Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-15

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 7.0)

People have contradictory opinion regarding the importance of cinema halls and theatres. While some believe that movie halls and theatre performances have become irrelevant in this digital era, others opine that these places are still relevant because of their economic and cultural contribution. There is some element of truth to both of these claims, but I side with the latter view.

Due to the popularity of Over-The-Top (OTT) platforms, access to film and other forms of digital contents have become largely accessible and popular. Popular OTT platforms such as Netflix and Amazon Prime offer a wide range of selection, and allows its customers to enjoy their favourite movies and TV shows at their covenient time and place in exchange of a modest subcription fee. As a result, the popularity of OTT platform has spiked while movie theatres have undeniably become less popular.

Nevertheless, the cinema halls and live theatre performances still attract a large number of audience as it provides entertainment as well as a place for social interaction. Although OTT platforms facilitate streaming movies and TV shows on demand, it cannot replace the overall cinematic experience of a movie hall let alone a live theatre performance. Despite the convenience of OTT platforms, people prefer to watch movies in cinema. For instance, people spent hours in long queues before IMAX theatres when Christopher Nolan's Odyssey came out. According to them, watching the movie in a theatre was an unparalled experience. Similarly, live stage performances are very popular in many places. For example, the live theatre adoption of the movie '12 Angry Men' is very popular among the young urban population in Bangladesh which cannot be replicated by digital content. These places also allow people to interact with other people whereas OTT platforms can lead to social isolation. As a result, people still buy tickets to watch movies on a big screen and to spend time with their friends and family. Ultimately, this contributes to the culture and economy of a nation.

To conclude, theatres and cinema halls hold significance in shaping the economy and culture of a country. While OTT platforms have definitely made entertainment more accessible and convenient, claiming that theatres and movies are no longer important is a far fetched contention.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

You address both perspectives and make your own position clear from the introduction: you acknowledge the convenience of online platforms but support the continuing importance of cinemas and theatres. The examples of the IMAX audience and the Bangladeshi production of “12 Angry Men” help explain the social and cultural value of in-person entertainment, and the conclusion returns to your central view. This is a well-supported response overall. To develop it further, explain the economic contribution more specifically: it is mentioned in the opening and conclusion, but the body mainly discusses audience experience, social interaction, and culture. Some claims, such as that people generally prefer cinema, would also be stronger with more precise qualification or support.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The response has a clear, effective structure: the introduction presents the debate and your position, the body paragraphs consider online viewing and in-person entertainment, and the conclusion summarises your view. Ideas progress logically, and linking expressions such as “Nevertheless,” “For instance,” “Similarly,” and “To conclude” guide the reader through the argument. Referencing is generally clear, including the contrast between OTT platforms and theatres. At times, however, the second body paragraph carries several points—cinematic experience, live theatre, social interaction, and national culture and economy—so the argument becomes somewhat crowded. Grouping these points more deliberately, or developing the economic point in its own sentence, would make the progression more controlled and cohesive.

Lexical Resource: Band 7.0

You use a sufficient range of topic-specific vocabulary, including “digital era,” “OTT platforms,” “cinematic experience,” “live stage performances,” and “social isolation.” These choices allow you to discuss both convenience and the cultural role of shared entertainment, and there is some effective variation in phrasing. A few word choices and collocations are less natural or precise, such as “a wide range of selection,” “live theatre adoption,” and “far fetched contention.” There are also spelling errors in “covenient,” “subcription,” and “unparalled.” These do not prevent understanding, but careful proofreading and more idiomatic phrasing would improve precision and control. Aim to choose expressions that describe the specific relationship or experience you mean.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.0

You use a variety of sentence forms, including complex clauses with “While,” “Although,” and “Despite,” and many sentences are grammatically clear. The opening and concluding sentences communicate your position effectively, and punctuation generally supports readability. Some agreement and reference errors remain: “access … have become” should use a singular verb, while “a wide range … allows” conflicts with the plural “platforms” in the same sentence. In “it cannot replace,” the pronoun’s reference to plural platforms is also unclear; “they cannot replace” would be more consistent. There are occasional article and number issues, as in “a large number of audience.” Reviewing subject–verb agreement and ensuring pronouns clearly match their antecedents would strengthen accuracy.

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