Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-20

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)

It is often argued that in the contemporary world, people are less interested in theaters and cinema, because people are easily watching all the entertainment they want to watch online. However others believe that traditional cinemas and theaters are still important both economically and culturally. From my perspective both views are important and play a major role in our lives because without going anywhere we can watch any serial, movies and other sources of entertainment. However, people still love to watch movies in a realistic sitting.

On the one hand, online plate form provides a wide range of entertainment sources. People who are busy in their daily routines and have no time to go anywhere with their loved ones and enjoy movies, web series and other entertainments. Digital plate forms are very convenient for them to watch everything online. This is because everything becomes more easier and accessible. For example if we compare our past lives people have enough time to watch them in theaters but nowadays, lives are too busy people are not willing to go anywhere and enjoy those things and also due to heavy traffic they prefer to stay home and enjoy their time with loved ones. As a result, the number of visitors is decreased in Cinemas and theaters.

On the other hand, in the contemporary era, there are still significant numbers of people who are people to begin watching movies in theaters. The main reason is that it helps to give them a break from our busy routines and also impact on our mental well- being.I also believe that cinemas and theaters represent our culture and traditions which play a major role in our economy. For example, if we watch a movie on a big screen with the one whom we love it would be a great experience. We can also create a beautiful and memorable experience with our families that will stay longer.

In conclusion, the way we watch all entertainment might have changed by several factors, such as social platforms and our lifestyles, compared to past decades. Nevertheless, theatres and cinemas still play an important role in our social life and mental well-being.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The student addresses all parts of the task by discussing both views—that cinemas are obsolete due to online streaming, and that they remain economically and culturally important—while also presenting a clear personal opinion. However, some ideas lack deep extension and contain slight contradictions, such as the thesis statement saying 'From my perspective both views are important' before shifting into specific arguments about convenience versus cultural value. Examples are provided, such as busy routines and traffic, but they are sometimes repetitive. The response meets the core requirements of Task Achievement and covers all prompts, aligning comfortably with Band 6.5 to 7.0 descriptors.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into four distinct paragraphs, featuring standard introduction, body, and conclusion structures. Cohesive devices are employed to connect ideas, such as 'On the one hand' and 'On the other hand', though referencing and transitions are occasionally mechanical or slightly clumsy (e.g., 'However others believe...'). Paragraphing is used sufficiently, but internal logical progression within the body paragraphs occasionally stalls due to repetitive phrasing. Overall, the flow of information is coherent and the reader can easily follow the writer's line of reasoning, fitting the Band 6.0 criteria well.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully attempting less common items and topical phrases like 'contemporary world', 'digital platforms', and 'mental well-being'. However, there are noticeable word choice and collocation errors throughout the text, such as 'online plate form', 'realistic sitting', and 'people to begin watching'. Spelling errors also occasionally appear (e.g., 'plate form' instead of 'platform', 'is decreased' instead of 'have decreased'). Because these vocabulary slips do not severely impede communication, the performance matches Band 6.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing relative clauses and conditional structures. However, there is a persistent lack of grammatical control. Examples of errors include awkward phrasing ('people are easily watching', 'everything becomes more easier'), tense inconsistencies, and punctuation lapses, particularly around clauses and introductory phrases. While these errors do not completely obscure meaning, they occur frequently enough to prevent the score from reaching a Band 6.5. The majority of complex sentences contain flaws, placing this firmly at Band 6.0.

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

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