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)
Few individuals say that in modern era, theaters and cinemas are no longer important as individuals can watch all the entertainment they want on social media. While others argue that theaters and houseware still necessarily important both economically and culturally.In my opinion both have merits and demerits because in theaters and cinemas folks can enjoy the 3D sounds emerging from the movie while online entertainment can cause significant impact on the country's economy.
On the one hand, in theaters and cinemas masses can enjoy watching movies on a larger screen with high quality sound. As a psychological factor, if pupils watch entertainment shows in a theater or cinema , they remember it for a longer period. For example:I went to a cinema with my friend to watch a movie, we highly liked it because of the quality of screen and sound system.
On the other hand, if folks stop visiting cinemas and theaters it will cause a great damage to the industry.Since the entertainment industry is highly dependent on cinemas and theaters.If there will be no cinemas and theaters, the people doing job their will be automatically fired and because of that their family can get disturbed.From economic perspective, it will cause a great damage to the country's economy.For example:In my city one cinema got closed and the workers working there faced a lot of difficulties in getting jobs.In other words, cinemas and theaters plays a very crucial role in the job market and in country's development.
From the above discussion it is concluded that in modern era, theaters and cinemas should be important because it plays a vital role from culture perspective and economically too.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses both views and provides a clear opinion. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. While the economic argument is supported by an example, the cultural argument is underdeveloped. The introduction is slightly confusing due to the phrase 'theaters and houseware', which seems to be a lexical error rather than a relevant point. To improve, ensure that each body paragraph fully explores the implications of the arguments rather than relying on simple, repetitive examples. The conclusion is present but lacks a summary of the main points discussed, which is necessary for a higher band score.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, and there is a clear attempt to use cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand' and 'On the other hand'. However, the flow is occasionally interrupted by awkward phrasing and mechanical transitions. For instance, the transition 'In other words' is used incorrectly to summarize the economic point rather than to rephrase a previous statement. Additionally, some sentences are fragmented or lack smooth connectivity, such as the abrupt start to the second paragraph. Improving the use of linking words and ensuring that each sentence logically follows the previous one will enhance the overall coherence.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and variety required for a higher band. There are several instances of inappropriate word choice, such as 'houseware' instead of 'cinemas' and 'folks' or 'masses', which are too informal for an academic essay. The phrase 'family can get disturbed' is also unnatural. To reach a higher band, you should focus on using more academic collocations and avoiding informal or imprecise terminology. Expanding your range to include topic-specific vocabulary related to the entertainment industry would also be beneficial.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent errors in grammar and punctuation that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'theaters and cinemas plays a very crucial role' (subject-verb agreement error) and 'the people doing job their will be automatically fired' (incorrect pronoun and word order). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with missing spaces after periods and commas. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these errors prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and sentence construction will help improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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