Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-03

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)

Many individuals have a firm believe that the computer era, stage shows and movie houses are no more crucial as users can consume all the entertainment on internet, while other contradicts that movie theatre and movie houses are still considered valuable in both financially and traditionally.

Theatres and cinemas are the integral components of the film industry. In this essay I will argue and give my perspective why this option is in my favour.

Initially, this is the age of internet we can access everything in milliseconds. We can find any type of information for our respective purpose. For instance we can find material for our entertainment like we can watch movies, dramas and cartoons for children online. By its advantage we can watch whatever we want at any place and time according to our routine. On the other hand we have to burn fuel, buy tickets and wait for a certain time to watch a specific content so the plethora of time is wasted.

Furthermore, the experience of watching movies and dramas on big screen is unexplainable. People enjoy watching movies with their families in theatres and cinemas which make great memories for them. Only the visuals and graphics of the movies were shown properly on big screens. For instance the new oddysey movie can only be seen in IMAX theatres, it cannot be watched on the regular mobile phone screens. By watching movies on cinemas our vision remains unharmed while the smartphone screens can allow the harmful rays to penetrate into the retina.

In my opinion, as far as I am concerned the experience of watching films in theatres is unbeatable and movies are available to consume in cinemas just after their release date.

In conclusion, both opinions have good and bad aspects but both experiences are larger than life , I have also discussed my opinions about both of the views. On internet we can watch movies in our comfort zone. While we can instantly see the newly released movies in theatres .

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both views and provides a clear personal opinion. However, the development of ideas is somewhat uneven. The argument regarding the convenience of the internet is well-supported, but the discussion on the economic and cultural importance of cinemas is underdeveloped. The essay mentions that cinemas are 'integral' but fails to elaborate on the economic impact (e.g., job creation, local business support) or the cultural significance beyond personal enjoyment. The conclusion is slightly repetitive and does not fully synthesize the points made. To reach a higher band, you should ensure that both sides of the argument are explored with equal depth and that your opinion is integrated more naturally into the body paragraphs rather than just stated.

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 slightly awkward. For example, 'Initially' and 'Furthermore' are used to start paragraphs, but the transition between ideas within paragraphs is sometimes abrupt. The referencing is occasionally unclear, such as 'By its advantage' which does not clearly refer to a previous noun phrase. The concluding paragraph is weak, as it introduces new, slightly disjointed summary points rather than effectively summarizing the main arguments presented in the body. Improving the variety and precision of linking words would enhance the flow of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but there are several instances of imprecise word choice and collocation errors. For example, 'firm believe' should be 'firm belief', and 'other contradicts' should be 'others argue'. Phrases like 'plethora of time is wasted' are used incorrectly; 'plethora' implies an abundance, not a waste. While you attempt some topic-specific vocabulary like 'graphics' and 'retina', the overall range is limited. To improve, focus on using collocations correctly and expanding your range of academic vocabulary to express complex ideas more precisely, rather than relying on basic descriptive language.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

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 ('other contradicts'), article usage ('on internet' should be 'on the internet'), and awkward phrasing ('this option is in my favour'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with comma placement. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. You should focus on proofreading for basic grammatical accuracy, specifically checking for pluralization, articles, and correct verb forms to ensure your complex sentences are error-free.

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