Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-31

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 6.0)

Indubitably, advancement in technology has paved the way for the public to watch entertainment shows on the internet. As a consequence, several people argue that theatres and cinemas have lost their significance because viewers can find all the content through the internet while others believe that theatres and cinemas hold importance economically as well as culturally. In this essay, I will articulate both the views followed by my opinion in the subsequent paragraphs.

At the outset, there are multiple factors which cause citizens to think that in current times, theatres and cinemas are not considered crucial and first and foremost is the lower cost and accessibility of videos online. To explain it more, people prefer to see shows and movies on the internet through the comfort of their homes as it costs them less than going to watch these things in cinemas. For example, a monthly subscription of platforms to watch all the movies available on them is far lower as compared to seeing even one movie in a cinema. Moreover, their money for travelling to theatres is also saved as they do not need to travel to any place for a few hours of entertainment which makes it convenient as well for viewers.

On the contrary, others are of the opinion that theatres and cinemas are vital economically and culturally and the major reason is that the money spent on these experiences is worth it. To be more precise, cinemas provide users with a better experience than TV while watching a movie and besides, to gain an experience similar to that of theatres, a plethora of expenditure is required. For instance, it is beneficial to go and see a movie in theatres than spending a large sum of money to set it up at home. Furthermore, theatrical acts inculcate a sense of ability to feel the emotions of actors and understand the cultural aspect of an act as they are watching it with their friends which helps them to gain knowledge of everyone's perspective.

To recapitulate, as per my perspective, although some people are of the view that theatres and cinemas are no longer important as people tend to watch all the entertainment online because of its cost-effectiveness and convenience, nevertheless others are aware of its cultural and economic significance which overrides others' arguments.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both views and providing a clear personal opinion. The ideas are relevant, such as the cost-effectiveness of streaming versus the immersive experience of cinemas. However, the development of these ideas is somewhat superficial. For instance, the argument regarding the 'cultural aspect' of theatre is mentioned but not fully explored or exemplified with specific cultural contexts. The position is clear throughout, but the conclusion is slightly repetitive and could have been more impactful by synthesising the arguments rather than just restating them. Overall, the response meets the requirements but lacks the depth of analysis needed for a higher band.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organised with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the two opposing views. Cohesive devices such as 'At the outset', 'On the contrary', and 'To recapitulate' are used effectively to guide the reader. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the referencing within paragraphs could be smoother. For example, the transition between the economic and cultural arguments in the second body paragraph is a bit abrupt. Despite these minor issues, the progression of ideas is clear and easy to follow throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student demonstrates a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic with some precision. Phrases like 'paved the way', 'inculcate a sense of', and 'plethora of expenditure' show an attempt to use more sophisticated language. However, there are some inaccuracies in collocation and word choice, such as 'money for travelling to theatres is also saved' (better: 'travel costs are eliminated') and 'inculcate a sense of ability to feel the emotions' (which is slightly awkward phrasing). While the vocabulary is adequate for the task, it lacks the consistent naturalness and precision required for a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There is good control over basic grammar, and the meaning is always clear. However, there are occasional errors in sentence construction and punctuation. For example, the sentence 'To explain it more, people prefer to see shows and movies on the internet through the comfort of their homes' is slightly wordy and could be more concise. There are also minor issues with article usage and prepositional phrases. While the student attempts complex structures, they are not always error-free, which keeps the score at the 6.5 level.

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.