. For instance, the economic and cultural arguments in the third paragraph are clearly articulated. However, the development of the first viewpoint is slightly repetitive, and the term 'traditional values' in the introduction and conclusion is a bit vague in this context. To reach a higher band, ensure that the personal opinion is more explicitly integrated throughout the body paragraphs rather than just stated in the introduction and conclusion. Overall, the task is well-addressed with a consistent position.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the two opposing views. Cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand', 'In addition', and 'Nevertheless' are used effectively to guide the reader. However, there are minor issues with cohesion, such as the repetitive phrasing in the second paragraph ('The main advantage of online platform is advantage'). While the progression of ideas is clear, the flow could be improved by varying the transition signals and ensuring that referencing is more precise throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The range of vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, with terms like 'streaming platforms', 'physical environment', and 'artistic traditions' used correctly. There are, however, some instances of awkward word choice and repetition, such as 'reach out to enormous genres' and the redundant 'advantage is advantage' construction. Spelling errors like 'wihtout', 'addtion', 'enourmous', and 'theses' are present. While these do not impede communication, they indicate a need for more careful proofreading and a wider variety of precise collocations to move into the higher band range.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical slips, such as 'streaming services allows audience' (subject-verb agreement) and 'a recorded performance reproduced' (missing auxiliary verb). Punctuation is generally sound, but the sentence structure in the second paragraph is slightly clunky. While the errors do not significantly impede meaning, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of passive voice constructions to ensure greater grammatical precision.

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