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)
Reading has always been a part of everyday living as it contributes a lot in making one aware of what's going on in the society and enhancing his overall knowledge. I strongly beleive that in future everyone will shift from buying books and newspapers to reading them online as it is more convenient and free of cost.
The world today is becoming a digital hub. Everything is becoming digital, so does the reading. Reading online weather it is a book or a newspaper is way more easy and flexible than reading from hard copies in multiple ways. You don't have to carry a newspaper with yourself when you can just read all the news on your mobile phone. Same applies in case of books as well.
Additionally, you won't have to pay huge prices for your favourite books when you would be able to find them online for free. Moreover with the digital forms of news you always have the option to listen to the news instead of reading them which some people find very flexible for themselves. Also in digital media, the news reaches you in a small amount of time comparing to conventional newspaper which requires a lot of time in printing and publishing.
Although, there are some drawbacks of reading online as well such as having a lot of screen time may cause eyesight issues while reading on a hard copied book may keep you more focused as you may encounter multiple distractions while reading from a device online. It also depends on one's personal preference but I'd conclude agreeing that reading newpapers and books online is way more convenient and cheaper and this is the future.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses all parts of the prompt, clearly stating a position in favor of the shift to digital media. The ideas are relevant, focusing on convenience, cost, and speed. However, the development is somewhat superficial. For instance, the claim that everything will be 'free of cost' is an over-generalization that lacks nuance regarding subscription models or copyright. While the position is clear throughout, the arguments could be more deeply explored with specific examples or a more balanced consideration of the counter-arguments to reach a higher band.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, each with a clear central topic. Cohesive devices such as 'Additionally', 'Moreover', and 'Although' are used to link ideas. However, the flow is occasionally mechanical, and some transitions feel repetitive. The referencing is generally clear, but the progression of ideas within paragraphs could be smoother. The use of paragraphing is appropriate, and the essay follows a standard structure that guides the reader through the argument effectively.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the writer to express their ideas clearly. There are some attempts at less common collocations, such as 'digital hub' and 'conventional newspaper'. However, there are instances of imprecise word choice, such as 'hard copied book' (should be 'printed book' or 'hard copy') and 'way more easy' (should be 'much easier'). The range is sufficient for the topic, but lacks the sophistication and precision required for higher bands.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'so does the reading' (should be 'so does reading'), 'comparing to' (should be 'compared to'), and 'in small amount of time' (should be 'in a short amount of time'). Punctuation is generally functional, though some sentences are slightly clunky. The frequency of these errors does not impede communication, but they prevent the essay from reaching a higher band for accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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