Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · 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 5.0)

Some people believe that theatres and cinemas have become less important in the digital era because people can access a wide range of entertainment online. However, others argue that these venues continue to play an important economic and cultural role. It is expensive and not as comfortable while in a budget an individual can have their whole month covered. I agree that theaters and cinema culture is not important in this era.

It is heavy on pockets and less comfortable. People not only have to pay for the ticket at the venue it also include the hidden charges that a person usually overlooks like the commute they use as a mean of transport. Not every theater and cinema match the comfort of every individual. For instance I recently watched spider man at the cinema the sound system was so bad at the back, it was like as if i am sitting in the speaker myself. I disagree because expensive doesn’t mean quality and comfort.

In a budget a person can get a plan of their own choice. In this period of time there are multiple entertainment applications to choose from which eventually cost way less then a single trip to the theater or cinema and cover the whole month. For example Netflix is a common application that almost every other person have and they have multiple monthly subscription plans to choose from. I agree because a person can use online entertainment to their comfort like replaying, adding subtitles, change the audio and many more in a single amount.

To conclude, some people argues that theatres and cinemas are still important both economically and culturally. It’s fairer that comfort and budget planning is more prioritized.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response addresses the prompt by discussing both views on the importance of theatres and cinemas in the digital age and clearly stating an opinion. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited and repetitive. The arguments rely heavily on personal convenience and cost rather than broader cultural and economic implications, which are mentioned briefly in the prompt. For instance, the discussion on Netflix and ticket prices is extended, but the cultural aspect is largely neglected. Furthermore, the writer's position becomes slightly contradictory or confusing in places, such as stating 'I agree that theaters and cinema culture is not important' while trying to discuss both views. Consequently, the task response falls into the Band 5 to 6 range, meeting the criteria for Band 5 due to under-developed ideas and a partially unclear position.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The essay is divided into paragraphs, attempting an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. However, the logical progression is frequently disrupted by abrupt shifts in perspective and confusing referencing. For instance, sentences like 'I disagree because expensive doesn’t mean quality and comfort' lack clear contextual links to the preceding sentences. Cohesive devices are minimal and sometimes misused, making the flow disjointed. Paragraphing is attempted, but the internal organization of ideas within paragraphs lacks clarity. Overall arrangement shows some basic structure, placing this response at Band 5.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is relatively basic and repetitive, with frequent reliance on everyday terms like 'entertainment', 'applications', 'comfort', and 'expensive'. There are noticeable inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'It is heavy on pockets', 'in a budget', and 'commute they use as a mean of transport'. While the intended meaning is usually conveyed, the limited range of vocabulary and these recurring lexical errors cause some difficulty for the reader, aligning with Band 5 descriptors.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The student uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, but attempts at complex structures often feature grammatical errors or awkward phrasing, such as 'it was like as if i am sitting in the speaker myself'. Punctuation errors are also present, including missing commas and run-on sentences like 'People not only have to pay for the ticket at the venue it also include the hidden charges'. Frequent grammatical errors, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('almost every other person have') and incorrect tense consistency, create strain for the reader, placing this performance at Band 5.

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