Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-28
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)
There is an ongoing debate regarding theatres and ott platforms. A group of individual believe that popularity of theatres and cinemas are reduce in modern time as every individual can watch all movies and shows on internet. However, others are of the view that theatres and cinemas continue to play a significant role in both the economy and culture,
Examining the former view, the foremost argument put forward by proponents is that in modern era popularity of cinemas are drastically reducing everyday because every entrenchment is available on internet in cheaper cost and also provide flexibility. To elaborate more, nowadays OTT platform such as Netflix , prime video and more platform which has large number of entertainment available in cheaper cost which include movies, show , games due to this people chose OTT platform over theaters to watch movies and show which help them to save money and also available to watch when they want which provide them flexibility.
On the contrary, those in favor of the later opinion have their own arguments. To begin with, internet can provide flexibility and affordable but can not provide atmosphere and feeling that you find in theatres and in auditorium. For example, there is a cultural show named kathakali which you find on internet but when you watch live in theatre it feel alive and you enjoy more ambiance and live show. Moreover, new movies will available on internet after some time which can also exactment of movie.
To sum up the discussion and give my opinion, I would support the later view because i feel live show can generate more excitement and feel alive instead of watching on internet.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses both views and provides a clear personal opinion. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. While the argument for OTT platforms is clear, the discussion regarding the economic and cultural importance of theatres is underdeveloped. The example of 'kathakali' is relevant but lacks depth, and the point about 'exactment' (excitement) is unclear. To reach a higher band, you should expand on the economic impact (e.g., job creation, local business support) and provide more detailed cultural arguments to fully support your position.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, and there is a clear introduction and conclusion. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'To elaborate more', 'On the contrary', and 'To sum up', though some transitions feel a bit mechanical. The progression of ideas is generally logical, but the referencing is occasionally weak, such as in the final paragraph where the connection between 'live show' and the previous arguments could be more explicitly linked. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different viewpoints.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The range of vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks sophistication. There are several instances of awkward word choice and minor errors, such as 'every entrenchment' (likely meant 'entertainment'), 'exactment' (likely meant 'excitement'), and 'later opinion' (should be 'latter'). While the meaning is generally clear, the vocabulary is somewhat repetitive, relying on basic terms like 'cheaper cost' and 'modern time'. Using more precise collocations would improve the quality of the writing.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the flow, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('popularity of theatres and cinemas are reduce') and incorrect verb forms ('new movies will available'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with comma usage and spacing around punctuation marks. While the errors do not completely obscure meaning, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score in this criterion.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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