Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-30

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 this modern era, technological development has made significant changes the preferences of individuals mainly, regarding entertainment. Few people think that in this technosavy era, online applications have made it better to watch series and movies online at home rather than going to cinemas. While others say that theatres and cinemas are still vital to the economy as it acts as an income source for cinema owners and it also helps to preserve culture. This essay will discuss both views in the following paragraphs.

One of the reasons that people prefer to watch newly launched movies and series at home is that it allows them to spend quality time with their families. Besides this, watching entertainment at home can help them to save money which they would have spent on movie ticket, food and transportation.For example, online applications such as Netflix or Jio hotstar charges lower rate of subscriptions which are almost equals to one ticket price.Therefore, people think it is more convenient to watch entertainment at home.

On the other hand, one of the complelling arguments is that cinemas and theatres are still important from cultural and economic point of view. This is because people believe that watching entertainment in cinemas provides a shared social experience and helps preserve local culture. Moreover, cinemas generate employment and provide a source of income for owners and workers. For example, many people visit cinemas not only to watch newly released movies but also to enjoy the experience with their friends and families. Therefore, theatres continue to play an important role in society and the economy.

I personally believe that people should go to cinemas to watch movies, but not on a regular basis. Instead, they should visit them occasionally so that they can enjoy quality time with their families while also managing their expenses.

Overall, cinemas and theatres are still important for economic growth and help preserve culture. At the same time, watching entertainment online has made it easier for people who do not have convenient access to cinemas and theatres.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the task by discussing both views—the advantages of online entertainment and the economic/cultural importance of cinemas—and presents a clear personal opinion in the conclusion. The ideas are relevant, such as cost-saving and family time for online viewing, and shared social experience and employment generation for cinemas. However, some ideas are slightly under-developed; for example, the cultural argument is mentioned briefly without specific elaboration. The position is clear throughout, and the main points are supported with relevant examples, such as mentioning Netflix and Jio Hotstar. This performance aligns well with the Band 7 descriptors.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The essay presents a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct focus, moving from a well-structured introduction to body paragraphs exploring each view, a personal opinion, and a summary. Cohesive devices are used reasonably well, such as 'One of the reasons', 'Besides this', 'On the other hand', and 'Therefore', although there is some mechanical repetition in paragraph openings ('One of the reasons', 'one of the compelling arguments'). Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different facets of the argument. Referencing is generally clear, earning a solid Band 6.5 or 7.0, with clear progression.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The student demonstrates an adequate to sufficient range of vocabulary for the task. Less common lexical items are attempted, such as 'technosavy' (spelled technosavy instead of technosavvy), 'compelling arguments', and 'subscription'. There are some minor word-choice and spelling errors, such as 'made significant changes the preferences' (missing preposition) and 'complelling', but these do not impede communication. The use of phrases like 'shared social experience' and 'economic growth' shows an awareness of appropriate collocation for an academic discussion, comfortably placing this in the Band 6.0 to 6.5 range.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The writer uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including relative clauses and conditional structures. There are several grammatical errors present, such as 'made significant changes the preferences' and 'charges lower rate of subscriptions which are almost equals'. Punctuation is generally fine, though minor spacing and punctuation slips occur, such as missing spaces after commas and periods (e.g., 'transportation.For example'). Despite these errors, the complex structures are generally understandable, and the errors rarely impede communication, reflecting the characteristics of Band 6.0.

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