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)

Cinemas and theatres have always been an integral part of our society.In this digital era, some people argue that theatres and cinemas are no longer relevant, while others believe, theatres and cinemas hold greater importance than just providing entertainment. In my opinion, despite having online facilities, cinemas and theatres provide enormous benefits.

In today’s times, technology has grown quite advanced, providing online access through wifis. Due to this access to entertainment has become quite convenient. For instance, individuals can watch their favourite movies or series anywhere and anytime according to their needs or preferences. Moreover, having an online facility provides numerous benefits of choosing what to watch without any restrictions of time.

However cinemas and theatres hold their own significant importance which is omnipresent. They have played an important role in expanding today’s movie business which in turn generates income for numerous people at once. Thus contributing in country’s economy. Furthermore, the enthusiast of visiting a theatre and a cinemas with friends and families cannot be replaced by consuming online content. Additionally, theatres and cinemas also helps in socialising with people in contrast to watching an online content in isolation. It also helps in recognising and upholding our culture and carrying the legacy ahead. It also enables to understand our culture through cinemas and threatres.

In conclusion, indeed in today’s times, online content has made entertainment access convenient to access but the cinemas and theatres holds their own significant importance and place which cannot be replaced or undermined due to the digital age.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response5.5
Coherence and Cohesion6.0
Lexical Resource5.5
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.5
Overall5.5

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 limited. While the economic and social benefits of cinemas are mentioned, they are not fully explored or supported with specific examples from your own knowledge or experience, as requested by the prompt. The arguments remain at a general level, such as the mention of 'contributing in country’s economy' without explaining how or why. To reach a higher band, you should provide more detailed explanations and concrete examples to support your points, ensuring that the discussion of both sides is balanced and thoroughly developed.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, and there is a clear progression of ideas. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Moreover', 'However', and 'In conclusion' to link your thoughts. However, the use of these devices is sometimes mechanical or repetitive. For instance, the transition between the economic and social benefits in the third paragraph is a bit abrupt. Additionally, there are some minor issues with referencing, such as 'an online content', which should be 'online content'. Improving the variety and sophistication of your linking words will help the flow of your writing feel more natural and cohesive.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using words like 'integral', 'omnipresent', and 'undermined'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation. For example, 'the enthusiast of visiting' is incorrect; 'the enthusiasm for visiting' would be more appropriate. You also use 'wifis' which is informal and technically inaccurate. Some phrases are slightly repetitive, such as 'online facility' and 'online content'. To improve, focus on using more precise collocations and avoiding informal or redundant phrasing to convey your ideas with greater clarity and sophistication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors throughout the text. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues like 'theatres and cinemas helps' (should be 'help') and 'cinemas and theatres holds' (should be 'hold'). There are also minor punctuation and article errors, such as 'contributing in country’s economy' (should be 'contributing to the country’s economy'). While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and article usage will significantly improve your accuracy.

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

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