Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-05
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)
In today's modern world, due increasing digital online platform, few people argue that physical entertainment such as cinemas and theatres considered less essential. As it replaced with online platform. While rest of people believes that cinema play important role in economically and cultural growth. This essay will discuss both views before explaining that why i believe that theaters must give essential place.
On the one hand, some people believe that theatres and cinemas are becoming less important because of growth of online entertainment. The main reason that people can watch wide range of films and other programmes from the comfort of their home. Online platform are generally consider more convenient. For example, services such as Netflix allows people to watch movies whenever they want without travelling to cinemas. Therefore, many people rely mostly on the online entertainment.
On the other hand, others argue that theatres and cinema continue to be important for both economic and cultural reason. One major reason is that cinemas provide a social experience that cannot be fully replaced by watching films at home. People can meet friends and family, enjoy a large screen together. In addition, cinemas create employment and generate income for local businesses. For instance, a popular cinema can provide jobs for staff and attract customers to nearby restaurant and shops. For this reason, i believe that theatres and cinemas still have an important role in modern society.
In conclusion, although online entertainment is more convenient and accessible, theatres and cinemas continue to provide important social, economic and cultural benefit. Thus, i believe that they will remail a vital part of society despite the growth of digital entertainment.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both views and providing a clear personal opinion. The ideas are relevant, such as the convenience of online platforms versus the social and economic benefits of physical venues. However, the development is somewhat limited; the arguments are presented in a straightforward manner but lack depth or specific, illustrative examples beyond general statements. For instance, the economic argument could be strengthened by discussing the broader impact on local infrastructure or cultural heritage. The position is consistent throughout, but the essay would benefit from more nuanced exploration of the arguments to reach a higher band.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is logically organized into clear paragraphs, each with a distinct focus. There is a clear introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', 'In addition', and 'For instance' are used to guide the reader through the argument. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and there are minor issues with referencing and flow, such as the abrupt start to the second sentence in the introduction ('As it replaced with...'). Overall, the progression of ideas is coherent and easy to follow.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the student to express their ideas clearly. There is some attempt to use topic-specific vocabulary like 'digital age', 'economic and cultural growth', and 'accessible'. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there are recurring errors in word form and collocation, such as 'due increasing digital online platform' (should be 'due to the increase in digital online platforms') and 'theaters must give essential place' (should be 'theaters must be given an essential place'). More precise and varied vocabulary would improve the score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The student uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text. These include missing articles ('the' cinemas), subject-verb agreement issues ('cinemas considered less essential'), and incorrect verb forms ('services such as Netflix allows'). Punctuation is generally functional, but the sentence structure in the introduction is fragmented. While these errors do not impede communication, they are persistent and prevent the essay from reaching a higher band. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and article usage would be highly beneficial.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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