Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-24

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)

In the modern world,theatres and cinemas have become a topic of serious debate.Its decline can be witnessed in the digital era.The argument that online websites such as Netflix or any other website will completely replace theatres and cinemas in the forseeable future is a subject that is both suppourted and refuted.This essay will analyze this argument before declaring a position.

There are multiple benefits of both cinema and theatre.Firstly its improves social interactions and helps in removing social anxiety.when we visit a cinema or a theater there is huge crowd of people there whom with you can talk and share eachother stories.Secondly it is not addictive as compared to digital websites which can make an addict which in result will damage your eyesight and also if you are watching any kind of entertainment on mobile screen it can also affect your posture as well.

However in this digital age watching entertainment online as become a reality.Furthermore it is much cheaper.People can watch anything online through mutliple websites by paying a small amount of money known as subscription which can depending on the premier you buy can last you upto a month or a year.Whereas in the same price you can buy a ticket to only one theater act or cinema.There is also a variety in the things you can watch on online websites as compared to the theater or cinemas which have a limited option available.Furthermore it is more convenient because a person can watch anything

they desire while in the comfort of their home.

To sum it up,both views invite serious refraction.However in my opinion as the digital era is improving more and more it is batter to switch to online means of entertainment.But it is not a good idea to completely avoid the cinema and theater as a person with friends can enjoy more with them at these kind of places.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address both sides of the discussion and give a personal view: online entertainment is presented as cheaper, more varied and convenient, while cinemas and theatres are valued for social experiences. However, the response only partly develops the task. The cultural and economic importance of theatres and cinemas, highlighted in the prompt, is not really discussed; instead, the first body paragraph focuses on social interaction and possible health effects. Your position also shifts slightly: you favour online entertainment but say cinemas should not be avoided, without explaining clearly how these views fit together. Develop each side with a relevant example and make your final judgement more precise.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The essay has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, separate paragraphs for the two views, and a conclusion. The contrast between the benefits of cinemas and the convenience of online viewing is generally easy to follow. Linking expressions such as “Firstly,” “However,” and “Furthermore” help signal the direction of the argument. At times, though, cohesion feels mechanical, and some references are unclear—for example, “both views invite serious refraction” does not clearly summarise the discussion. The first body paragraph also moves from social interaction to addiction and eyesight without a clear connection. Use more precise transitions and organise each paragraph around one central idea, explaining how each supporting point relates to it.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use enough topic-related vocabulary to communicate the main ideas, including “social interactions,” “subscription,” “variety,” and “convenient.” There are also attempts at more formal phrasing, such as “a topic of serious debate.” However, the range is limited and several word-choice or spelling errors make parts less clear. “Refraction” is not the intended word in the conclusion, while “premier” appears to mean “plan” or “subscription tier”; “addict” is also used where “addictive” or “addiction” is needed. Spelling errors such as “forseeable,” “suppourted,” and “mutliple” are noticeable. Aim for accurate collocations and check spelling, especially in key claims.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including a relative clause in “websites which can make an addict” and a comparison beginning “Whereas in the same price…”. However, control is inconsistent, and errors sometimes make relationships between ideas difficult to follow. Examples include “Its decline can be witnessed,” where the reference is unclear, “Firstly its improves,” which has faulty agreement, and “watching entertainment online as become a reality,” which has an incorrect verb form. The long sentence about subscriptions also lacks a clear grammatical structure. Work on subject–verb agreement, articles, verb forms, and sentence boundaries. Building accurate shorter sentences before adding subordinate clauses will improve clarity.

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.