Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-21

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 5.0)

There is considerable debate over whether theatres and cinemas are no longer crucial as people can enjoy all the entertainment they want online or whether theatres and cinemas are still important both for economy or a culture.

I will discuss both aspects and give my opinion in the end.

Firstly, Many people argue that with an emergence of digitalization and technology. People have easy access to online entertainemt applications like Netflix, Amazon and Youtube. They can watch movies, seasons and plays of their own choice without any limitation of time and place. Routines are hectic now a days, public usually do not have as spare time as it was in the past. So, they entertain themselves when they have a leisure time. Travellers can easily spend their quality time, while travelling in the planes or trains. Moreover, entertainment industries are also shifting thier content to online platforms, where they upload their content and make money through the subscription charges or online views.

On the other hand, handful of the people assume that theatres and cinemas are important for the economy and tradition of a country. It is true to some extent because theatres used to show their local cultures in past, and they used to provide opportunities to local actors. Additionally, theatres have been entertaining people with locally produced movies. Both industries were assisting in economy of the country. However, reality is that theatres and cinemas are now perfoming their plays with a handful of the audience. Sometimes, they have to cancel their shows due to lack of the participants.

In conclusion, people have non-fixed jobs these days, and they find it difficult to go and watch movie or a play in a fixed timing

Economy and culture of the entertainment industry is shifted towards online platforms.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

The response recognises both views: it explains the convenience of online entertainment and mentions cinemas’ and theatres’ economic and cultural roles. However, the discussion is uneven and only partly answers the task. The first view is supported with examples such as watching content while travelling, but the opposing view is mostly asserted rather than explored; the claim that venues now perform to small audiences does not explain why they remain culturally or economically important. Your own position is also unclear: the introduction promises an opinion, while the conclusion says the industry has shifted online without directly stating whether theatres and cinemas still matter. State a clear view and develop each side with specific reasons and examples.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The essay has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, separate paragraphs for the two views, and a conclusion. Signposts such as “Firstly,” “On the other hand,” and “In conclusion” help readers follow the broad direction. However, progression within paragraphs is sometimes weak: the first paragraph moves from convenience to travel and then industry revenue without clearly linking these points, while the second shifts from cultural value to declining attendance. The conclusion is split across two lines and does not clearly synthesise the discussion or state your position. Use clearer topic sentences, connect each example to its main point, and make the final paragraph a complete, direct summary.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a reasonable range of topic vocabulary, including “digitalization,” “online platforms,” “subscription charges,” “local actors,” and “locally produced movies.” These choices make the subject clear and show some ability to discuss technology, culture, and the economy. However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or awkward, such as “for economy or a culture,” “handful of the people,” and “non-fixed jobs.” There are also spelling errors, including “entertainemt,” “thier,” and “perfoming,” which reduce precision. Aim for more natural academic phrasing and check spelling carefully; for example, describe venues as “cultural institutions” and refer to “a small audience” rather than a “handful” of people.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts both simple and more complex sentences, including clauses introduced by “while,” “because,” and “where,” and most ideas remain understandable. However, the range is limited and complex structures are often faulty. For example, “with an emergence of digitalization and technology. People have easy access” incorrectly separates a dependent opening from its main clause, and “Routines are hectic now a days, public usually do not have as spare time” contains a comma splice and an incorrect comparative construction. There are also problems with articles, agreement, and sentence boundaries, as in “Economy and culture … is shifted.” Practise joining clauses accurately and proofreading articles, verb agreement, and punctuation.

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