Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-02

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)

According to few individuals, in recent times theatres have lost its significance due to availability of newly established online platforms. Whereas, some believe, they are evergreen economically and culturally. I agree with the view that they play a vital role in a society.

Some newly developed OTT platforms are gaining popularity in public all over the globe from a decade. Since these applications are improving their quality and making sure people access shows or movies in a short period of time after its release with reasonable charges, audience are interested in it. So, everyone prefer spending on these online entertainments rather than watching a single movie at same price. For example, a famous brand like Netflix has made its packages cheaper and it make sure it release latest blockbuster film in relatively less number of days.

However, people have not completely spotted spending their money on theatres. They always look forward to watch a movie on a huge screen with friends, family or well-wishers. This can be a stage to develop a sense of togetherness with other person irrespective of their age, gender, social group or status. It is profitable for people working at the theatre, productions and the actors. It helps them build their career. For instance, a recent cinema in Hollywood was a massive hit so the production gain a lot of profits.

In my opinion, no matter how famous the online platforms they can never replace the theatres and cinemas as they play a important role in developing the hde

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response5.5
Coherence and Cohesion5.5
Lexical Resource5.5
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.5
Overall5.5

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both sides of the argument and provides a clear personal opinion. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. The final paragraph is incomplete, ending abruptly with 'hde', which prevents a full conclusion. While the arguments regarding economic benefits and social togetherness are relevant, they lack depth. To reach a higher band, you should ensure that each paragraph is fully developed with more specific examples and that the essay reaches a logical conclusion. The current structure is sufficient to address the prompt, but the lack of a finished conclusion impacts the overall task completion.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into paragraphs, and there is a clear progression of ideas. You use some cohesive devices such as 'However', 'For instance', and 'Whereas', which help the flow. However, the referencing is occasionally weak, such as in the phrase 'a recent cinema in Hollywood', which is slightly ambiguous. The abrupt ending of the essay significantly disrupts the coherence of the final paragraph. To improve, ensure that your paragraphs are balanced in length and that your concluding thoughts are fully articulated rather than cut off.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'significance', 'blockbuster', and 'togetherness'. There are some minor word choice issues, such as 'spotted spending' (likely meant 'stopped spending') and 'production gain a lot of profits' (should be 'productions gain'). These errors do not impede communication, but they show a lack of precision. To achieve a higher score, try to incorporate more sophisticated collocations and ensure that your word choices are contextually accurate throughout the essay.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'According to few individuals' (should be 'a few'), 'theatres have lost its significance' (should be 'their'), and 'everyone prefer' (should be 'prefers'). Additionally, there are issues with article usage and subject-verb agreement. While these errors are noticeable, they do not prevent the reader from understanding your main points. To improve, focus on proofreading for basic agreement errors and ensure consistent use of articles and plural forms.

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.