Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-17

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)

Certain individuals argue that in this digitalized world, theatres and cinemas are no more essential as everyone has an online access to consume enjoyable content, while other group supports the economical and cultural importance of the cinemas and theatres. I believe that the first argument is more compelling as it saves a lot of time and provides an ease of access.

Advocates of the first view contend that, these kind of activities require a lot of time as people have to wait for their turn to have a ticket on a weekend when the whole theatre is filled. All the content is just a click away in this modern world, so why should you spend additional money and your precious time in least important means of entertainment. The recent example of this technological advancement is the live streaming of the exclusive releases. People were struggling to find the cinema tickets and paid extra fee for it while others just enjoyed it for absolutely zero fee.

On the other hand, the view highlighting the importance of these places also holds a significant place. Although these places bear a cultural value in the society as they had been initiated by the artists of the golden era however, this does not explain their role in this modern world. It affects the film industry in economical terms but benefits the habitants. Recently, a grand theatre show was arranged by the government in Lahore that attracted many enthusiasts from all over the Pakistan . Although the media industry made a substantial revenue but that revenue was totally meaningless for the society.

In conclusion, there are people who support consumption of digitalized entertainment rather than the traditional cinemas and theatres and others prefer cinemas and theatres over the digital content. For me the most compelling argument is the superiority of the digital content as it povides an ease of access and saves a lot of time.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You discuss both perspectives and state a consistent preference for online entertainment, supported by reasons about convenience, time and cost. The examples of ticket queues and the Lahore theatre show make the response relevant. However, the discussion is uneven: the case for online viewing is explained more clearly, while the cultural and economic value of theatres is acknowledged but then dismissed rather than explored. The claim that theatre revenue is “totally meaningless for the society” is not supported and sits uneasily beside the point that it benefits the film industry. To strengthen the response, explain more fully what cultural or economic benefits the opposing view offers, then show why your reasons outweigh them.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall structure: an introduction, separate paragraphs for the two views, and a conclusion that restates your position. Signposting such as “On the other hand” and “In conclusion” helps readers follow the discussion. However, some links between ideas are abrupt or unclear. For example, the paragraph about the Lahore theatre moves from cultural value to industry revenue and then to a broad judgement about society without explaining the connections. The repeated contrast between digital and traditional entertainment in the conclusion also adds little. Use clearer referencing and develop each paragraph around a connected sequence of claims and supporting explanation; this would make cohesion less mechanical and progression more convincing.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a reasonable range of topic vocabulary, including “live streaming,” “exclusive releases,” “cultural value” and “substantial revenue.” These choices show an attempt to discuss the issue beyond basic terms. However, several unnatural or inaccurate expressions limit precision, such as “digitalized world,” “an online access,” “economical importance,” and “the habitants.” Some wording is also vague: “least important means of entertainment” does not clearly express the intended comparison. Aim for more natural collocations and precise terms, especially when describing economic effects and audience access. Proofreading word forms and spelling, including “povides,” would also improve clarity and control.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and complex sentences, including concessive clauses with “Although” and a reason clause beginning “as.” Most of the argument remains understandable, but some sentence structures are faulty or difficult to follow. For example, “Advocates of the first view contend that, these kind of activities require…” has an unnecessary comma and a mismatch between “these” and “kind.” The sentence beginning “Although these places bear a cultural value…” is also awkwardly joined to “however,” and the final sentence of that paragraph shifts between ideas without a clear grammatical relationship. Review agreement, articles and clause connections, and punctuate complex sentences carefully. More consistently controlled complex structures would make your reasoning easier to read.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.