Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · 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 5.0)

I can't say that I am convinced regarding this statement. However, in today's world with all our technology, people spend their time online which affects us in many ways. We can see a declining number of cinemas, theatres and shops because we choose websites instead of present places.

I am in agreement with the view of the other people who argue that theatres and cinemas are still important both economically and culturally. We need to socialise periodically and try to be together with family and friends because this is beneficial for our mental health.

I can give an example from United Kingdom where I live at present. I moved 10 years ago to a small town, called Scunthorpe. We don't have numerous places here, such as shops, indoor shopping centre. It's a challenge for our area to maintain significant areas because people have decided to transform their social life, spending more time at home, watching an online movie, or ordering what they need. We have in Scunthorpe one tremendous theatre and one cinema called VUE and I can see online numerous adverts with discounts and maybe free drinks offering to our population a great opportunity beneficial for them and their children.

I try every time to give a significant importance to our place even if I see every year a growing proportion of shops and places which give a great discount

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

You state a clear preference for the view that cinemas and theatres remain important, and your Scunthorpe example is relevant to their local role. However, the response addresses the two sides unevenly: online entertainment is mentioned as a cause of declining attendance, but its advantages for viewers are not explained, and the economic and cultural importance of venues is only briefly asserted. The example focuses mainly on local shops and discounts rather than showing how theatres or cinemas contribute economically or culturally. The response also contains 219 words, below the required 250; this limits the space available to develop both views and support your opinion. Explain each side directly and extend your examples with specific reasons or effects.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

The response has a basic progression from an opening comment to your opinion and then a personal example, with paragraph breaks that help separate these stages. Some links are also clear, such as “because this is beneficial for our mental health.” However, the overall argument does not develop in a fully logical sequence: the opening mentions declining cinemas, theatres and shops, while the later example shifts between socialising, local facilities, online ordering and discounts. The final sentence is incomplete, so the conclusion and the relationship between the example and your position are unclear. Use a separate paragraph for the online-viewing argument, then one for the continuing value of venues, and finish with a complete summary. More precise referencing would also help readers follow what “this” and “our place” refer to.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a reasonable range of topic-related vocabulary, including “declining number,” “socialise,” “mental health,” “transform” and “proportion.” These choices allow you to discuss technology and community life, and the meaning is generally understandable. At times, however, word choice and collocation are awkward or imprecise: “present places” is unclear, “give a significant importance” is not a natural expression, and “numerous places” does not fit smoothly with the examples that follow. “Tremendous theatre” also sounds overly emphatic in this context. Aim for more natural combinations and precise terms for the venues’ economic and cultural roles. For example, describe a venue as a “major local attraction” and explain its contribution to “local employment” or “community life.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more extended sentence forms, including the reason clause in “because this is beneficial for our mental health” and the relative clause “where I live at present.” Most of the message remains understandable, but grammatical control is uneven. For example, “I moved 10 years ago to a small town, called Scunthorpe” has awkward clause and punctuation structure, while “offering to our population a great opportunity beneficial for them” makes the relationship between the phrases difficult to follow. The final sentence, “I try every time to give a significant importance…,” is unfinished and does not form a complete grammatical thought. Practise building complete sentences with clear subjects and verbs, and check clause order, articles and punctuation when combining ideas.

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