Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-23
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 5.0)
We live in the 21st century, and the development of different things and invention are being took and happening in this busy world. They usually have to be a member, and they are able to watch a bunch of movies on that platform. In this essay, I will explain the differences, including the advantages and disadvantages, between watching a movie on an online platform and directly in theaters.
In the first part is watching a movie in theaters and cinemas. Watching a movie directly in theaters gives a more valuable experience; to illustrate, the screen in a theater is much bigger than watching a movie on a mobile phone or laptop, and the sound effects from good audio can give a real experience. Also, you are sitting in a proper room with low distraction, so you can stay focused on your film. On the other side, watching movies in theaters means you have to pay more for transportation, a ticket for once, and snacks if you want them.
The next part is watching movies on an online platform. The first thing you have to do is join a membership, which means you have to pay every month or for a yearly period. After becoming a member, you are able to watch every movie that is available on that platform. These things are cheaper than watching a film in theaters because you only have to pay once to watch a lot of movies in a one-month period or a one-year period. The disadvantage is that you do not get a worthwhile experience because of the distraction of unworthy devices.
In conclusion, watching a movie in theaters and cinemas means you are supporting the film industry culturally, because in the early eras of the movie industry, people had to go to cinemas to watch a movie, and it would increase movie income economically. The same thing applies if you are going to cinemas and theaters for movies; you are supporting the film industry and the theater/cinema industry.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response addresses both views regarding the importance of cinemas versus online streaming. However, the development of ideas is somewhat superficial. While you mention economic and cultural aspects in the conclusion, these points are not integrated into the main body paragraphs, making the argument feel disconnected. Furthermore, the prompt asks for your own opinion, which is not clearly stated or consistently maintained throughout the essay. To improve, ensure that your position is established in the introduction and supported by clear, logical arguments in the body paragraphs, rather than introducing new points in the conclusion.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive (e.g., 'The first thing', 'The next part', 'In the first part'). There is a lack of sophisticated linking words to connect ideas between sentences and paragraphs. The progression of ideas is sometimes disjointed, particularly in the transition between the body paragraphs and the conclusion. Improving the variety of transition signals and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence would significantly enhance the flow of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. You rely on basic phrasing such as 'a bunch of movies', 'good audio', and 'these things'. There are also some awkward collocations and word choices, such as 'invention are being took' and 'unworthy devices'. To reach a higher band, you should aim to use more precise, academic vocabulary related to the topic, such as 'cinematic experience', 'subscription-based services', or 'cultural significance', and avoid informal or vague expressions.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. For example, 'invention are being took and happening' is grammatically incorrect. There are also issues with subject-verb agreement and awkward phrasing, such as 'a ticket for once'. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. Focus on mastering basic sentence construction and proofreading for common errors like verb tense consistency and article usage.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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