Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-04

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)

It is argued by some that in a technologically advanced era, traditional entertainment activities like going to theatres and cinemas are no longer necessary since all the diverse range of content is available on the internet, while others concur that even today theatres and cinemas have greater economic and cultural significance. However, from my perspective, despite digital advancements, the importance of these venues has not diminished; they remain as vital as ever.

In the present era, the importance of communal venues is decreased because of advancement in the digital field. Every kind of entertaining content is offered by the digital platforms on personal devices. Consequently, people prefer to stay at home rather than visiting outdated traditional spaces. For example, there was sharp decrease in cinemas ticket sales in the past few years. Furthermore, there is reduction in the theatre going audience due to the availability of movie content at their own homes.

As far as I am concerned, culturally, cinemas still have great importance because they offer opportunity for the family bonding. Theaters not only provide chance for social gatherings but also involve in reducing work-related stress. As a result, their shared experience will give relief from depressing routine. For instance, many countries are constructing communal areas because psychologists suggest that recreational complexes contribute significantly to stress reduction and assist in increasing family bonding.

Economically, theaters stimulate job creation as they provide employment. Moreover, they are driving foot traffic for the neighboring restaurants. The prime example of this is the establishment of entertainment complexes in the certain area influences the marketing values of neighboring stores or hotels.

In conclusion, no doubt progress of electronic media has greatly affected the importance of theaters and cinemas; however, they have still an undeniable value because they are the source of cultural and economic benefits.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response6.5
Coherence and Cohesion6.5
Lexical Resource6.0
Grammatical Range and Accuracy6.0
Overall6.5

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both perspectives and providing a clear personal opinion. The ideas are relevant and generally well-developed, particularly the economic arguments regarding job creation and local business stimulation. However, the development of the 'digital age' argument is slightly repetitive, and the example regarding 'sharp decrease in cinema ticket sales' lacks specific context or data to fully support the claim. The position is consistent throughout the essay, and the conclusion effectively synthesizes the main points. To reach a higher band, ensure that each supporting example is more specific and fully explored to avoid over-generalization.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the transition between the digital argument and the cultural/economic benefits is smooth. Cohesive devices such as 'consequently', 'furthermore', and 'as far as I am concerned' are used effectively to link ideas. However, there are minor issues with referencing and flow; for instance, the phrase 'in the certain area' is slightly awkward and disrupts the cohesion of the economic paragraph. Overall, the paragraphing is appropriate, and the logical flow is maintained from the introduction to the conclusion.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, with some attempts at more sophisticated collocations like 'technologically advanced era' and 'communal venues'. However, there are instances of imprecise word choice and minor errors, such as 'involve in reducing' (should be 'involved in') and 'marketing values' (likely meant 'market value'). While the range is sufficient to convey meaning clearly, the use of less common lexical items is somewhat limited. To improve, focus on more precise academic collocations and ensure that word forms are used correctly in context.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There is good control over basic grammar, and the meaning is always clear. However, there are recurring minor errors, such as missing articles ('in the certain area', 'in the past few years') and awkward phrasing like 'they have still an undeniable value' (should be 'they still have'). While these errors do not impede communication, they prevent the essay from reaching a higher band. Increasing the variety of complex structures and refining the use of articles and prepositions would enhance the overall grammatical accuracy.

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

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