Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-06

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)

Entertainment is an essential part of human life. In past, people watch movies and dramas in theatre and cinemas. In this way, they enjoy get together at large places. Individuals say that in the digital age theatres and cinemas are no longer important because people can watch all the entertainment through online platform. On the contrary, some people argue that theatres and cinemas are still important both economically and culturally. In my perspective, it is need of time to shift theatre and cinemas online to save peoples time and money in this modern age.

People who watch movies online can save time and money. Moreover, they can enjoy at any time at any place without any restrictions. For instance, if a person is a doctor and he has to perform 12 hours duty daily. He does not have time at to go cinema and theatre. Due to rigidity of his duty timing. Moreover, he has to allocate time for sleep and other important works. So, he has no choice to go theatre. That is why he uses netflix daily in any time when he gets free.

On the other hand, the people who choose cinemas and theatre have to allocate special time and book their slots before time. In addition, they have to follow rules and regulations of cinemas. However, they preserve and represent the cultural values of a country and a valuable source of income. For example, if a person comes from abroad he will go to a countries cinema and the theatre to enjoy the culture of such a country. Furthermore, he adds to the economy of country by buying tickets.

To conclude, both arguments have equal weightage. People who support online entertainment look for time saving, money and flexibility. Other people support country economy and culture. In my opinion, people should prefer online entertainment sources to preserve time.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response addresses the prompt by discussing both views on the importance of theatres and cinemas versus online entertainment and provides a personal opinion in the introduction and conclusion. However, the development of ideas is limited and sometimes repetitive, which places the response at this level. While the writer touches on both sides of the argument, such as financial and cultural benefits versus flexibility and time-saving, the supporting points remain somewhat basic and under-developed. For instance, the example of a doctor working a 12-hour shift illustrates the need for flexibility, but the reasoning trails off into repetitive statements. The position is stated, though the final conclusion slightly shifts focus rather than fully synthesizing the arguments. Overall, the response covers the core requirements of the task, but extending the supporting ideas with more depth and precise elaboration would be needed to move to a higher level.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The essay demonstrates a basic overall structure with four distinct paragraphs, including an introduction, body paragraphs addressing each viewpoint, and a conclusion. However, there is a lack of clear overall progression, and the logical flow between sentences is occasionally hindered by mechanical or repetitive cohesive devices. For instance, transitional phrases like 'Moreover' and 'In addition' are overused in a formulaic manner to link ideas, rather than creating smooth, natural conceptual transitions. Paragraphing is attempted, but internal cohesion within the body paragraphs feels disjointed, particularly in the second paragraph where sentences are short and fragmented. Referencing is sometimes unclear, and the overall progression of argument stalls due to repetitive phrasing. To improve coherence, the writer needs to employ a wider and more natural variety of cohesive links and ensure that ideas flow logically from one sentence to the next without abrupt shifts.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is minimally adequate for the task, featuring a limited range that allows the writer to communicate basic ideas about entertainment and digital platforms. There are noticeable lexical errors and awkward word choices that stem from an attempt to use less common vocabulary or incorrect collocations, such as 'human life', 'get together at large places', 'peoples time', and 'equal weightage'. Spelling and word formation are generally acceptable, but frequent minor slips in word choice and phrasing occasionally cause slight strain for the reader. The writer relies heavily on simple, repetitive terms like 'entertainment', 'movies', 'theatre', and 'cinemas'. To reach a higher standard, the student needs to expand their lexical repertoire, incorporate precise collocations, and demonstrate greater control over less common vocabulary and idiomatic expressions.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The writing relies on a limited range of sentence structures, consisting largely of simple sentences and basic compound forms. Attempts at complex sentences are frequently faulty, leading to grammatical errors in clause structure, subject-verb agreement, and articles. Examples of frequent errors include missing articles ('in past', 'to go cinema', 'economy of country'), incorrect prepositions ('at any time at any place', 'time at to go'), and tense inaccuracies ('people watch movies' instead of watched). Punctuation is also erratic, with fragmented sentences appearing throughout the text. These frequent errors can cause some difficulty for the reader and reflect a restricted control over grammatical structures. To achieve a higher band, the writer must incorporate a wider variety of complex sentence forms with good control and significantly reduce the frequency of basic grammatical errors.

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