Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-22
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)
The importance of theatres and cinemas existance in today's world has become a widely discussed issue in recent years. Some people argue that nowdays these kind of places don't have significant value because people can watch anything online, while others opposes this due to its economical and cultural value. This essay will discuss both perspectives. In my opinion, both sides have valid points, and considering them equally provides a more balanced perspective on the issue.
On the one hand, we can easily watch any movies and shows through online platforms so it can save your money and energy. For example, If we go to cinema we need to purchase a ticket which cost you a lot of money specially on holidays. Moreover we need to specify a particular time to watch a show on theatre. As a result, busy people cannot watch and enjoy films on these places.
On the other hand, critics argue due to the economical and cultural value of these places. Theatres and cinemas can add a huge amount of importance in a country's growth. For instance, more cinemas can make more jobs for Videographers and event hosters. Furthermore a fixed percetage of tax go to government which can help country to grow. Another important reason is that these places bring people together. As a result, people have a chance to spend time with their loved ones.
In conclusion, although we can watch anything online, however theatres and cinemas also have significant value.In my opinion, a balanced approach works best. When we don't have enough money to buy tickets we can watch movies online, meanwhile when we have to spend time with people we can go to cinemas.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses all parts of the prompt by discussing both views on the importance of theatres and cinemas in the digital age. The student also presents a personal opinion, concluding that both online platforms and physical venues have valid roles. However, the development of ideas tends to be somewhat superficial and repetitive. For instance, the arguments regarding economic benefits mention job creation for 'Videographers and event hosters' and taxes going to the government, but these points are not fully extended. Furthermore, the final thesis statement mentions giving an opinion, yet the conclusion states a somewhat fence-sitting view that lacks strong analytical depth. This places the response comfortably in Band 6, as it addresses the task adequately with relevant ideas, though some areas remain under-developed.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into four distinct paragraphs, presenting a clear introduction, two body paragraphs representing opposing views, and a conclusion. Cohesive devices are used to guide the reader, such as 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', and 'In conclusion'. However, referencing and transitions are at times mechanical or slightly faulty. For example, the sentence 'critics argue due to the economical and cultural value of these places' lacks a complete predicate verb for the subjects being discussed. Additionally, the final paragraph contains a run-on sentence ('In conclusion, although we can watch anything online, however theatres and cinemas also have significant value.') where the conjunction 'however' is incorrectly used alongside 'although'. These issues reflect Band 6 characteristics, where overall arrangement is coherent, but cohesion is sometimes faulty.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully incorporating terms such as 'digital age', 'economical and cultural value', 'perspectives', and 'platforms'. However, there are noticeable word-choice inaccuracies and spelling errors throughout the essay. Examples include 'existance' instead of 'existence', 'nowdays' instead of 'nowadays', 'opposes' instead of 'oppose', 'percetage' instead of 'percentage', and prepositional inaccuracies like 'on these places' instead of 'in these places'. While the writer attempts less common vocabulary, the persistent minor errors and lack of sophisticated phrasing prevent the lexical score from reaching Band 7. The vocabulary used is sufficient to communicate meaning clearly, aligning with Band 6 descriptors.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay displays a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including conditional or time clauses such as 'If we go to cinema we need to purchase a ticket' and 'When we don't have enough money to buy tickets we can watch movies online'. There are, however, frequent grammatical errors, such as missing articles ('go to cinema', 'cost you a lot of money'), subject-verb agreement issues ('The importance of theatres and cinemas existance... exist'), and punctuation errors. Despite these errors, communication is rarely impeded, and the reader can easily follow the student's train of thought. This balance of mixed structures and regular errors corresponds well to the Band 6 descriptor level.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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