Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-09

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)

There has been ongoing debate about whether theatres and cinemas has been replaced by other digital online platforms or they are still valued economically and culturally. Although traditional cinemas and theaters were a significant source of entertainment in past years, in this digital era public can experience the same level entertainment sitting at their home without spending a penny.

At the heart of this argument lies the fact that in this era where everyone is busy building their lives., traditional cinemas and theaters are the source to connect socially and have a unique exhilarating experience with family or friends. For instance, when a show is scheduled, people take time out of their busy routine and gather to watch it. it becomes a source of connection with family.Besides that cinemas and theaters provide us with experience that we cannot have at other online platforms. The movies screened at IMAX cinemas can never give you the same level of entertainment at home.

the proponents of this view say that with the advancements of technology one can enjoy and watch any kind of entertainment by having single subscription of an online platforms. That provides access to a diverse variety of shows or movies. People donot have to spend money on different cinema or theater tickets. For example. A monthly subscription of Netflix provide access to thousands of shows that one can enjoy sitting at their home. This saves money and time both. I strongly support this view as it is both socially and economically important.

in the light of the arguments presented above, although cinemas gather people to spend quality time together, online streaming platforms are more economical and accessible. In this busy era people want to spend time alone watching movies at their home

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 uneven. While you mention the social benefits of cinemas, the explanation remains a bit repetitive. The conclusion is slightly contradictory; you state in the body paragraph that you support the importance of cinemas, but in the final sentence, you conclude that online platforms are more desirable. This inconsistency makes your position slightly unclear. To reach a higher band, ensure your arguments are consistently developed and that your stated opinion remains firm throughout the essay.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into paragraphs, which is a positive step. However, the use of cohesive devices is sometimes mechanical or missing. For example, the transition between the second and third paragraphs is abrupt. There are also issues with punctuation, such as the period placed after 'lives.' and the lack of capitalization at the start of sentences like 'the proponents' and 'in the light'. Improving the use of linking words and ensuring consistent paragraph structure would significantly improve the flow of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You have a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your ideas, using terms like 'exhilarating', 'proponents', and 'advancements'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'public can experience the same level entertainment' (missing 'of') and 'by having single subscription' (missing 'a'). Some phrasing is also slightly unnatural, such as 'building their lives'. To improve, focus on learning common collocations and ensuring that articles (a/an/the) are used correctly with nouns.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors that occur frequently, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('theatres and cinemas has been replaced') and missing articles. Punctuation is also a recurring problem, with several sentences starting with lowercase letters and unnecessary periods mid-sentence. While these errors do not completely prevent understanding, they are frequent enough to impact the overall clarity of your writing. Focusing on proofreading for basic subject-verb agreement and sentence boundaries will help you improve.

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