Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-31

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 6.5)

While some people argue that in the digital era, theatres and cinemas are not given more importance as people can access all the entertainment they want online, others believe that theatres are still valuable for economy and culture. I believe that cinemas are still important both economically and culturally because the experience of watching a movie on a large screen with an entire crowd of people is still unmatched.

On the one hand, the reason why people consider watching movies and shows online rather than in theatres is that it is expensive compared to a subscription of an OTT platform. Some online platforms have comparatively lower subscription fees to attract the customers than the cinemas and theatres. People who have a short on budget would prefer watching in online when it releases on a particular platform. For example, many OTT platforms provide thousands of movies and TV shows in less price and it is a good option for people who are concerned with the prices.

On the other hand, people believe that the theatres are still important because they give a unique experience that watching online cannot provide. Many people enjoy watching movies in large screens and a good audio system, and hundreds of people screaming and cheering throughout the show. For example, many theatre have even build a 3D movie watching systems which enables the audience to get a better experience. This leads to increase in the audience as the quality of experience increases, which in return profits the cinema and theatre owners.

In conclusion, the unique experience of watching a movie in a theatre is unmatched to watching the same movie online. That is why I believe that theatres and cinemas are still given the required importance both economically and culturally.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You discuss both perspectives and state your own view clearly: online viewing is cheaper, while cinemas offer a distinctive shared experience and support owners financially. The examples of lower-cost streaming subscriptions and 3D screenings are relevant. However, the two sides are not developed equally. The online argument focuses mainly on price, and the cultural importance of theatres is only implied through the crowd’s reactions rather than explained. The economic point is also brief: you say improved experiences increase audiences and profits, but do not explore wider benefits such as employment or local business. To strengthen the response, explain these consequences and develop the cultural value more explicitly, while keeping your clear position.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The essay has a clear, effective structure: an introduction presents your position, two body paragraphs discuss opposing views, and the conclusion restates your opinion. The signposts “On the one hand,” “On the other hand,” and “In conclusion” make the progression easy to follow, and examples are placed with the relevant arguments. Some links between ideas are less smooth or precise. For instance, “This leads to increase in the audience” refers to the improved cinema experience, but the connection could be expressed more clearly, and “which in return” is an awkward transition to the financial result. Use a wider range of natural linking and referencing, and make cause-and-effect relationships explicit to improve the flow further.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of topic vocabulary, including “subscription,” “OTT platform,” “unique experience,” “large screens,” and “audio system.” These choices help communicate the main points, and the meaning remains clear despite some imprecise or unnatural expressions. For example, “short on budget,” “watching in online,” and “in less price” do not express the intended ideas naturally; “not given more importance” is also an awkward way to describe the opposing view. There is some attempt at more specific language, such as “3D movie watching systems,” but collocation and word choice are not consistently controlled. Aim to learn common phrases for affordability, online viewing, and audience experience, then use them accurately in context.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex forms, including a relative clause in “a unique experience that watching online cannot provide” and a conditional structure in “which enables the audience to get a better experience.” Most sentences communicate their meaning, but some grammatical errors remain. Examples include “many theatre have” instead of a plural subject with a plural verb, “have even build” instead of the correct past participle, and “This leads to increase” where an article or gerund construction is needed. There are also awkward sentence patterns that affect clarity, such as “People who have a short on budget would prefer watching in online.” Practise agreement, verb forms, articles, and sentence patterns, while retaining your attempts at complex structures.

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