Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-29
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)
In contemporary society, individuals believe that due to technology advancement cinemas and theaters are not considered worth it for the entertainment purpose as it is easily accessible through the internet, whlist others argue that cinema and theaters are still crucial culturally and economically. According to my perspective, having cinemas and theaters is essential for financial benefits and cultural representation.
Nowadays, technological advancement has enabled people to get entertainment through online platforms. There are many different platforms at the present which allow people to watch variety of movies and shows online. It is considered as more accessible and affordable way to enjoy films rather than speding alot of money. For instance, Netflix is a platform which offer enormous number of movies, podcasts and shows which people tend to appreciate alot so individuals prefer using these kind of platform instead of going to cinemas.
On the other hand, others believe that the theaters and cinemas are source of financial and cultural interest. One significant reason is that the cultural events which take place in the theaters allow people to get an exposure of their roots and heritage. Morover, Incomes generated by cinemas and theaters contribute significantly to improve country's economy. For instance, traditional and art events arranged in theaters provide entertainment and offers a platform for cultural representation.
To wrap it up, although online platforms are easy to access and provide enjoyment it is also crucial to have cinemas and theaters to benefit the scoeity.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
The student addresses all parts of the prompt by discussing both views—that cinemas and theaters are obsolete due to online entertainment and that they remain economically and culturally important—while also providing a clear personal opinion. The arguments are generally relevant, covering online accessibility versus cultural roots and economic benefits. However, the development is somewhat limited, and the ideas would benefit from more detailed explanation and broader supporting examples. Furthermore, an important penalty must be applied for task length: the response contains only 243 words, falling short of the required 250-word minimum. This prevents the score from reaching a higher band. Consequently, the performance aligns best with Band 6.0 due to the under-length penalty and slightly under-developed main body paragraphs.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The essay presents a coherent overall arrangement with a recognizable introduction, two body paragraphs, and a brief conclusion. Logical progression is visible, as the student clearly separates the two opposing viewpoints into distinct paragraphs. Cohesive devices are used to guide the reader, such as 'Nowadays', 'On the other hand', and 'To wrap it up'. However, referencing and cohesion are occasionally faulty or mechanical; for instance, 'these kind of platform' contains a grammatical agreement error, and the transitions feel somewhat formulaic rather than flexible. Paragraphing is used sufficiently to separate the contrasting perspectives, but the conclusion is extremely abrupt and brief. Overall, the organizational structure satisfies the criteria for a Band 6.0.
Lexical Resource: Band 6.0
The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully using topic-specific terms such as 'contemporary society', 'accessible', 'cultural representation', and 'economy'. There are several attempts to use less common vocabulary, but these are occasionally marred by spelling and word-choice errors, such as 'whlist' (whilst), 'speding' (spending), 'alot' (a lot), 'offer' instead of 'offers', and 'scoeity' (society). While these minor lexical and spelling errors do not impede overall communication, they prevent the vocabulary score from rising into the higher bands. The lexical resource displayed is consistent with a solid Band 6.0.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The writer uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including subordinate clauses ('due to technology advancement cinemas and theaters are not considered worth it...'). There are, however, several grammatical and punctuation errors throughout the text, such as missing articles ('improve country's economy'), incorrect capitalization ('Morover, Incomes'), and punctuation issues surrounding conjunctions and prepositional phrases. Despite these recurring errors, the majority of simple sentences are accurate, and the errors rarely impede the reader's understanding. The control of grammar and sentence structures firmly places this response at Band 6.0.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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