Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-30
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)
People have different views on whether theatres and cinema are no longer important due to availability of entertainment is online and free while other argues that theatres and cinemas are still important both economically and culturally. I acknowledge watching entertainment home is easy but i believe watching cinemas is important because it provides unique social and culture experience.
On the one hand, proponents of watching movies digitally argues that any movie can be accessed for free and can be seen anywhere. This is because the streaming platforms have provided the privilege to watch anything, anywhere for free with the help of internet connectivity. Some people avoid going to cinemas due to the filthiness of the place. For example if a person has dust allergy or claustrophobia he might face an issue to go to cinemas and enjoy the amazing experience the cinemas provide.
On the other hand, those who advocates to go theatres and cinemas to enjoy the culture benefits. This is mainly because the theatres and cinemas provide bigger screen with a projector and a better sound system for audio quality. For example, new movies theatres and cinemas have been introduced to give amazing experience and more options like 3D and 4DX which includes the movement of seats, experiencing change of temperature during a particular scene which helps in understanding the choice of experience people like to take and it gives economically benefits as well because large audience is targeted.
In conclusion, I acknowledge sitting at home relaxing and watching the entertainment anywhere and anyplace may be beneficial, I believe going to theatres and cinemas provides different type of experience with better screening and audio quality with large subtitles.
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 in the introduction. However, the development of ideas is somewhat uneven. While the argument for digital entertainment is supported by the mention of convenience and cost, the argument for cinemas is less effectively developed. The mention of 'filthiness' and 'dust allergy' is a specific but somewhat narrow point that does not fully capture the broader economic or cultural significance requested by the prompt. The conclusion reiterates the position but does not fully synthesize the arguments presented. To reach a higher band, ensure that both sides are balanced with more substantial, analytical points rather than focusing on minor physical discomforts.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, and there is a clear progression of ideas from the introduction to the conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand' and 'On the other hand' are used to signal the structure. However, some transitions are mechanical, and there are instances where the flow between sentences is slightly disjointed, such as the transition between the mention of 3D/4DX technology and the economic benefits. Referencing is generally clear, but the paragraphing could be more effectively utilized to separate distinct arguments more cleanly. Overall, the essay is easy to follow despite these minor issues.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the writer to express their ideas clearly. There is an attempt to use topic-specific vocabulary like 'streaming platforms', 'internet connectivity', and '4DX'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'advocates to go theatres' (should be 'advocate going to') and 'gives economically benefits' (should be 'provides economic benefits'). The range is sufficient for the task, but the lack of more sophisticated or precise vocabulary limits the score. Focusing on correct word forms and collocations will help improve this score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues like 'proponents... argues' (should be 'argue') and 'others argues' (should be 'argue'). There are also errors in article usage and prepositions, such as 'watching cinemas' (should be 'watching movies in cinemas') and 'anywhere and anyplace'. While these errors do not impede communication, they are persistent throughout the text. Increasing the accuracy of basic grammatical structures is essential before attempting more complex ones.
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.