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)

There is an ongoing debate about theatres and cinemas, some people say that they aren't important now because we have internet, we can watch the movies online, while others say that it is still important because of our culture and it is economic.

The people who say that theaters and cinemas are no longer important, they say because of the fact that in the last two decades, the technology has become so advanced that now everyone has a smartphone in his pocket while moving around and doing his work. He can easily put that out and start watching the movies two taps away within no time. This has made so much easiness in lives that now there is no need to travel towards cinemas, especially spare some time just to watch a film. No traffic headache, no travel expense, no time issue, you can watch it anywhere, anytime just with a mobile phone and a proper internet connection.

On the other hand, some people have a opinion that movie theater are still important because they think that they are economical and our culture too. They say this because they know that now adays, mobilephones are quite expensive and we have to buy internet package to watch the content online which is also expensive. The another factor is our culture, they think that they many people follow their culture and watch movies in cinema and theaters.

According to my opinion, the theaters and cinemas still hold some importance in spite of the fact that everyone can watch movies online, because sometimes we want that old school way of watching movie with friends or family and enjoy snacks like popocorn in cinema, it seems quite fascinating.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You discuss both views and give a clear personal preference in the final paragraph, so the response addresses the main parts of the prompt. The convenience argument is supported with relevant details such as watching on a phone “anywhere, anytime” and avoiding travel. However, the opposing view is only partly explained: the claim that cinemas are “economical” is not made convincing, and the cultural point is repeated rather than illustrated. Your own opinion is also brief and focuses mainly on enjoying a traditional outing with family or friends. Develop the economic and cultural arguments with specific examples, and explain more fully why these benefits outweigh—or do not outweigh—the convenience of online viewing.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, a paragraph for each side, and a concluding opinion. Transitions such as “On the other hand” and “According to my opinion” help signal the direction of the discussion. The overall progression is understandable, but some connections are mechanical or unclear. For example, the second-view paragraph moves from the cost of phones and internet to culture without explaining how these points support the importance of cinemas. The opening sentence also joins several ideas with commas, making the relationship between them less clear. Use clearer topic sentences and link each supporting detail directly to the paragraph’s main claim; this would make the argument flow more naturally.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use enough topic-related vocabulary to communicate the main ideas, including “technology,” “internet connection,” “culture,” and “travel expense.” However, the range is limited and several expressions are inaccurate or unnatural, which makes parts of the response less precise. Examples include “so much easiness,” “a opinion,” “movie theater are,” and “old school way.” Some wording is also repetitive, particularly the repeated references to watching movies and cinemas. Aim for more precise collocations and a wider range of terms for the benefits and drawbacks, such as accessibility, shared experience, cultural events, and operating costs. Check spelling and word forms carefully, including “nowadays,” “mobile phones,” and “popcorn.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and longer sentence forms, including a reason clause beginning “because” and a list of benefits: “No traffic headache, no travel expense, no time issue.” However, complex sentences are often not controlled accurately, and errors in sentence boundaries, articles, agreement, and clause structure are frequent enough to affect clarity. For instance, the opening sentence is a comma splice, while “The people who say …, they say because” repeats the subject and leaves the clause awkwardly formed. There are also errors such as “a opinion” and “movie theater are.” Practise building complete sentences with one clear main clause, then check articles, singular/plural agreement, and punctuation before adding subordinate clauses.

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