Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-20

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)

Nowadays, eople can watch movies and other entertainment online. Some people believe that theatres and cinemas are no longer important, while other think they still play an important role in society and the economy. This eassy i will discuss both views, and theatres are still are still important.

One the other hand, many eople things that theatres and cinemas are become less important of the internat. People can watch movies, TV shows, and other programmes on theirs mobile phones or computer at home. This is more convenient and often cheaper then going to a cinema. Moreover, online platforms allow people to watch their favourites programmes at any tim. For example, students and busy worker can enjoy entetainment without travelling or peanding mony on tickets.

On the other hand, theatres and cinemas remain important for the economic and cultural reasons. Firstly, they provides employment oppurtunites for many people, including actors, directors, technicians, and other worker.They alo support on local bussiness like restaurants, hotel and cafe. Watching a film on a large screen with high quality sound can be more enjoyable then watching its on small phone. Futhermore, theatres helps preserve traditional performances and culture values.

In my opinion, although online entertainment is convenient, theatres and cinemas should not disapear. Both options have their own advantages, and people should be able to choose acording to their perferences and budgets.

In conclusion, online entetainment has made watching films easier, but theaters and cinemas continue to provide economic benifits and valuable cultural experiences.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response5.5
Coherence and Cohesion5.5
Lexical Resource5.0
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.5
Overall5.5

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address both sides of the discussion and state a clear preference: theatres and cinemas “should not disappear.” The points about convenience and lower cost online, and employment, local businesses, and cultural value in venues, are relevant. However, these ideas are mostly listed rather than explained or supported with specific examples, so the discussion remains limited; for instance, the economic and cultural benefits could be illustrated with a concrete example. The opening also says “This essay I will discuss both views” without clearly previewing the reasoning behind your position. The response is one word below the required minimum, so it does not meet the task’s length instruction. Develop each main point further and add a relevant example to make the response more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, a paragraph for each view, your opinion, and a conclusion. The contrast markers “On the other hand” and “In conclusion” help readers follow the broad direction. However, progression within paragraphs is basic, and several points are placed together without enough explanation of how they connect. The opinion paragraph largely repeats the introduction and conclusion rather than advancing the discussion. Some linking is also mechanical, particularly the repeated “On the other hand.” Build clearer progression by grouping related reasons, explaining each one, and using referencing or transitions that show cause, contrast, or consequence rather than relying mainly on formulaic signposts.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use enough topic-related vocabulary to communicate the main ideas, including “online platforms,” “employment opportunities,” “local business,” and “cultural values.” However, the range is limited and several spelling and word-choice errors are noticeable, such as “eople,” “eassy,” “entetainment,” and “perferences.” Some expressions are also imprecise or unnatural, including “important for the economic and cultural reasons” and “watching its on small phone.” These errors do not prevent the reader from understanding the overall argument, but they reduce clarity and control. Proofread carefully, learn common collocations for this topic, and choose more precise terms when discussing the benefits and drawbacks of online viewing and live venues.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including a contrast clause beginning “although online entertainment is convenient” and a sentence with “without travelling.” The overall meaning is generally understandable, but errors in sentence structure, agreement, and articles occur repeatedly. Examples include “other think,” “they provides,” “theatres helps,” and “for the economic and cultural reasons.” The opening sentence “This essay I will discuss both views” also has an awkward structure, and “theatres are still are still important” repeats the verb phrase. These issues show that more reliable control is needed. Practise subject–verb agreement and article use, then proofread each sentence for a complete, correctly formed structure.

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.