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)

I personally feel that theatres and cinemas and still necessary in both cultural and economic way.

It is true that many forms of entertainment is available online and entertainment is primary purpose of theatres and cinemas, so many people think that this digital age is responsible for the loss of importance of theatres and cinemas. Making cinemas costs way more than average content found in social media and people have to spend money to watch this content whereas most of the online content is free. So producers are bearing losses by shooting films or making theatres. An example which supports this argument is a film named 'kaktheya' directly released in internet rather than in theatres.

I can see why people argue the other way saying even though online forms of entertainment has increased, the importance of theatres and cinemas is not completely lost. Cinemas preserve culture and remind the people of their roots time to time, like the movies about freedom fighters makes sure you remember the sacrifices made by great people. Many citizens prefer watching films in theatres, younger generation wants the experience of things such as bigger screen, sound system etc, while the older generation are not used to entertain themselves using online platform therefore relaying on theatres and cinemas.

All actors have fans and fans wish to see the movie in theatres, which will in return favour the producers, directors economically.

Recent film 'Pushpa 2' collected near 2000 crores world wide even though same genre films are available free on internet.

My opinion will be that theatres and cinemas are still important as they teach people a lot and entertain in a better way.

Online entertainment has encouraged people to be more creative about the theatres and cinemas they release. This has created an even more better source of entertainment.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

You have addressed both sides of the argument and provided a clear personal opinion. However, the development of ideas is somewhat uneven. While you mention economic and cultural aspects, some points, such as the claim that online entertainment encourages creativity in theatres, are underdeveloped and lack sufficient explanation. The structure is generally logical, but the conclusion is quite brief and does not fully synthesize the points made in the body paragraphs. To improve, ensure that each main idea is supported by a clear, well-explained example or logical reasoning to demonstrate a deeper understanding of the prompt.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow your argument. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and occasionally repetitive. For instance, the transition between ideas within paragraphs could be smoother; phrases like 'An example which supports this argument is' are functional but basic. Additionally, some sentences feel disconnected, such as the sudden shift to the 'Pushpa 2' example. Using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring that each sentence flows naturally into the next would significantly improve the overall coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You have a sufficient vocabulary to convey your meaning, but the range is somewhat limited and occasionally imprecise. For example, you use 'making cinemas' instead of 'producing films' or 'constructing cinema complexes'. There are also some minor word-choice errors, such as 'relaying on' instead of 'relying on' and 'in economic way' instead of 'from an economic perspective'. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more precise academic collocations and avoid repeating basic terms like 'entertainment' and 'important' too frequently. Expanding your vocabulary to include more topic-specific terminology would be beneficial.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

Your writing shows a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader. Common issues include subject-verb agreement ('many forms of entertainment is available'), missing articles ('in internet'), and awkward phrasing ('even more better'). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are persistent throughout the text. To improve, focus on proofreading for basic subject-verb agreement and article usage. Additionally, try to vary your sentence structure by using more complex subordinating conjunctions to link ideas more effectively.

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

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