Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-27
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 7.5)
There is an ongoing debate about the role of theatres and cinemas: some say they are no longer needed because of the availability of online entertainment platforms, whilst others favour their importance for cultural and economic reasons. This essay will discuss both perspectives before explaining why these platforms are still valuable, despite the growing availability of digital technology.
On the one hand, technology has given people access to numerous online platforms for watching movies and web series. They can easily subscribe to streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon, and Disney, which allow them to watch from older films to newly released movies, under weekly or monthly payment policies with anytime cancellation options. As a result, they can enjoy entertainment whenever and wherever they want, without being restricted by fixed schedules or intervals, while also having the ability to pause, rewind, or fast-forward content according to their preferences.
On the other hand, watching a movie in cinema halls usually offers an extraordinary experience to audiences in several ways. From an economic perspective, they create employment for a wide range of people, including actors, technicians, directors, cleaners, and food-service workers. In this way, they also generate revenue for local businesses because people often visit restaurants, cafes, or shopping centres before or after watching movies. Similarly, from a cultural perspective, theatres and cinemas help to preserve society’s traditions, stories and values. They provide a platform for artists to experience different cultures and perspectives. Consequently, they still pay valuable attention to the audience for not only entertainment but also economic reasons.
From my perspective, watching a film or show live brings people together, which is difficult to completely replace with streaming services at home.
To conclude, although technology has changed the way people consume entertainment, I think cinemas and theatres will continue to have an important role in the society.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 7.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 7.5 |
| Overall | 7.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0
The response addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both views and providing a clear personal opinion. The ideas are relevant and logically developed. For instance, the economic and cultural arguments for physical venues are well-supported with specific examples like employment and community preservation. However, the personal opinion section is somewhat brief compared to the body paragraphs. To reach a higher band, the opinion could be more deeply integrated into the main body or expanded upon in the conclusion to provide a more robust justification for why these venues remain relevant in the digital age.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5
The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', and 'Consequently' are used effectively to guide the reader through the argument. Paragraphing is used appropriately, with each paragraph focusing on a central theme. The progression of ideas is smooth, and the relationship between the digital shift and the enduring value of physical venues is clearly articulated. The flow is natural, and the use of referencing is generally accurate throughout the text.
Lexical Resource — Band 7.0
The vocabulary is sufficient and appropriate for the task. You use a range of topic-specific terms such as 'streaming services', 'fixed schedules', and 'preserve society’s traditions'. There is some attempt to use less common vocabulary, such as 'extraordinary experience' and 'consume entertainment'. While the word choice is generally accurate and natural, it lacks the sophisticated, idiomatic control required for the highest bands. The phrasing is clear and precise, and there are no significant errors in word choice or collocation that impede communication.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5
The essay demonstrates a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. You use complex sentences effectively, such as 'although technology has changed the way people consume entertainment, I think cinemas and theatres will continue to have an important role'. Grammar is generally accurate, with only minor slips, such as the slightly awkward phrasing 'they still pay valuable attention to the audience'. Punctuation is used correctly to support the flow of ideas. The majority of sentences are error-free, showing good control over tense and subject-verb agreement.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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