Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

Opinions are divided whether in this modern era, cinemas and theatres have become less significant due to the fact that individuals can watch all the movies, drama series, and theatrical plays online on their mobile phones, laptops or different devices, or if the cinemas and theatres still hold some significance to both the culture and economic system. This essay will examine both perspectives before concluding that the cinemas and theatres are still crucial for the culture and for the experience they provide in this digital age.

On the one hand, some people argue that cinemas and theatres no longer hold major value because they can watch all the entertainment anytime online at any place. The rationale behind this is that individuals have to book tickets and then had to reach the destination at specific times to watch the entertainment. Moreover, people have to wait in long ques before finally reaching their designated seats. To put this in perspective, these long waiting times and bounded by the specific time requirement has reduced people's interest, prompting them to shift to online entertainment platforms. Thus, it is understandable why some people hold this belief.

On the other hand, I side with those who believe that cinemas and theatres still hold a significant importance. This perspective is stronger because although number of people have shifted to online entertainment platforms, the experience provided by cinemas and theatres is still unmatched. Some individuals just want to experience thrill of watching movies on a large screen with immersive Dolby Atmos sound and that cannot be done by watching movies online. A clear illustration of this is that recent summer all of the IMAX screens were fully sold out for an entire month for just one movie, that clearly demonstrates cinemas are still crucial both economically and culturally.

In conclusion, while there are some merits provided by watching entertainment at home, I am of the opinion that cinemas and theatres will remain of significant value in this digital era. The experience provided by cinemas and theaters far outweigh the alternatives.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The response successfully addresses all parts of the prompt by discussing both views—the decline of physical theatres and cinemas in the digital age versus their continued cultural and economic importance—and provides a clear personal opinion throughout the essay. The introduction establishes the stance, and the body paragraphs develop relevant ideas, such as convenience versus the immersive cinematic experience. While the arguments are generally well-supported with a relevant illustration regarding IMAX ticket sales, some points could have been extended slightly further to reach the highest descriptor levels. Nonetheless, the task is comprehensively addressed, fulfilling the criteria for a Band 7.0.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The essay presents a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct focus: an introduction with a clear thesis, a body paragraph covering the counter-argument, a body paragraph presenting the writer's view, and a concise conclusion. Cohesive devices are used effectively to signal transitions, such as 'On the one hand', 'The rationale behind this', and 'On the other hand'. Paragraphing is used appropriately. However, referencing and cohesive links are at times a little mechanical (e.g., 'To put this in perspective', 'A clear illustration of this is that recent summer'), which keeps the essay securely within the Band 7.0 range rather than higher descriptors.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The student demonstrates an adequate to sufficient range of vocabulary suitable for an academic task, attempting less common items such as 'significant', 'perspective', 'immersive', and 'economically and culturally'. However, there are some word-choice and collocation inaccuracies, such as writing 'the thrill of watching movies' missing an article, or 'long ques' (spelling error for 'queues') and 'bounded by the specific time requirement' rather than bound. Despite these occasional lexical lapses and spelling slips, the vocabulary is varied enough to allow the meaning to be communicated clearly, warranting a Band 6.5.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The writer employs a mix of simple and complex sentence forms quite successfully, using structures such as subordinate clauses ('due to the fact that individuals can watch...', 'although number of people have shifted...'). There are, however, several grammatical errors present, particularly in tense consistency and articles ('then had to reach' shifting from present to past unnecessarily, 'although number of people' missing an article, and 'far outweigh' instead of 'far outweighs' matching the singular subject 'The experience'). These errors do not impede communication, but their frequency prevents the essay from achieving a Band 7.0, placing it firmly at Band 6.5.

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