Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-20
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)
In the technological area everything is accessible through smartphones, laptops and computers. People do not have to go anywhere to get the information or for entertainment, everything is in reach of our hands. some people argue that theatres and cinemas are no longer important because of developed technology, people can watch everything online. Others say that cinemas and theatres are still have great cultural and economical importance. I agree, that they have not much importance as they used to have however, still they are beneficial and have great values for society, culture and economic growth of the country.
As in today`s technology driven world, people can watch movies almost instantly. It is an achievement in the modern world that people are not dependent on specific places and for fixed times when they are in mood for entertainment. It has great advantages for the people who lives in small villages and have no cinemas in their areas. It is very difficult for them to go to far places just to watch movie. Sometimes, when people are free and want to just relax and watch something for entertainment, they do not want to go somewhere for it and can watch easily whenever and whatever they want. It is also kind free entertainment, people do not have to spent money on tickets.
However, for the economical growth of the country the cinemas and theatres are important. People who
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words, which significantly impacts the development of ideas. While you address both sides of the argument and provide a clear position, the essay is incomplete, ending abruptly mid-sentence. The ideas presented, such as the convenience of online entertainment versus the economic importance of physical venues, are relevant but remain underdeveloped due to the lack of a conclusion and insufficient supporting evidence. To improve, you must ensure all parts of the prompt are fully explored and that the essay reaches the required length to allow for a comprehensive discussion.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay shows a basic level of organization with an introduction and body paragraphs. However, the progression of ideas is interrupted by the incomplete nature of the text. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'However' and 'As in today's technology driven world', but the overall flow is hindered by the abrupt ending. Paragraphing is attempted, but the final paragraph is cut off, preventing a logical conclusion. To reach a higher band, ensure that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence and that ideas are linked smoothly throughout the entire response, leading to a coherent summary.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. You use some repetitive phrasing, such as 'entertainment' and 'important'. There are also minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'technological area' instead of 'digital age' or 'technological era'. To improve, try to incorporate more sophisticated vocabulary related to the topic, such as 'ubiquitous', 'cultural heritage', or 'economic viability', and focus on using more precise collocations to express your ideas more naturally.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors, such as 'cinemas and theatres are still have' (should be 'still have') and 'people who lives' (should be 'people who live'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with the use of backticks instead of standard apostrophes. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to lower the score. Focus on subject-verb agreement and consistent use of punctuation to improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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