Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-01

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 this modern digital era, a specific group of people have the opinion that theaters or cinemas are not that entertaining as everyone have digital devices can watch anything online. On contrary, there is a class of people who stills find cinemas or theaters as interesting as in 90's from both perspective of economically or culturally.

In my opinion, people who love arts, dramas or live plays, they know the importance of cinemas or theaters. They know that the the real art of acting can only be seen in theaters. For example, Pakistani entertainment industry worked fantastically in the making of dramas. But early people of the industry still find theaters or cinemas more interesting. They believe that you can find raw talent from those platforms. Additionally, theaters or cinemas reflect true culture as compare to the other entertainment which can be seen online.

Furthermore, cinemas have big screens which are usually not available in our facilities. People who enjoy going outside to have fun or to spend quality time with friends or families really enjoy watching movies or dramas in cinemas along with fries or cold drinks. Cinemas reflects the early history or invention of picturization or movie manufacturing. So, they play important role in economy.

People who argue that they are not that important is because they didn't enjoyed that taste. They enjoy watching whatever they want to on their TV, Laptop or mobile phones. This thought can somehow save your time or money or you can enjoy anything by sitting in your home while relaxing. Overall, both arguments have their own benefits or experiences.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both sides of the argument and provides a personal opinion, meeting the basic requirements of the task. However, the development of ideas is somewhat superficial. For instance, the economic argument is mentioned but not clearly explained, and the cultural argument relies on general statements rather than specific, well-supported examples. The conclusion is brief and does not fully synthesize the points raised. To reach a higher band, you should aim to expand on your arguments with more detailed reasoning and clearer examples, ensuring that your personal opinion is more explicitly integrated throughout the essay rather than just stated in the introduction.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or repetitive, such as the frequent use of 'Furthermore' and 'Additionally'. Some transitions between sentences are abrupt, and the logical progression of ideas within paragraphs could be smoother. For example, the transition from discussing the 'raw talent' in theaters to the 'big screens' of cinemas feels disjointed. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear, singular focus would significantly enhance the flow and coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and variety required for a higher band. You rely on basic terms like 'interesting', 'important', and 'fun' repeatedly. There are also some awkward collocations and word choices, such as 'picturization' and 'movie manufacturing', which are not standard English. To improve, focus on using more sophisticated synonyms and idiomatic expressions appropriate for an academic context. Expanding your range of topic-specific vocabulary related to media, economics, and culture will help you demonstrate a more flexible command of the language.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Common issues include subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'everyone have digital devices', 'cinemas reflects'), article usage (e.g., 'the the real art'), and incorrect prepositional phrases (e.g., 'as compare to'). While the meaning is generally understandable, these persistent errors in basic grammar prevent the writing from reaching a higher band. You should focus on proofreading your work to correct subject-verb agreement and ensure consistent use of articles and verb tenses.

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.