Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-14

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 6.0)

It is arguable that the charisma of the theatre has lost its appeal as people increasingly prefer online entertainment. However, I strongly agree that theatres and cinemas remain important both economically and culturally. A variety of cultural performances can only be experienced live in theatres, not digitally, and they provide significant employment opportunities to actors and staff.

Different regional performances performed in the auditoriums have their own charm and it is essential to watch them live. Watching such performances has its own benefits because actors convey their emotions, performing dance, or delivering dialogues dramatically cannot be fully captured on screen. For instance, a Kathak dancer's facial expressions and hand movements cannot be fully appreciated on screen. Therefore, live performances provide a unique cultural experience that online platforms cannot replace. Furthermore, the funds spent on OTT platforms can be diverted to actors, lighting assistants, and other theatre staff, which provides significant employment opportunities in this high-cost industry. This would provide a stable livelihood for theatre professionals and support the entertainment industry. With better funding, productions can support actors and crew more effectively, which can lead to stronger performances and attract more audiences—improving cinema/theatre-related economic outcomes.

In contrast, many people choose to binge-watch films at home because online platforms let them watch immediately without needing to travel, and at any time, which can reduce cinema attendance—especially for mainstream or low-budget local releases.

To sum up, it is crucial to keep the cultural performances alive and provide actors with the opportunity to showcase their talent in order to grow the entertainment industry economically.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the task by discussing both the decline of theatres due to online entertainment and their ongoing economic and cultural importance, while clearly stating the writer's own opinion in the introduction. The ideas are generally relevant and supported with examples, such as the Kathak dancer's facial expressions. However, the development of the opposing view regarding online platforms in the third paragraph is somewhat brief and under-developed compared to the main argument supporting live performances. Overall, the task is addressed adequately and a clear position is maintained throughout, satisfying the criteria for Band 6.5.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay displays a coherent overall arrangement with a clear progression of ideas from the introduction through the body paragraphs to the conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the main supporting arguments from the contrasting views, although the third paragraph is quite short. Cohesive devices are employed with reasonable success, using transition words like 'However', 'Furthermore', and 'In contrast' to guide the reader through the arguments. Referencing is generally clear, though occasional transitional links feel slightly mechanical. This corresponds well to a Band 6.5 performance.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully attempting less common items and phrasing such as 'charisma of the theatre', 'employment opportunities', and 'high-cost industry'. There is some variation in word choice, although there are minor issues with phrasing and collocation, such as 'Different regional performances performed in the auditoriums' which features slight tautology. Spelling and word choice errors are minimal and never impede communication. The lexical control matches the requirements for a Band 6.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The writing exhibits a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating the ability to handle subordinate clauses and relative structures, as seen in 'actors convey their emotions, performing dance, or delivering dialogues dramatically cannot be fully captured on screen' (which contains a minor structural awkwardness). There are some grammatical slips and punctuation lapses throughout, but they rarely impede communication and the basic meaning remains clear. These features align comfortably with a Band 6.0 level.

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

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