Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-24

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)

In the modern digital age, anything can be found online through just a few clicks. With just a little effort, you can find almost any film, drama, or TV show online for free, but this has rendered theatres and cinemas obsolete.

Furthermore, because everything is available online for free, people no longer need to spend money and travel to their nearest cinema halls just to watch a movie they could enjoy at home in total comfort. This shift has dealt a massive blow to the popularity and charm of theatres and cinemas.

Additionally, even before the internet became so widespread and common, theatres and cinemas had started to lose their audiences with the availability of DVDs, VHS tapes, and players, which provided a much cheaper and convenient alternative to cinema tickets.

However, theatres and cinemas have not gone completely extinct, despite the abundance of available alternatives. Even today, cinemas become crowded when a new film is released, and tickets sell out within the first week. The reason for this is that people tend to enjoy movies and films in the presence of their friends and loved ones; cinemas provide the perfect environment for this sort of activity. While watching a movie at home is convenient and relaxing, it still lacks the charm of a cinema. I, too, would prefer to watch my favourite movie in a cinema with my friends.

Moreover, there are still a significant number of people who enjoy classical opera and theatre shows. Theatre performances are irreplaceable, so their audiences remains loyal.

Consequently, cinemas and theatres may have lost a massive audience over the years, but it is highly unlikely that they will ever go extinct.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The response addresses both parts of the task (the decline of theatres/cinemas due to online streaming, and their enduring economic and cultural importance), and a clear personal position is presented. The ideas are relevant, discussing convenience versus the social and cultural charm of shared viewing and live performances. However, the development is somewhat concise in places, such as the brief treatment of economic aspects, which prevents the response from reaching the higher band levels where fully extended ideas are expected throughout. For example, the mention of classical opera is introduced abruptly and left largely unsupported. Despite these limitations, the task is adequately covered, aligning well with the descriptors for a Band 6.5 or solid Band 6.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The essay displays a logical overall arrangement, moving smoothly from the arguments regarding the shift to online streaming and home viewing to the counter-arguments supporting the survival of cinemas and live theatres. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct ideas, such as the historical impact of home media versus the contemporary social appeal of going to the cinema. Cohesive devices are employed adequately, with transition words like 'Furthermore', 'Additionally', and 'However' guiding the reader through the text. However, referencing and transitions are at times slightly mechanical. For instance, the transition into the final paragraph feels abrupt. Overall, the organizational structure is coherent and easy to follow, supporting a Band 6.5 score.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The student demonstrates an adequate lexical range for the task, successfully incorporating topic-related vocabulary such as 'digital age', 'obsolete', 'alternative', 'extinct', and 'cultural'. There are successful attempts to use less common items and phrases like 'dealt a massive blow' and 'irreplaceable'. However, there are occasional imprecise word choices or minor redundancies, such as 'movies and films' used back-to-back, and the vocabulary lacks the consistent flexibility and precision seen in higher bands. Spelling and word formation are generally accurate, meaning communication is never impeded. This performance corresponds well to Band 6.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The writer exhibits a satisfactory mix of simple and complex sentence structures, using conditional and subordinate clauses effectively, as seen in sentences like 'While watching a movie at home is convenient and relaxing, it still lacks the charm of a cinema.' Grammatical control is generally good, and punctuation is handled correctly. There are a few minor slips and awkward phrasing instances, such as 'their audiences remains loyal' (subject-verb agreement error), but these errors are infrequent and do not impede communication. The majority of the sentences are well-constructed, making Band 6.5 an accurate representation of grammatical performance.

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

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