Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-11

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 the current affairs, it is often argued that the theaters and cinemas will soon be shut down as many movies which people like to watch are available online, while opponent oppose that theaters and cinemas are still crucial for both culturally and economically. This essay will scrutinize both the perspective along with my firm consideration that theaters and cinema has their own significance and the online platforms cannot replace them.

The supporters of the former opinions often argued that nowadays, many online platforms such as Netflix and Amazon prime are proving all types of movies online with very low fees. To detail it out, they provide a subscription for a period such as 1 month, 6 months or a years with some amount. And from that people can watch all movies anytime and anywhere which becomes very convenient and flexible for them. Moreover, at the same time 3 to 4 people can watch a series or movies on their own devices which also saves money. For instance, from one subscription around 3 to 4 viewers ( which depends on the plan) can login and watch the movies so people can share their subscription with friend and divide the payments, which is also a good option. These platforms provides 1080 pixels to 4k quality.

However, the opponent believe that online platforms cannot replace cinemas. The experience which people got in theaters and cinemas such as the dark large room, Dolby Atmos featured speakers that takes the experience to the next level, proper sitting areas with recycling seats and the big screen which helps the watchers to watch the movie without the disturbance and it improves focus so they can understand the story well and live the best experience. Hence, this types of features are not provided by online platforms.

From my point of view, online platforms are still very convenient for watchers because they watch it in their own space without disturb by anyone like set level of volume, brightness and video quality at their own preference. And, also viewers can also watch the movie or series again as many time they want. Additionally, they can pause in between, reverse or forward the video.

Conclusively, although the theaters and cinemas offers a great experience with their high quality and best featured room, i believe that online platforms are more convenient with lower price and best quality and this can overshadow the cinemas and theaters in future.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both views and providing a clear personal opinion. However, the development of ideas is somewhat uneven. While the arguments for online platforms are well-supported with practical examples like subscription models and convenience, the discussion regarding the economic and cultural importance of cinemas is underdeveloped. The essay tends to focus more on the technical features of cinemas (e.g., 'Dolby Atmos') rather than the broader economic or cultural impact requested by the prompt. The position is clear throughout, but the conclusion slightly contradicts the earlier body paragraph by shifting the focus entirely to the superiority of online platforms, which makes the overall argument feel a bit disjointed.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, each with a clear central topic. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Moreover,' 'For instance,' and 'However,' which help guide the reader. However, some transitions are mechanical or slightly awkward, such as 'To detail it out' and 'Hence, this types of features.' Additionally, the referencing is occasionally unclear, particularly in the introduction where the phrase 'opponent oppose' is grammatically confusing. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different viewpoints, but the flow between the final body paragraph and the conclusion could be smoother to better reflect the progression of the argument.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The range of vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the writer to express ideas clearly. There are attempts to use topic-specific vocabulary like 'subscription,' 'convenient,' and 'overshadow.' However, there are several instances of inaccurate word choice and collocation, such as 'In the current affairs' (should be 'In the current era'), 'opponent oppose' (should be 'opponents argue'), and 'recycling seats' (likely meant 'reclining seats'). These errors do not impede communication, but they do limit the precision of the writing. To reach a higher band, the student should focus on more natural collocations and avoid repetitive phrasing.

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 frequent grammatical errors, particularly with subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'theaters and cinema has their own significance,' 'this types of features') and pluralization (e.g., 'a years'). Punctuation is generally functional, though there are some awkward phrasings that affect the flow. The student demonstrates an attempt at complex structures, but the frequency of minor errors prevents the writing from being considered consistently accurate. Focusing on proofreading for basic agreement and article usage would significantly improve the overall quality.

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