Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-18
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 digital era, few individuals suggest that theatres and cinemas are not as important in the past. They can access online all the entertainment they desire. Others believe that cinemas and theatres still retain significant financial and societal value. I disagree with the view of importance because the ticket prices have become costly and not affordable. Although I agree with the view due to the advancement in technology and quality as people watch movies online.
On the one hand, due to the modern technology many websites offer free movies, thrillers or shows that can be viewed in your leisure time or by planning to watch with others. Moreover due to many social apps they are up-to-date with the release of movies and can see whenever they want. For example, YouTube offer unlimited movies like (horror, love and funny) in different languages with captions and in advanced quality up to 1080p60.
On the other hand, individuals argued with the view that the ticket costs are dramatically increases for theatres and cinemas. People cannot afford it. Currently, the trend is reduced as compared to past and the value is lower culturally. another point is that it consume more time as compared to online. For instance, the travel expenses are more due to petrol prices and time management and convenience is not valuable.
In conclusion, while the benefits of technology particularly online, allows human beings to watch their desired movies online, some still feel that theatres and cinemas are crucial for both economic and culturally . However, as long as we admire the digital era the benefits are clearly positive.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response attempts to discuss both views on the importance of theatres and cinemas in the digital age, as well as providing an opinion. However, the student's stance is somewhat confused in the introduction, where they state, 'I disagree with the view of importance because the ticket prices have become costly and not affordable. Although I agree with the view due to the advancement in technology...' This creates a contradiction rather than a clear position. While some ideas regarding online entertainment and theatre costs are presented, the arguments lack full development and tend to over-generalise. The conclusion also introduces muddled phrasing regarding the economic and cultural aspects. To improve, the writer needs to clearly establish a single, coherent position in the introduction and ensure that each body paragraph fully develops a distinct idea with relevant supporting examples. This performance aligns with a Band 5.5 descriptor profile.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The essay is divided into four paragraphs, showing a basic attempt at structural organization with clear introductory and concluding remarks. However, the logical progression is frequently disrupted by confusing transitions and unclear referencing. For instance, phrases like 'individuals argued with the view that...' and the abrupt shifts between ideas in the body paragraphs make the overall flow mechanical and sometimes difficult to follow. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'On the one hand' and 'For example', but they are occasionally misapplied or repetitive. Paragraphing is present, but the internal logical links within paragraphs need strengthening to ensure a smoother, more natural progression of ideas throughout the essay. This corresponds to a Band 5.0.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, attempting some less common items such as 'advancement in technology', 'societal value', and 'leisure time'. However, there are notable inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'few individuals suggest that theatres and cinemas are not as important in the past' (instead of 'as important as in the past') and 'YouTube offer unlimited movies like (horror, love and funny)'. Additionally, word formation and phrasing errors appear, such as 'culturally' used awkwardly as a standalone noun/adjective complement. While communication is generally maintained despite these errors, the lexical control is inconsistent. This performance sits comfortably within the Band 5.5 range.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response displays a mix of simple and some attempted complex sentence forms. However, grammatical accuracy is weak, with frequent errors that occasionally cause difficulty for the reader. Examples include tense inconsistencies and structural flaws such as 'individuals argued with the view that the ticket costs are dramatically increases', 'another point is that it consume more time', and 'travel expenses are more due to petrol prices and time management and convenience is not valuable'. Punctuation and capitalization errors are also present, such as unnecessary brackets and uncapitalized sentence beginnings in places. Because errors are frequent throughout and simple structures dominate error-free segments, this earns a Band 5.0.
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