Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-03
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)
It is common to see that the popularity of gaining digital reading platforms and nobody will buy printed newspapers or books are increasing day by day all around the world. I partially disagree with the assertion that printed materials will completely disappear from consumer markets. This essay will discuss why printed newspapers and books are so useful with some drawbacks.
The significance of online newspapers or books cannot be overstated because people can read any type of news instantly. One of the main reasons why online reading platform is essential is that most of the e-books are cheaper or free that's why people can read without fee, and download free PDF files, resulting it saves their money. Another benefits is that nowadays almost all of persons use smartphone that's why they can search any type of information quickly through their phone without hassle and can carry thousands of books through a mobile phone anywhere anytime when then they especially when taking long journeys and everyday office trips with traffic.
In contrast, there is a widespread belief that many people still prefer printed books and newspapers. A major concern is that printed books and news easier on the eyes students or older both peoples. They can concentrate better their reading time, as a result, they can understand the content more easily with great physical reading experience. What makes it problematic is that some time many books are not free require payment that time they can not read, and sometime they claim copyright restrictions, and it can block their platform with any kind of hassle.
In conclusion, Although online reading will become more popular in the future, I do not believe that printed newspapers and books will disappear completely because many people still value physical reading. Moreover, much online content is not free.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses the prompt by taking a clear position of partial disagreement. However, the development of ideas is somewhat uneven. While you provide reasons for the popularity of digital media (cost, convenience), the counter-argument regarding physical books is less developed and relies on somewhat repetitive points about eye strain and cost. The essay covers all parts of the task, but the arguments could be more deeply explored with specific examples or more sophisticated reasoning to reach a higher band. The introduction is a bit clunky in its phrasing, which slightly obscures the clarity of your position at the outset.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, and there is a clear progression of ideas. You use some cohesive devices such as 'In contrast', 'Moreover', and 'In conclusion' to link your thoughts. However, the use of cohesive devices is sometimes mechanical or slightly awkward, such as 'resulting it saves their money' or 'that time they can not read'. Additionally, some sentences are run-on or lack proper punctuation, which affects the flow of the text. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each sentence connects smoothly to the next would enhance the overall coherence.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'assertion', 'significance', 'widespread belief', and 'copyright restrictions'. However, there are several instances of awkward word choice and collocation, such as 'gaining digital reading platforms' and 'all of persons'. Some phrasing is repetitive, particularly the use of 'that's why' to connect ideas. To improve, focus on using more precise collocations and avoiding informal, conversational fillers. While your vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning, it lacks the flexibility and precision required for a higher band score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors, including subject-verb agreement issues (e.g., 'Another benefits is'), missing articles, and awkward sentence construction (e.g., 'result, they can understand the content more easily with great physical reading experience'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with several run-on sentences that make the text harder to follow. While these errors rarely impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on sentence boundary control and subject-verb agreement will significantly improve your accuracy.
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