Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-24
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)
It is often argued that being in a digital age theatres and cinemas no longer needed as the individuals can watch online but theatres and cinemas are beneficial for economic condition and culture. I think both statements are correct in their own terms.
In one hand, I think there is no longer necessary of cinema hall because nowadays people use to watch online. There is a free source by which people can watch every old and new shows that are broadcasting. Nowadays people prefer to stay indoors rather than outdoors and the viewers can play and pause whenever they wanted. For instance, I recently watched movie with my sisters at home named Spiderman and we discussed a lot in between the movie and I got a call to receive a parcel so I paused a movie collected a parcel and continued that movie. So, because of that I did not miss any scenes.
In other hand, there will be much more impact on economic condition and interms of culture too because if we stop visiting cinemas then the tickets of cinema will not sold and the budget of film or documentries will not be gathered so in that sense it is important. The producers cannot make another film if they don't get money from the previous movies. The actors will not get paid enough as per their efforts too. Movie theatres cannot run properly and nearby resturants and cafes will get impact. Basically, the money flow will be stopped. For instance, in Kathmandu valley there used to be a more theatres and local cinema halls because of the digital wrold people stopped going there and it has shut down.
In conclusion, there should be a balance between both things which will not impact on both. the theatres and cinema halls have to place a reasonable price which the individuals can afford.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses both sides of the argument and provides a personal opinion, fulfilling the basic requirements of the prompt. However, the development of ideas is somewhat superficial. While you mention economic impacts, the explanation remains repetitive, focusing heavily on the idea of 'money flow' without exploring broader cultural or social implications in depth. The personal example regarding watching a movie at home is relevant but takes up a significant portion of the paragraph, which limits the space for more analytical points. To reach a higher band, ensure that your arguments are balanced and fully explored with more sophisticated reasoning rather than relying on simple, repetitive explanations.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into clear paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. You use basic cohesive devices like 'In one hand', 'In other hand', and 'For instance' to link ideas. However, some of these are used incorrectly (e.g., 'In one hand' should be 'On the one hand'). The progression of ideas is generally logical, but the transitions between sentences can feel mechanical. To improve, try to use a wider variety of linking words and ensure that your referencing is precise to avoid repetitive sentence structures. The conclusion is a bit abrupt and does not fully synthesize the points made in the body paragraphs.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing you to communicate your points clearly. You use some topic-specific terms like 'economic condition', 'documentaries', and 'digital world'. However, there are several instances of awkward phrasing and word choice errors, such as 'the tickets of cinema will not sold' (should be 'sold') and 'there used to be a more theatres' (should be 'more theatres'). The range of vocabulary is somewhat limited, relying on simple descriptors. To achieve a higher score, focus on using more precise collocations and a broader range of academic vocabulary to express your ideas with more nuance.
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 hinder the flow. Common issues include missing articles ('the' movie), incorrect verb forms ('will not sold'), and subject-verb agreement errors ('there used to be a more theatres'). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are persistent throughout the text. To improve, focus on proofreading for basic grammatical accuracy, particularly with verb tenses and pluralization. Incorporating more varied complex sentence structures with greater accuracy would also help in demonstrating better control over your writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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