Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-11-05

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

In the future nobody will buy printed newspapers or books because they will be able to read everything they want online without paying. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

Student answer (Band 5.5)

Some people believe that in the future all readers will rely totally on free electronic versions of books or newspapers rather than the physical ones. However, i would argue that physical copies would never be replaced totally by online books, whereas hard copies enable readers to focus more, also they are totally safe for readers eyes.

Physical copies allow readers to concentrate more on reading rather then the e-version where are usually found in phones and laptops. These last two are considred as distraction and they are also need to have access to the internet.In addition, because our brain is used to the phone as a entertainment device the reader will get bored quickly. By contrast, hard copies provide an special atmosphere where the reader really can focus.

Other reason is that e-books or e-newspapers are really concerned with health issues. for example, concentrate on the phone's screen while reading may harm your eyes and also may lead dry them, so the reader will not be able to continue reading. However, printed versions are more suitable for the readers and more environmental.

In conclusion, i believe that printed version of books or newspapers will always have their place, because of advantages that the reader may get such as more concentration and no health issues.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

Your position is clear: you argue that printed books and newspapers will not disappear, and you give two relevant reasons—greater concentration and fewer screen-related health concerns. However, the response addresses the question only partially. The prompt specifically says that people will be able to read everything online without paying, but you do not discuss the appeal of free access or explain how it compares with the advantages of print. Some claims also need development: for example, you say printed versions are “more environmental” without explaining why, and the health argument is asserted rather than supported. The response is 36 words below the required minimum, which limits the space available to develop your position. Address both sides of the claim and extend each reason with explanation or an example.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a coherent overall arrangement: an introduction states your position, two body paragraphs present separate reasons, and a conclusion restates your view. Linking expressions such as “In addition,” “By contrast,” and “In conclusion” help signal the direction of the argument. However, progression within paragraphs is sometimes less clear. In the first body paragraph, the points about devices being distracting, the brain associating phones with entertainment, and hard copies creating a focused atmosphere are connected but not fully explained. The second paragraph shifts from health concerns to the claim that print is “more environmental,” which feels abrupt. Develop each paragraph around one main idea and use clearer references and transitions to show how each supporting point relates to it.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use enough topic-related vocabulary to communicate your main ideas, including “physical copies,” “electronic versions,” “distraction,” and “concentrate.” There are also attempts at more specific expressions, such as “special atmosphere” and “health issues.” However, the range is limited and some word choices or collocations are inaccurate or unclear, which can make the argument less precise. For instance, “e-books or e-newspapers are really concerned with health issues” does not clearly express the intended relationship, and “more environmental” is not a natural way to describe a product’s environmental impact. Spelling errors such as “considred” and “rather then” are also noticeable. Build a wider set of accurate expressions for comparing print and digital media, and check spelling and collocations during revision.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt a mixture of simple and complex sentences, including a contrast clause beginning “whereas” and a reason clause beginning “because.” These structures help communicate your position, but control is inconsistent, and errors sometimes make sentences difficult to follow. For example, “where are usually found in phones and laptops” is missing a grammatical subject, while “they are also need to have access” combines incompatible verb forms. There are also problems with articles and sentence boundaries, as in “provide an special atmosphere” and the lowercase sentence opening “for example.” Capitalise “I” consistently, and practise checking each sentence for a complete subject and verb, correct agreement, and appropriate articles. More accurate control of these patterns would make your ideas easier to read.

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

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