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)

It is widely believed that theatres and cinemas are no longer essential in the digital age because individuals can watch all kinds of entertainment stuff online. While, others think that theatres and cinemas are still significant both economically and traditionally. I agree with the first point of view because cinemas and theatres are expensive and time taking.

People can watch all kinds of entertainment online without going to cinemas and theatres. This is because in today's world, where technology experiences a significant growth, all kinds of stuff whether related to entertainment or other is available on the internet. Furthermore, humans can save a considerable cost and time by watching entertainment online. For instance, people who use apps like netflix, that are renowned among people in this digital world can save a significant cost and time by watching entertainment online compared with those who are still going to cinemas or theatres for entertainment purpose.

Some people consider cinemas and theatres not only play an important role in economy but also essential for culture. This is due to the reason that in cinemas and theatres, individuals from a different culture come to watch entertainment so, by sitting together under same roof humans may explore different traditions. Moreover, cinemas and theatres tickets, which are considerably expensive as compare to online subscriptions, may also cause a significant increase in the economy.

For example, when people from different culture sit together, they may geta chance of learni

To conclude, as far as I am concerned although theatres and cinemas have a positive impact on economy and culture, its benefits such as saving cost and time are considerably more useful.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both sides of the argument and presents a clear personal position. However, the development of ideas is uneven. The first body paragraph is reasonably well-supported, but the second paragraph regarding the cultural and economic importance of cinemas is underdeveloped and ends abruptly with an incomplete sentence. The conclusion is also quite brief. To improve, ensure that all arguments are fully explained with complete sentences and that the final paragraph provides a more comprehensive summary of the points discussed. The abrupt ending significantly impacts the overall task completion.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. There is an attempt to use cohesive devices such as 'Furthermore', 'For instance', and 'Moreover'. However, the use of these devices is sometimes mechanical or slightly unnatural. The referencing is occasionally unclear, and the lack of a finished final sentence in the second body paragraph disrupts the flow of the argument. Improving the transition between sentences and ensuring that each paragraph is fully formed would help achieve a higher score in this criterion.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. You rely on repetitive phrases like 'all kinds of stuff' and 'entertainment', which are quite informal. There are also some collocation issues, such as 'technology experiences a significant growth' (should be 'advances' or 'develops') and 'time taking' (should be 'time-consuming'). To improve, try to incorporate more academic vocabulary and precise collocations to express your ideas more effectively.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, such as 'While, others think' (incorrect comma usage), 'as compare to' (should be 'compared to'), and 'geta chance of learni' (incomplete and misspelled). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with commas. To reach a higher band, you need to demonstrate better control over complex sentence structures and ensure that basic grammatical rules, such as subject-verb agreement and preposition usage, are applied consistently.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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