Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

IN THE CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY, TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENTS PLAY A VITAL ROLE IN DEVELOPMENT OF A COUNTRY. SOME PEOPLE ARGUE THAT MOVIE THREATRES CARRY LESS SIGNIFICANCE TO PUBLIC DUE TO THE ACCESSIBILTY AND CONVINENCE OF ONLINE STREAMING PLATFROMS. OTHERS CLAIM THAT CINEMA HALLS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR ECONOMY TO GROW AND CULTURE TO BE PRESERVED.

ON ONE HAND, IN THIS DIGITAL ERA, THREATRES ARE NOT MUCH PREFERED BY GENERAL POPULACE AS THERE ARE VARIOUS SOURCES WHICH ARE EASY TO USE BY ALL USERS. A PERSON CAN WATCH TELEVISION SHOWS, MOVIES, SERIES AND DOCUMENTARY FILMS AT ONE SITE ANYTIME, ANYWHERE. SUCH KIND OF FLEXIBILTY INSIST TO RELY MORE AND MORE ON ENTERTAINMENT PLATFROMS LIKE NETFLIX, AMAZON PRIME VIDEO, ZEE STAR, AND JIO HOTSTAR. THE MOST ATTRACTIVE ELEMENT IS THAT CUSTOMERS CAN ADD THE FILTER OPTION AND SELECT THEIR PREFRENCE OF THEME TO SEE THE FILM. ADDITIONALLY, SOMETIMES THERE ARE CASES WHERE SOCIAL MEDIA CREATES HYPE OF A SPECIFIC MOVIE AND ON THE RELEASE DAY THERE IS HOUSEFULL, ALSO THE TICKET PRICES WENT ON A HIKE WHICH MIDDLE CLASS FAMILIES CANNOT AFFORD.

ON OTHER HAND, RUNNING OF MOVIE THREATRES ARE NECESSARY BACAUSE OF THEIR ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL VALUES. PEOPLE CAN GET A CHANCE TO WATCH A FILM WITH THEIR FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND HAVE FUN TOGETHER. SUBSEQUENTLY, THEY ENJOY ESPECIALLY, DURING WEEKENDS AND SPEND QUALITY TIME TOGETHER. INTRODUCTION OF SUCH KIND OF AMENITITES HAS ALLOWED TO ESCAPE FROM THE HUSTLE AND BUSTLE OF THEIR HECTIC SCHEDULE. WHENEVER THERE IS A BLOCKBUSTER MOVIE, BOX OFFICES EARN HUGE REVENUE AND INCREASE SALES RATIO, BOOSTING THE FILM INDUSTRY. AS A RESULT, THE ECONOMY OF A NATION WILL FLORISH AND EXPAND. TALKING ABOUT THE ESSENCE OF CULTURE,

IN MY OPINION, I THINK THAT ONLINE SERVICES OF WATCHING SHOWS ARE PROMINENT AND FLEXIBLE AS PEOPLE HAVE DIFFERENT ROUTINES AND LIKINGS TOWARDS SELECTING MOVIES. AN INDIVUDUAL CAN START FILMS TO BE SEEN AT THEIR OWN PACE, DISPLAY AND AUDIO SETTINGS. WHEREAS WE CANNOT MAKE ALTERATIONS TO CINEMA HALL BASED ON OWN WISH.

TO CONCLUDE, IT IS A CHOICE OF A PERSON WHETHER TO DECIDE WHERE TO WATCH IN THREATRE OR ON ANY AVAILABLE WEBSITE. THE DECISION VARY UPON THEIR STUDY OR JOB LIFE, SOCIAL STATUS FAMILY AND FINANCIAL BACKGROUND.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both views and providing a personal opinion. However, the development of ideas is somewhat uneven. The argument regarding the economic and cultural importance of cinemas is cut off mid-sentence ('TALKING ABOUT THE ESSENCE OF CULTURE,'), which leaves a key part of the task under-developed. While the position is clear, the supporting arguments lack depth and specific examples. To reach a higher band, ensure that all points are fully explored and that the essay structure is complete, avoiding abrupt endings or incomplete thoughts.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, and there is a clear progression of ideas. Cohesive devices such as 'On one hand', 'On other hand', and 'To conclude' are used to signal the structure. However, the flow is occasionally disrupted by mechanical phrasing and the incomplete sentence at the end of the third paragraph. Referencing is generally clear, but the transition between the economic benefits and the cultural aspect is lost due to the unfinished sentence. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring all sentences are complete would enhance the overall coherence.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the student to express ideas clearly. There are attempts to use topic-specific vocabulary like 'technological advancements', 'digital era', and 'blockbuster movie'. However, there are several spelling errors (e.g., 'THREATRES', 'CONVINENCE', 'PLATFROMS', 'PREFRENCE', 'FLORISH', 'INDIVUDUAL') and some awkward collocations. The range is sufficient to communicate the message, but the frequent spelling mistakes and limited precision in word choice prevent a higher score. Focusing on accurate spelling and expanding the range of academic collocations would be beneficial.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The student uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('ticket prices went on a hike', 'decision vary') and missing articles ('in contemporary society', 'to economy'). Punctuation is generally functional, but the incomplete sentence at the end of the third paragraph is a significant error. The range of structures is limited, and the frequency of errors, while not impeding communication, is noticeable throughout the text. More attention to proofreading for basic grammatical accuracy is recommended.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.