Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

Technological advancements have taken place in all spheres of life and field of entertainment is no exception.

It is argued that with digital transformation, the need for cinema and theatres is less significant as individuals can watch every content on the internet whereas, others believe that it is still crucial for the promotion of economic and cultural activities.

In today's contemporary era, everything has shifted online. With the increase in platforms like Netflix, Hulu, Disney plus etc., individuals like to enjoy all the entertainment from home due to the ease it provides. There is no specific time slot on which you have to be available. No need for a prior booking as in the case of cinema and theatre. With only a little subscription fee, a person is open to watch anything on that platform. For instance, with Netflix subscription, one can easily watch all the movies, seasons, stand-ups, comedy specials at the comfort of home. This facility was a great benefit as it helped people to cope during lockdown in Covid-19 days.

In contrast, threates and cinema do have their place in society as they provide a platform for like-minded people to come to a dedicated place that offers a creative escape. A theatre show takes place in front of a live audience and is done in real-time with no editing. The actors get to enjoy the reaction from the audience and vice versa. Moreover, for cinema, the ambience of the cinema, enjoying the smell and eating popcorns, sitting together with friends and family, being able to see the visual craft on a cinema screen with surround sound adds to the experience. These places generates income, provide employment and endorse an enviroment thriving on social interactions. For example, when college friends go to watch an Avengers movie together, they get to experience the thrill and excitement the movie brings collectively.

From my point of view, both aspects have their own advantages and it depends on the form of entertainment which makes the decision easier. For instance, if i want to just unwind at the end of the day, I will choose a movie from Disney but if i plan to spend a weekend with my husband, then I will prefer a movie in the cinema.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

You address both views and give a clear personal position: online entertainment is convenient, while cinemas and theatres retain social, cultural and economic value. The examples of streaming during lockdown, live theatre, and friends watching an Avengers film help make the discussion relevant. Your conclusion also explains that the choice depends on the occasion. This fits the task well, although some points are asserted more than fully explored. For example, the economic contribution is mentioned through “income” and “employment” but not explained or illustrated, and the cultural importance of theatres could be developed beyond the live audience experience. To strengthen the response, explain how these benefits affect communities and connect them more explicitly to your overall view.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear overall structure: an introduction, a paragraph for online viewing, a contrasting paragraph on venues, and a personal conclusion. The progression from convenience to shared experiences is easy to follow, and signposts such as “In contrast” and “From my point of view” help guide the reader. This is coherent, but some linking is formulaic, and the final paragraph could synthesise the two arguments more clearly rather than relying mainly on personal examples. There are also a few places where connections between sentences feel abrupt, such as moving from the cinema experience to its economic effects. Use more varied referencing and transitions, and make the relationship between each supporting point and the paragraph’s main idea explicit.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of topic vocabulary, including “digital transformation,” “live audience,” “creative escape,” “surround sound,” and “social interactions.” These choices communicate the main ideas, and some phrases show an attempt to be precise. However, several word choices and collocations are awkward or inaccurate, such as “all the entertainment,” “at the comfort of home,” and “endorse an environment.” There are also spelling and form errors, including “threates,” “enviroment,” and “popcorns.” These do not prevent understanding, but they limit naturalness and precision. Build accuracy by checking common collocations and spelling, and choose more exact terms when describing the economic and cultural roles of venues.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including contrast clauses and conditional examples, and the meaning is generally clear. Some sentences are controlled well, such as “A theatre show takes place in front of a live audience and is done in real-time with no editing.” However, some grammatical errors remain. For example, “field of entertainment” needs an article, “These places generates income” has subject–verb disagreement, and “if i want” requires a capital letter. The sentence beginning “With the increase in platforms…” also has an awkward construction, while the long sentence about the cinema experience would benefit from clearer punctuation and parallel structure. Review articles, agreement, capitalization, and sentence boundaries to improve accuracy.

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