Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-19

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)

There is an ongoing debate about the importance of theatres and cinemas in the modern digital era. A proportion of people contend that all the content related to the entertainment can be watched online, while others argue that existance of cinemas and theatres are indispensable for both the economy and culture. I agree with the latter view; however, both perspective will be discussed in the following paragraphs.

Supporters of the first school of thought claim that people can get entertaining content online. Social media platforms such as Instagram, Tiktok, and Youtube are providing unlimited contents at no cost. The individuals are visitng these websites frequently to relax their minds. As a result, theatres and cinemas are experiencing less crowd. Instagram, for instance, is ubiquitous nowadays, people sitting in the office often scroll reels during breaks to unwind themselves. Hence, people are preferring online platforms as a source of entertainment over offline.

Despite the aforementioned view, I agree with those who argue that cinemas and theatres are imperative for the economy and the culture as well. Regarding the economy, theatres and film industries contribute to a major part of the economy to a country by paying a colossal amount of tax. Play and movies cannot only contributing to the economy, but also preserving the cultral identitiy, they show play or film based on the cultural and moral values. Consequently, the upcoming generation acquires knowledge of culture from them and carry it forward, and so cultural identities get preserved. Mahabharat, for instance, is a film released by bollywood industry, which was based on the local Indian culture and contributed to the economy of the country as well. Therefore, in this digital society, movies and play are pivotal for both the economy and culture.

In conclusion, although online platforms are easily to access for the entertainment purposes, I believe cinemas and theatres play a crucial rule in the contemporary world, both economically and culturally.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response successfully addresses all parts of the prompt by discussing both views—the rise of online entertainment and the enduring economic and cultural value of theatres and cinemas—while clearly stating the writer's own opinion in favour of the latter. The position is maintained throughout the essay. Ideas are extended and supported with relevant examples, such as the mention of Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube for online media, and the Indian film industry for cultural preservation. While some arguments, particularly around economic contribution, are slightly generalized and could benefit from further depth, the overall task requirements are fully met, earning a solid Band 7.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay demonstrates clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct focus: introduction, the online entertainment perspective, the economic and cultural perspective, and a clear concluding summary. Cohesive devices such as 'Despite the aforementioned view', 'Regarding the economy', and 'Consequently' are used to guide the reader through the arguments, though occasional minor cohesion and referencing flaws appear, such as the slightly awkward transition 'both perspective will be discussed'. Paragraphing is used logically and effectively, supporting a coherent structure that warrants a Band 7.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The student uses a sufficient range of vocabulary with some flexibility and precision, attempting less common items such as 'ubiquitous', 'indispensable', 'colossal amount', and 'pivotal'. However, there are noticeable word-choice and collocation errors, such as 'existance' (spelling), 'unlimited contents' (uncountable noun usage), 'visitng' (spelling), 'cultral identitiy' (spelling), and 'play or film based on' (grammatical mismatch with plural/singular consistency). These errors do not impede communication, but they prevent the response from achieving a higher band, placing it firmly at Band 6.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilising conditional, relative, and introductory clauses. However, there is a noticeable frequency of grammatical errors and awkward phrasing, including subject-verb agreement issues ('both perspective will be discussed', 'Play and movies cannot only contributing') and minor prepositional or article errors ('to a country', 'bollywood industry'). Although these errors do not impede overall communication and the meaning remains clear, they reflect a lack of consistent control over complex grammatical structures, aligning with the Band 6 descriptors.

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