Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-17

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 is an ongoing debate about the closure of theatres and cinemas. A group of individuals think that as technology evolves daily, the necessity of cinemas is depleting as we can find entertainment sources online. Whereas others claim that despite of technological evolution, cinemas are worthy both economically and culturally. Therefore, ahead of my opinion, both the views will be discussed further.

On the one hand, having cinemas is a vital source of entertainment. This is because it is an easier way to have an outing experience with friends or family members. Further elaborating on that, going to the theatres with people enables a greater benefit as it allows to feel a deeper sense of connection and also makes the experience more memorable. In addition to that, in order to access movies online, often requires a monthly subscription which becomes unnecessary at a particular extent, because watching movies is not particularly mundane. While not watching movies throughout the month, the application will still charge, which is essentially a waste of money. For example, if a person likes to watch a movie online monthly, they are required to pay a monthly price for the app which is not exactly economical.

On the contrary, those in favour of the latter opinion have their own arguments. Being able to watch movies online is a tangible benefit as it reduces the need to physically travel to movie theatres. In a broader aspect it promotes less harmful effects to the environment. Although online resources promote better accessibility at home for individuals, it is substantially beneficial to rather meet with peers and watch at a theatre as it develops connection and also builds great memories.

In conclusion, in spite of the environmental and accessibility benefits that we often get by watching movies online, it is greatly advantageous to keep theatres and cinemas as it fosters social connection and preserves a shared cultural experience that streaming cannot replicate.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The student addresses all parts of the prompt by discussing both views on the future of theatres and cinemas, and provides a clear personal opinion in the introduction and conclusion. Ideas are relevant and supported, such as the social experience of going out with family and the financial inefficiency of paying monthly streaming subscriptions when viewing is infrequent. However, there is some repetition in the development, particularly regarding social connection and memories, which are restated across multiple paragraphs without significant new elaboration. Additionally, the second body paragraph shifts slightly towards arguing against streaming rather than focusing purely on the economic and cultural merits of cinemas as requested by the prompt. Overall, the response fulfills the task requirements well, earning a Band 6.5.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is generally coherent with a clear overall progression. The text is divided into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, two body paragraphs exploring opposing views, and a conclusion. Cohesive devices are employed to link ideas, such as "On the one hand", "On the contrary", and "In conclusion". However, some cohesive links and transitional phrases are awkward or unnatural, notably "Therefore, ahead of my opinion, both the views will be discussed further" in the introduction. Furthermore, referencing is occasionally imprecise, and the flow between sentences inside the body paragraphs can feel slightly mechanical. Paragraphing is adequate, but internal cohesion requires better control to achieve a higher band score.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for the task, successfully using terms like "technological evolution," "subscription," "tangible benefit," and "cultural experience." There are attempts to incorporate less common lexical items, but some word choices and collocations are slightly unnatural or inaccurate, such as "the necessity of cinemas is depleting" (rather than diminishing) and "at a particular extent" (instead of to a certain extent). Spelling is generally accurate, but minor lexical infelicities occur throughout the response. The vocabulary is sufficient to communicate the main ideas clearly, placing it firmly in the Band 6 range.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The writer uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating some control over grammar. Examples of complex structures include conditional clauses ("if a person likes to watch a movie online monthly...") and concessive clauses ("in spite of the environmental and accessibility benefits..."). However, there are several grammatical errors and awkward phrasings throughout the text, such as "despite of technological evolution" (incorrect preposition usage with 'despite'), "often requires a monthly subscription" (missing subject), and "it is substantially beneficial to rather meet with peers" (faulty word order). While these errors do not severely impede communication, they occur with enough frequency to prevent the essay from reaching a Band 7.

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