Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-16

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

All university undergraduate courses should include a period of time spent studying abroad or doing a work placement.

Do you think the advantages of this would outweigh the disadvantages?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Student answer (Band 5.0)

Some individuals argue that theatres and cinemas are going to become obsolete in the modern era, as they can enjoy any type of entertainment they like at home. Others argue that theatres and cinemas are crucial in the perspective of economy and culture. I believe that importance of theatres and cinemas has plummeted because anyone can enjoy any specific type of entertainment anytime they prefer.

On the one hand, theatres and cinemas are the part of our culture and give an immersive, shared community experience. They generate revenue to boost the economy of the country along with providing hundreds of jobs. They have provided everyone a place to enjoy and spend leisure time there. Live theatre offers human connection and unrepeatable performance that digital screens cannot provide. Moreover, many advanced cinemas like IMAX can gives you an unforgettable experience that traditional cinemas couldn’t.

On the other hand, modern technology provides entertainment at the fraction of cost and offer instant access to vast libraries. For example, many streaming platforms like Netflix and Prime video entertain their consumers at the comfort of their bed. Although these platforms have diminished the face to face interaction, they help saving the cost of entertainment. Modern 4k screens and digital sound systems closely replicate the visual and audio quality of traditional cinemas. This has also helped in reducing carbon footprint because people are less likely to leave their home for entertainment.

In conclusion, although cinemas and theatres do have their cultural and economic importance yet alternatives like streaming platforms have gained the market and provide entertainment at any time at considerably low cost.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 2.0

The student has written about a completely different topic than the one assigned. The writing task instructions specifically ask about whether undergraduate courses should include studying abroad or a work placement. However, the student's response discusses whether theatres and cinemas are going to become obsolete compared to home entertainment and streaming services. Because the student has completely missed the actual prompt and addressed a different topic entirely, the task response cannot be considered as addressing the prompt's requirements. According to the band descriptors, responding to a completely different task results in a very low score for this criterion. However, the ideas related to cinemas are relatively well developed within their own off-topic framework, but unfortunately, they fail to answer the specific question given in the prompt.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

Despite the severe task irrelevance, the text itself exhibits clear organisation and paragraphing. The essay follows a traditional four-paragraph structure with a clear introduction, two distinct body paragraphs representing opposing views, and a brief conclusion. Cohesive devices are used reasonably well, with phrases such as 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', and 'In conclusion' guiding the reader through the text logically. Referencing is generally clear, and paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately. If the essay were evaluated purely on its internal structure and logical flow without considering the missing task prompt, it would score much higher. Therefore, applying the principle that language is assessed on what is actually produced, the organisation is commendable.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student demonstrates an adequate and functional range of vocabulary suitable for discussing entertainment and technology. Words and phrases such as 'obsolete', 'immersive', 'revenue', 'vast libraries', and 'carbon footprint' show a reasonable attempt to use less common lexical items with some awareness of collocation. There are a few minor inaccuracies, such as 'at the fraction of cost' (missing 'a') and 'help saving' (should be 'help save'), but these do not impede communication. The student maintains a consistent tone throughout the response. While it does not reach the level of sophisticated or flexible control required for higher bands, the vocabulary used is sufficient to convey the intended meaning clearly and effectively.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The student uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including conditional or concessive clauses such as 'Although these platforms have diminished the face to face interaction, they help saving the cost of entertainment.' There are some noticeable grammatical errors present, for example, 'IMAX can gives you' (incorrect verb form) and 'traditional cinemas couldn’t' (minor tense/modal inconsistency). Punctuation is generally acceptable, and while errors do occur, they rarely impede the reader's understanding. The grammatical control is solid enough to ensure that the text remains readable, placing it comfortably in the mid-range for grammatical accuracy and structural variety.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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