Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

IN THE DIGITAL AGE, PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO A VAST RANGE OF ENTERTAINMENT THROUGH ONLINE PLATFORMS,LEADING SOME TO BELIEVE THAT THEATRES AND CINEMAS ARE NO LONGER NECESSARY. OTHERS, HOWEVER, ARGUE THAT THESE VENUES CONTINUE TO PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE SOCIETY AND THE ECONOMY.THIS ESSAY WILL DISCUSS BOTH THE VIEWS BEFORE EXPLAINING WHY I BELIEVE CINEMAS AND THEATRES REMAIN VALUABLE DESPITE THE GROWTH OF ONLINE ENTERTAINMENT.

ON THE ONE HAND,THERE ARE SEVERAL REASONS WHY PEOPLE CONSIDER THEATRES AND CINEMAS LESS IMPORTANT NOWADAYS. THE MAIN REASON IS THE CONVENIENCE OFFERED BY THE DIGITAL PLATFORMS. PEOPLE CAN WATCH FILMS, SHOWS AND LIVE PERFORMANCES FROM THE COMFORT OF THEIR HOMES WITHOUT TRAVELLING OR PAYING FOR EXPENSIVE TICKETS. IN ADDITION, ONLINE STREAMING SERVICES PROVIDES A MUCH WIDER VARIETY OF CONTENT, OFTEN AT A RELATIVELY LOW MONTHLY COST. THIS IS PARTICULARLY ATTRACTIVE TO PEOPLE WITH BUSY LIFESTYLES, AS THEY CAN CHOOSE WHAT AND WHEN TO WATCH IT. CONSEQUENTLY, TRADITIONAL ENTERTAINMENT VENUES MAY SEEM UNNECESSARY TO THOSE WHO PRIORITISE CONVENIENCE AND AFFORDABILITY.

ON THE OTHER HAND,THEATRES AND CINEMAS CONTINUE TO HAVE SIGNIFICANT ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL IMPORTANCE. FROM AN ECONOMIC PERSPECTIVE, THESE VENUES CREATE EMPLOYMENT FOR ACTORS, DIRECTORS, TECHNICIANS, RECEPTIONISTS AND OTHER WORKERS.THEY ALSO GENERATE REVENUE FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES SUCH AS RESTAURANTS,CAFES AND TRANSPORT SERVICES.FROM A CULTURAL PERSPECTIVE,THEATRES PROVIDE A UNIQUE ENVIRONMENT FOR EXPERIENCING LIVE PERFORMANCES, WHILE CINEMA OFFERED A SHARED SOCIAL EXPERIENCE THAT CANNOT BE COMPLETELY REPLICATED AT HOME. FOR EXAMPLE, WATCHING A HIGHLY ANTICIPATED FILM WITH A LARGE AUDIENCE CAN CREATE EXCITEMENT AND SENSE OF COMMUNITY.

IN MY OPINION , ONLINE PLATFORMS ARE EXCELLENT FOR CONVENIENCE AND VARIETY, BUT THEY CANNOT FULLY REPLACE THE SOCIAL ATMOSPHERE, CULTURAL EXPERIENCE AND ECONOMIC CONTRIBUTION OF PHYSICAL ENTERTAINMENT VENUES.

IN CONCLUSION,WHILE DIGITAL ENTERTAINMENT HAS MADE IT EASIER AND CHEAPER FOR PEOPLE TO ENJOY A WIDE RANGE OF CONTENT AT HOME, THEATRES AND CINEMAS CAN ALSO PROVIDE ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL BENEFITS AS WELL AS IT ALSO GENERATES SENSE OF SOCIALISATION WHILE SITTING WITH PEOPLE IN A SAME PLACE.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt. You have discussed both views—the convenience of online platforms and the economic/cultural importance of physical venues—and provided a clear personal opinion. The ideas are relevant and well-supported with examples, such as the mention of local business revenue and the social atmosphere of cinemas. To reach a higher band, ensure that your personal opinion is more explicitly integrated into the body paragraphs rather than just stated in the conclusion, and aim to develop the 'economic' argument with slightly more specific detail to avoid minor generalisations.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organised with a clear progression of ideas. Paragraphing is used effectively to separate the two opposing views. You use a range of cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand', 'In addition', and 'Consequently' to link sentences and ideas. However, there are some minor issues with punctuation spacing (e.g., 'HAND,THERE' and 'RESTAURANTS,CAFES'), which makes the text look slightly cluttered. Improving the consistency of spacing after commas and periods would make the flow more professional and easier to read.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic with precision. Phrases like 'highly anticipated film', 'replicated at home', and 'economic contribution' are used effectively. There are some minor errors, such as 'cinema offered' (should be 'cinemas offer') and 'generates sense of socialisation' (should be 'generates a sense of socialisation'). While these errors do not impede communication, correcting them would show a more sophisticated control of word choice and collocation.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. You show good control over most grammatical forms, but there are occasional slips, such as subject-verb agreement ('online streaming services provides' should be 'provide') and article usage ('in the society' should be 'in society'). Additionally, the final sentence is slightly run-on and grammatically awkward. Focusing on proofreading for these small errors and ensuring consistent subject-verb agreement will help elevate your score in this criterion.

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