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)

Many individuals believe that screening venues are no longer prominent as Homo sapiens can watch any leisure activities they want on any digital platform, while others argue that film theaters are still well-known for economic and cultural sides meanwhile theaters and cinemas have become a contentious subject of todays world. Debate centers on whether entertainment venues are no longer noticeable or film theaters are still important ought to be focused on. The primary objectives and justify my stance supporting the former notion.

Beginning with the former perspective, the foremost justification is that movie houses are no longer famous. Due to online entertainment becoming more convenient and accessible. To explain it, people can see any content online in their form of need and comfort because there is a variety of content on online platforms. For instance, people do not have to wait anymore for the movie to come into the theaters and watch any of the films according to their need . As a result, people may prefer online instead of traditional cinemas, leading to a decline in cinema attendance.

Examining the opposing viewpoint, a crucial point to elucidate in the notion is that film theaters are very important and play a prominent role in supporting the economy and culture. In other words, the movie theaters give employment to directors, actors, spotlight technicians and so on. They also give us a cultural experience. To cite an example, cinemas employ thousands of people and help them to give their message to a wide range of audience. Hence, film theaters contribute to economic growth and also help to promote cultural identity.

In conclusion, although theaters and cinemas are prominent, I believe that digital platforms can give us the variety of content and individuals can see any type of content online according to their mood.

AI examiner evaluation

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 superficial. For instance, the argument regarding the economic importance of cinemas is quite generic, mentioning 'directors and actors' without exploring the broader economic impact or cultural significance in depth. The introduction is slightly confusing, using overly formal or awkward phrasing like 'Homo sapiens' and 'contentious subject of todays world', which detracts from the clarity of the position. While all parts of the prompt are addressed, the support for the arguments lacks the depth expected at higher bands, leading to a balanced but somewhat underdeveloped discussion.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized into paragraphs, each with a clear focus. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Beginning with the former perspective', 'To explain it', and 'In conclusion'. However, some transitions feel mechanical or slightly forced. The referencing is generally clear, though the flow between sentences within paragraphs could be smoother. The introduction is a bit disjointed, making it difficult for the reader to follow the writer's intent immediately. Overall, the progression of ideas is coherent, but the use of cohesive devices lacks the flexibility and natural flow required for a higher band score.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The range of vocabulary is adequate for the task, but there are instances of inappropriate word choice and awkward phrasing. Using 'Homo sapiens' to refer to people is unnatural in this context. Phrases like 'screening venues' and 'well-known for economic and cultural sides' are imprecise. While the student attempts to use a variety of terms, the collocation is often slightly off, such as 'in their form of need and comfort'. There is a sufficient range to convey meaning, but the lack of precision and the occasional misuse of academic-sounding vocabulary limit the score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'theaters and cinemas have become a contentious subject of todays world' (missing apostrophe) and 'the movie theaters give employment to directors... and so on'. Some sentences are fragmented or lack proper punctuation, such as the final sentence of the introduction. While the errors do not generally impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent the essay from reaching a higher band. The control over complex structures is inconsistent, with some sentences feeling clunky or grammatically incomplete.

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

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