Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)
Internet has replaced many things in our society. It is often argued that theatres and cinemas are crucial in terms of economic and culture in this digital world however, i believe that there is no need of these because of having all the resources in everyone's home.
On one hand, some people believe that theatres and cinemas are still very important. First reason is that people visiting theatre and cinema pay entrance fee which can promote country economically. For instance, each theatre or cinema has charges, due which it promote business. Second striking reason is that it main cultural value of the area or country. They reflect cultural image of the country.
On the other hand, i strongly support people saying that theatre and cinemas are no longer needed. Main reason behind this is each house has the resources these days. In this world of internet, people tend to watch movies online, in their bed, without paying any charges because of having strong internet connection. Theatre and cinema were necessary in the past when internet was not available to everyone. Another crucial reason is lack of free time. People these days are too busy in their hectic schedules that they got no free time to visit theatre or cinema for entertainment purpose.
In conclusion, whilst some people believe that theatres and cinemas are still crucial part of our life both economically and culturally, i believe that there is not need of these in this digital world because of availability of strong internet to everyone and lack of free time to visit there.
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 sides of the argument and provides a clear personal opinion. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the economic argument is underdeveloped, relying on simple statements like 'it promote business' without explaining how this impacts local economies or cultural preservation. The argument against cinemas is also slightly repetitive, focusing heavily on the convenience of the internet. To reach a higher band, you should provide more specific examples or deeper analysis of the cultural significance of shared cinematic experiences versus the isolation of home viewing.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into clear paragraphs, and there is a logical progression of ideas. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'On one hand', 'On the other hand', and 'In conclusion' to signal shifts in the argument. However, the internal cohesion within paragraphs is sometimes mechanical. For example, the transition between sentences in the second paragraph feels slightly abrupt. Additionally, some referencing is unclear, such as 'due which it promote business', where the connection to the previous clause is grammatically weak. Improving the variety of linking words would enhance the flow.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and range required for higher bands. You rely on repetitive phrasing, such as 'important' and 'crucial', and some word choices are slightly unnatural, such as 'economic and culture' (should be 'economic and cultural terms'). Phrases like 'in their bed' are a bit informal for an academic essay. To improve, try to incorporate more sophisticated collocations and topic-specific vocabulary related to the film industry or digital media consumption.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
There is a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but the essay contains frequent grammatical errors. Common issues include missing articles (e.g., 'Internet has replaced', 'visit theatre'), subject-verb agreement errors (e.g., 'it main cultural value'), and awkward phrasing (e.g., 'there is not need of these'). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to distract the reader. You should focus on proofreading for basic articles and ensuring that your verb forms are consistent throughout the text.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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