Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-28

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)

IN TODAY’S RAPIDLY EVOLVING WORLD, THE ISSUE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THEATRES AND CINEMAS HAS SPARKED CONSIDERABLE DEBATE, WITH OPINIONS DIVIDED ON WHETHER THEY ARE NO LONGER IMPORTANT OR SHOULD BE MAINTAINED FOR ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL REASONS. WHILE BOTH SIDES OF THE ARGUMENT HOLD MERIT, I AM STRONGLY INCLINED TO BELIEVE THAT THEATRES AND CINEMAS ARE STILL IMPORTANT. THIS ESSAY WILL DISCUSS BOTH PERSPECTIVES BEFORE EXPLAINING MY VIEW.

ON THE ONE HAND, SUPPORTERS OF ONLINE PLATFORMS FOR ENTERTAINMENT ARGUE THAT THEY PROVIDE GREATER CONVENIENCE AND AFFORDABILITY. THIS IS PARTICULARLY RELEVANT WHEN CONSIDERING THE COST AND TIME INVOLVED IN VISITING THEATRES AND CINEMAS. FOR EXAMPLE, MANY MOVIES THAT ARE SHOWN IN CINEMAS ARE LATER MADE AVAILABLE ON ONLINE PLATFORMS AT A RELATIVELY LOW COST. THIS CLEARLY ILLUSTRATES HOW PEOPLE CAN SAVE BOTH MONEY AND TIME BY WATCHING ENTERTAINMENT AT HOME. THEREFORE, THERE ARE VALID REASONS WHY SOME PEOPLE SUPPORT THIS PERSPECTIVE.

ON THE OTHER HAND, OTHERS BELIEVE THAT THEATRES AND CINEMAS ARE STILL IMPORTANT BOTH ECONOMICALLY AND CULTURALLY. ONE OF THE MOST COMPELLING REASONS FOR THIS VIEW IS THAT THEY HELP PRESERVE THE CULTURE OF CINEMA AND ALSO CONTRIBUTE TO THE ECONOMY. FOR INSTANCE, MANY PEOPLE PREFER WATCHING MOVIES ON A LARGE SCREEN WITH A POWERFUL SOUND SYSTEM, AS THIS PROVIDES A MORE IMMERSIVE AND SOCIAL EXPERIENCE. THIS DEMONSTRATES HOW THEATRES AND CINEMAS CAN REMAIN VALUABLE DESPITE THE GROWING POPULARITY OF ONLINE PLATFORMS. HOWEVER, I BELIEVE THAT CINEMAS ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN ONLINE PLATFORMS, AS THEY PROVIDE BOTH CULTURAL AND SOCIAL VALUE.

IN CONCLUSION, BOTH VIEWS HAVE THEIR OWN MERITS. HOWEVER, I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT THEATRES AND CINEMAS ARE STILL IMPORTANT BECAUSE THEY SUPPORT CULTURAL ACTIVITIES, PROVIDE A UNIQUE SOCIAL EXPERIENCE AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE ECONOMY.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the task by discussing both views—the convenience of online platforms and the economic and cultural importance of physical cinemas—while also presenting a clear personal position throughout. The introduction outlines the essay plan, and the body paragraphs explore each viewpoint. For example, the writer notes that 'online platforms provide greater convenience and affordability' and contrasts this with the idea that cinemas 'help preserve the culture of cinema and also contribute to the economy.' However, some ideas tend to be slightly repetitive rather than deeply extended, particularly in the third paragraph where the argument about immersive experiences is reiterated without much new development. Overall, the task response is well-structured and fulfills the requirements of the prompt effectively, aligning with the descriptors for Band 7.0.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The essay displays a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct focus, beginning with a clear introduction, moving through contrasting body paragraphs, and concluding with a concise summary of the main points. Cohesive devices are used reasonably well to signal transitions between ideas, such as 'ON THE ONE HAND', 'ON THE OTHER HAND', and 'IN CONCLUSION'. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. However, the referencing and connection of ideas occasionally feel somewhat mechanical, particularly with the repetitive use of formulaic transitional phrases. There is also a minor overlap in the final body paragraph where the author restates their opinion rather than driving the paragraph's core argument forward. These features place the essay solidly within the Band 7.0 descriptor for logical organisation.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The student uses a sufficient range of vocabulary to allow some flexibility and precision throughout the essay. Appropriate task-related terminology is employed, such as 'rapidly evolving world', 'considerable debate', 'immersive and social experience', and 'cultural activities'. Less common lexical items are attempted with some awareness of style and collocation, such as 'compelling reasons' and 'preserve the culture'. However, the vocabulary lacks the sophistication, naturalness, and wide-ranging flexibility characteristic of higher bands. There are also occasional instances of slightly generic phrasing, such as 'watching entertainment', which could be expressed with more nuance. Spelling is accurate throughout the piece, and vocabulary choice never impedes communication, supporting an overall Band 6.5 or 7.0 evaluation. Here, a score of 6.5 accurately reflects the balance of adequate control with limited truly advanced lexical risk-taking.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.0

The writer demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, successfully utilising subordinate clauses such as 'WHILE BOTH SIDES OF THE ARGUMENT HOLD MERIT, I AM STRONGLY INCLINED TO BELIEVE...' and 'THIS IS PARTICULARLY RELEVANT WHEN CONSIDERING...'. Grammatical control is generally good, with frequent error-free sentences throughout the text. Punctuation and sentence boundaries are handled correctly, and capitalization, though entirely in uppercase (which is acceptable in digital test contexts), does not obscure syntactic accuracy. While complex structures are attempted and often accurate, the range of complex syntactic forms is somewhat restricted, preventing the essay from reaching Band 8.0. Nevertheless, errors are absent or extremely minimal, meaning the majority of sentences are error-free, comfortably securing a Band 7.5.

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