Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-21
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)
A fair quantity of people think that in this digital era theatres and cinemas are not popular among the people as they watch all the movies online on different platform. Some people think that we have to follow our culture and must watch movies in the cinemas and theatres because it is helpful economically. I,tend to be in former view.
On the one hand, today's generation like to watch movies from there homes, on electric devices rather than to watch it in the cinemas. Moreover, they think that going to the cinema to watch movies is waste of time and money because of the new technology the new movies are instantly available on many websites and online apps with low cost and people can watch it any time.
On the other hand, some people want to watch movies in cinema, because they think that watching movies in cinema gives special kind of feeling. It uplifts country's employment rate and preserve the culture. Furthermore watching movies in theatres also grows the country economically.
In my opinion, in this digital age watching movies online movies is more convenient because people can watch it anywhere and anytime. It can save lot of money because it is cheaper than cinemas and theatres.
To conclude, watching movies on the website and apps is better than to watch movies in cinema by wasting lot of money . People have to wait to watch because they have to set their schedule with the timing of cinemas and theatres.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses both sides of the argument and provides a clear personal opinion. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. While you mention economic and cultural benefits, these points are not fully explored or supported with specific examples. The arguments remain at a surface level, such as simply stating that cinemas 'uplift the country's employment rate' without explaining how or why. To reach a higher band, you should expand on your points by providing concrete illustrations or deeper analysis. The position is consistent throughout, but the overall depth of the discussion is insufficient for a higher score.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. You use basic cohesive devices like 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', and 'To conclude' to signal transitions. However, the flow between sentences within paragraphs is sometimes mechanical. For instance, the transition between the economic benefits and the cultural preservation point in the third paragraph is abrupt. Additionally, some referencing is slightly unclear, such as the use of 'it' in 'watch it any time', where the antecedent is not perfectly established. Improving the variety of linking words would enhance the overall cohesion.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. You rely on repetitive phrasing, such as 'watch movies' and 'cinemas and theatres', which appears multiple times. There are also some awkward collocations, such as 'fair quantity of people' instead of 'a significant number of people' or 'a large proportion of the population'. While your meaning is generally clear, there is a lack of less common lexical items or idiomatic expressions that would demonstrate a more sophisticated command of the language.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay contains a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader. Examples include 'today's generation like to watch' (subject-verb agreement), 'from there homes' (incorrect pronoun usage), and 'is waste of time' (missing article). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with comma usage, such as 'I,tend to be'. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent the essay from reaching a higher band. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and article usage would significantly improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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