Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-11-03

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)

It depends on the person’s perspective whether they want to watch a movie on their phone or in cinema in the view of above theatres and cinemas are no longer crowded as before because of the new movie streaming platforms.

Theatres and cinemas give you authentic environment to experience the movie you are watching but the main reason people don’t want to go there is that now it is seen an old school thing for elderly people but many theatres are still crowded because they give you an exclusive movie experience just like some theatres using IMax to stream their movie with a peaceful and soundproofed environment an other main reason is that people are not going to theatres is restrictions on outside meals many people want to watch their movie while enjoying their favourite meal but theatres and cinemas don’t allow them to enter with outside meals they want to promote their own meals like popcorns and drinks that are very expensive than outside meals.

People watching movies on Netflix or any other platform is because it’s accessible less expensive, safe, user friendly.A person can watch his favourite movie at any place any time without being restricted by time or place.Moreover, he can also have his favourite meal while watching movies,

He can pause and resume the movie whenever he want and starts it from the point where he left.That’s why most people are moving to online streaming platforms rather than going to theatres or cinemas.

If you ask me which one would i choose,I went to theatre once in my life and i decided to never go there again because of the high cost and restriction of meals.I would prefer watching movies on a streaming platform it’s much comfortable and user friendly but theatres give you overall movie experience that you can’t get from a streaming platform.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address both sides of the discussion and make your preference clear: you favour streaming because it is cheaper and more convenient, while acknowledging that cinemas offer a distinctive experience. The examples about IMAX, meal restrictions, and pausing a film are relevant. However, the discussion is uneven: the economic and cultural importance of theatres and cinemas is not really explored, and the cultural value is reduced mainly to the viewing experience. Several points, such as cinemas being seen as “an old school thing for elderly people,” need explanation or support. To strengthen the response, develop both views more fully and explain why cinemas matter economically or culturally, then connect those points to a consistent final position.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has a recognisable sequence: it introduces the issue, discusses cinemas, explains the advantages of streaming, and ends with a personal preference. This gives the reader a basic route through the argument. However, progression within paragraphs is often difficult to follow because several ideas are joined into very long sentences, especially the paragraph beginning “Theatres and cinemas give you authentic environment.” Linking is also repetitive, with frequent use of “but,” “because,” and “moreover,” while some transitions do not clearly show how one point relates to the next. Use separate paragraphs for each main view and the conclusion, and divide long sentences so each paragraph develops one central idea with clear links.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant vocabulary for the topic, including “streaming platforms,” “exclusive movie experience,” “soundproofed environment,” and “accessible.” These choices help communicate the main comparison. However, the range is limited and some expressions are inaccurate or informal, such as “old school thing,” “stream their movie,” and “user friendly” repeated for different benefits. There are also awkward collocations, including “authentic environment” and “outside meals,” which make parts of the argument less precise. Aim for more exact topic vocabulary and vary repeated terms. For example, describe cinemas as offering an “immersive viewing experience” and refer to “food brought from outside” rather than “outside meals.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including explanations with “because” and a contrast between cinema and streaming. However, complex sentences are often difficult to control, and frequent errors sometimes make the reader work to understand the point. For example, “the main reason people don’t want to go there is that now it is seen an old school thing” is missing a grammatical element, while “He can pause and resume the movie whenever he want” has an agreement error. Sentence boundaries and punctuation are also inconsistent, particularly where several clauses run together. Practise building shorter, complete sentences first, then add subordinate clauses carefully; check articles, verb agreement, and punctuation during revision.

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