Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-22
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)
A group of people argued that in the digital era, theatres and cinema are not essential as people can experience enjoyment online whenever they feels like. While others thinks that theatres and cinemas are important even now for economy and culture. In my opinion, watching online is good because we can enjoy it anywhere at any time. On the other side, going to theatres and cinemas helps us to enjoy time with family, friends. This essay will discuss both the views in the following paragraphs.
To begin with, watching online at any time and at anywhere is good for people who has a tight schedule. People can have fun in online at their comfort zone, with their loved ones, family, and friends. And also they can enjoy it by skipping few parts of it. Another significant point is that for having fun doesn't need to book or buy tickets earlier .For example, If a person who has a very busy schedule can watch online whenever he or she gets little free time.
Moreover, going to theatre and cinema can experienced in a big screen, with good sound quality and a dark environment which cannot be replicated at home.It also helps others economically. For example - when people goes for cinema, they buys tickets, spents on transport and also buys snacks. Which supports the shopkeepers economically.
To conclude, both the views has its own advantages and drawbacks. People enjoy things according to their availability of time, space, money and willingness. People has their own choices and freedom whatever they want to do.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
You address both perspectives and give a personal view, particularly by saying online entertainment is convenient while cinemas offer a shared outing and support businesses. The examples about fitting viewing around a busy schedule and spending on tickets, transport and snacks are relevant. However, the discussion is uneven: the online benefits are explained in more detail, while the cultural importance of theatres and cinemas is barely explored. Your opinion also shifts between favouring online viewing and valuing cinema visits, without clearly stating which view you ultimately support. Develop the cultural argument and make your final position explicit, then support it with a specific example.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0
The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, separate paragraphs for the two views, and a conclusion. Sequencing phrases such as “To begin with,” “Moreover,” and “To conclude” help readers follow the main stages. However, the introduction promises a discussion of both views without clearly establishing the position that the conclusion should confirm. Some links are mechanical, and sentence fragments weaken flow—for example, “Which supports the shopkeepers economically.” The final paragraph repeats the idea that people have choices rather than drawing together the arguments. Use clearer links between claims and examples, and make the conclusion synthesise the discussion.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
You use enough topic-related vocabulary to communicate the main ideas, including “digital era,” “tight schedule,” “sound quality,” and “economically.” There are also attempts at less common expressions, such as “cannot be replicated at home.” However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or awkward, including “experience enjoyment online,” “have fun in online,” and “for having fun doesn't need to book.” Repetition of “enjoy,” “people,” and “good” also limits the range and precision of the discussion. Aim for more natural topic vocabulary and check how words combine; for example, describe online viewing as convenient and cinemas as supporting local businesses.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including a conditional example beginning “If a person who has a very busy schedule…” and a relative clause describing the cinema experience. However, control is inconsistent, and errors occur in basic agreement and verb forms: “they feels,” “others thinks,” “people goes,” and “they buys.” There are also problems with articles, prepositions and sentence boundaries, as in “at anywhere,” “in online,” and the fragment “Which supports the shopkeepers economically.” These errors sometimes make the reader pause, although the main meaning is generally recoverable. Practise subject–verb agreement and build accurate complex sentences before adding further clauses.
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