Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-20
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 undeniable that in this gizmo world technology has spread its wings everywhere. In this regard in upcoming time no one will purchase printed newspaper or books as everyone can be able to read anything they want online or by e-books even without paying. I agree to a large extent with this notion due to many reasons which will be outline in forthcoming fragments with logical conclusion.
To commence with, it is easy to carry than physical books as paper books are heavy and can be get damaged by which it is difficult to carry in bad weather also but there is no such problem in online. Secondly, online books are budget friendly and many are free of cost whereas paper books too much expensive and many people do not have such money to afford new book every-time to read. Moreover, paper books can be read in limited language as people not know every language any many times people do not get to know about meaning of something which is not problem in online as it has feature of translator by which person can translate any language to any and search meaning of anything.
However, there are some points in favour of paper books as well. First and foremost is that paper books do not any have any bad health impact. To elaborate it, paper books do not damage eyes or any other body part whereas online reading can as light rays from screen impact on eyesight of a person specially children and elders.
To conclude, although there are many benefits of online yet the importance of paper books cannot be neglected.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| 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. However, the development of ideas is somewhat superficial. While you mention portability and cost, the arguments are not fully extended with specific examples or deeper analysis. The prompt asks about the future of printed media, and while you touch on this, the discussion remains quite general. To reach a higher band, ensure that each paragraph provides a more detailed explanation of the 'why' and 'how' behind your claims, rather than just listing points. The conclusion is also very brief and does not effectively summarize the main arguments presented in the body paragraphs.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into paragraphs, which is a positive step. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate. For example, phrases like 'To commence with' and 'In this regard' are used, but the logical flow between sentences is sometimes disjointed. The referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the sentence 'by which it is difficult to carry in bad weather also but there is no such problem in online.' The progression of ideas is present but lacks the sophistication required for higher bands, as the transition between the benefits of online reading and the counter-argument about health impacts feels abrupt.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and range expected at higher levels. You rely on informal or imprecise phrasing, such as 'gizmo world' and 'upcoming time'. There are also issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'can be get damaged' and 'paper books too much expensive'. While you attempt to use some topic-specific vocabulary like 'budget friendly' and 'translator', the overall range is limited. To improve, focus on using more academic collocations and avoiding informal or colloquial expressions that do not fit the formal tone of an IELTS essay.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Common issues include subject-verb agreement ('paper books do not any have any bad health impact'), missing articles ('in online'), and awkward phrasing ('as people not know every language'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with commas. While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of errors in basic grammar prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. You should focus on proofreading for basic sentence construction and ensuring that your complex sentences are grammatically sound.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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