Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-09

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)

Few individuals believe that in the digital world, theatres and cinemas are no longer needed as people can watch all the movies and web series they want online, whereas others argue that theatres and cinemas are still important for the country to improve economically and culturally. I agree with this statement, and my views will be discussed in the upcoming paragraphs.

To begin with, rapid technological advancement has transformed the way people watch movies and series and entertain themselves. In the modern era, people can watch movies on a smartphone, laptop, or television. On the one hand, they believe that theatres and cinemas are not important because they can watch movies and series of their choice on a smartphone or computer at home. Instead of wasting time on travelling, they prefer to watch movies on their mobile whenever they want. For example, a student travelling from university to home, by using a smartphone or laptop, he can watch movie while travelling.

Furthermore, another reason why few individuals believe that theatre and cinemas are not important is the high cost of tickets. They believe that they can watch movies online at a low price instead of unnecessary high spending on the tickets. For example, platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime can be used to watch movies at a very affordable cost. Also, people can watch movies on their desired time.

On the other hand, people argue that theatres and cinemas are still important because they can contribute economically and culturally. Through ticket fares, cinemas pay tax to the government, which is beneficial for the growth of the country. Moreover, some people like to enjoy watching movies in the theatre, especially with their friends and family members, as they want to follow their culture.

To conclude, few individuals believe that theatres and cinemas are no longer important because movies can be easily available online at very low cost, whereas other argue that theatres and cinemas are still important both economically and culturally, as cinemas contribute to the government by paying taxes. I believe that watching movies on smartphones and televisions is beneficial, as we can watch at our preferred time at an affordable cost.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You discuss both views and give a personal opinion, so the response addresses the main parts of the task. The case for online viewing is supported with convenience and lower cost, including the examples of watching while travelling and using Netflix or Amazon Prime. However, the opposing view is less fully developed: paying taxes is mentioned, but the economic contribution of cinemas could be explained further, and the cultural point about enjoying films with family and friends is not clearly linked to preserving culture. Your conclusion also favours online viewing, while the introduction says “I agree with this statement,” which makes your position unclear. State your view consistently and develop each main reason with a clearer explanation or example.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, separate paragraphs for the two views, and a conclusion. Signposting such as “To begin with,” “Furthermore,” and “On the other hand” helps readers follow the broad organisation. However, progression within paragraphs is sometimes mechanical, and repeated references to people believing cinemas are unimportant make the discussion feel repetitive. Some links between ideas are also unclear: the student-travelling example is awkwardly connected to the point about convenience, and the cultural claim is not developed after it is introduced. The conclusion repeats much of the introduction rather than drawing the discussion together. Use clearer referencing and build each paragraph around one reason, followed by explanation and a relevant example.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use enough topic-related vocabulary to communicate the main ideas, including “technological advancement,” “ticket fares,” “affordable cost,” and “contribute economically and culturally.” However, the range is limited by repeated use of “movies,” “watch,” “important,” and “people,” and some expressions are imprecise or unnatural, such as “unnecessary high spending” and “follow their culture.” “Few individuals” also suggests that only a small number hold these views, which may not be what you mean. These choices do not prevent the reader from understanding the argument, but they reduce precision and flexibility. Aim for more varied, accurate collocations—for example, refer to “streaming services,” “cinema attendance,” and the “cultural value of shared viewing.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and complex sentence forms, including contrast clauses with “whereas” and reason clauses with “because.” Most ideas remain understandable, but errors in sentence construction and agreement recur. For example, “a student travelling from university to home, by using a smartphone or laptop, he can watch movie” combines a detached introductory phrase with a second subject and has problems with articles and number. In the conclusion, “other argue” should be “others argue,” and “movies can be easily available online” has an awkward grammatical construction. The sentence “I agree with this statement” also lacks a clear reference to which view you support. Practise forming complete clauses and checking subject–verb agreement, articles, and singular/plural forms.

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