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)

While some people think that theatres and cinemas are not important, others believe that both are important for economic and cultural purposes. In this essay I will discuss both sides of the argument and state my opinion.

People nowadays think that cinemas are not essential because they have other streaming applications such as Netflix and IPTV. Netflix can make access more films and tv series for lower prices; in addition, there are various programs and movies produced by Netflix itself and exclusively played on its application. Furthermore, cinemas have strict rules regarding snacks that you should buy from there while watching at home is more comfortable and you can bring a variety of foods and beverages. For example, in Saudi Arabia popcorn is costly in most cinemas and theatres and it can cost double the price of the ticket itself

However, others argue that cinemas and theatres have financial value for the government because high percentage of the profit goes directly to the state. As a result, a lot of renovation around the city for hospitals and roads are made which definitely benefit the citizens. When the government spend money on updating the city services this will improve tourism and will benefit the country in return. Moreover, it can't be denied that theatres and movies in general have cultural background, so they can spread the country's customs and traditions worldwide.

In conclusion, while it is argued that cinemas and theatres can be replaced by entertainment services online as they are cheaper, I believe cinemas and theatres are still valuable both culturally and economically because they are an integral part of the country's income.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both views and providing a clear personal opinion. The ideas are relevant, such as the convenience of streaming services versus the economic and cultural contributions of cinemas. However, the development of these ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the economic argument regarding government revenue and infrastructure is a strong point, but it could have been expanded with more specific detail or a more nuanced explanation of how cultural preservation occurs in a cinema setting. The position is consistent throughout, but the depth of analysis remains at a functional level rather than a fully developed one.

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 'in addition', 'furthermore', 'however', and 'as a result' are used to guide the reader through the argument. While the flow is generally smooth, some transitions feel slightly mechanical. The referencing is clear, and the progression of ideas is logical, though the connection between the economic argument and the cultural argument in the second body paragraph could be more seamless.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the writer to convey their ideas clearly. There is some attempt to use topic-specific vocabulary like 'streaming applications', 'exclusively', and 'integral part'. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there are occasional inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'make access more films' (should be 'provide access to more films') and 'cultural background' (which is slightly imprecise in this context). To reach a higher band, the student should incorporate more sophisticated collocations and precise terminology related to the economic and cultural impact of media.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'Netflix can make access more films' (incorrect verb usage), 'when the government spend money' (subject-verb agreement error), and 'renovation around the city... are made' (should be 'is made'). While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. The punctuation is generally correct, but the control over complex sentence structures needs to be more consistent to demonstrate the flexibility required for higher bands.

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

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