Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-24

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 6.0)

It is undeniable that in the future, people will no longer purchase newspaper or books for reading purposes, as they are able to access information through digital media for free. I largely agree that newspapers and books will become less common, although I do not believe they will disappear completely. My viewpoints are discussed in the further paragraphs.

In the future, many people may prefer digital media to grab information more easily. One significant advantage is its convenience. People can access information and news from almost anywhere, which makes digital media a more effective and practical option for them. They can obtain a wide range of information through their smartphones, making their lives easier. Another significant advantage is its affordability. Many digital sources provide information free of charge, making them more cost effective than printed newspapers and books. As people do not have to pay for this information, they can save money.

Moreover, the use of digital media can benefit the environment. Since newspapers and books require paper, which is made from wood. If people are moving towards the digital media rather than paper-based news, a shift could reduce the number of trees to cut down for paper production. Wood is a very important ingredient to produce paper. Therefore, it also harms environment, if it is used excessively.

However, there are some arguments in favour of newspaper rather than digital media. The major reason for keeping newspaper is the lack of internet access. There are some rural areas where internet facilities might be poor. Therefore, people living in these areas may be unable to access information or news through their smartphones.

To conclude, in the upcoming era, nobody will prefer printed papers to access information, as the digital media is growing rapidly. Although this trend may be interrupted by the lack of internet access, I believe that it is positive because of its efficiency, lower cost, and environmental benefits.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response6.0
Coherence and Cohesion6.5
Lexical Resource5.5
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.5
Overall6.0

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, providing a clear position that digital media will dominate while acknowledging the persistence of printed materials. The ideas are relevant, such as convenience, cost-effectiveness, and environmental impact. However, the development is somewhat uneven. For instance, the environmental argument is a bit repetitive regarding the use of wood, and the counter-argument regarding internet access is brief. To reach a higher band, you should aim to expand on the implications of your points rather than just stating them. The conclusion also slightly contradicts the introduction by stating 'nobody will prefer printed papers,' which is a stronger stance than your initial 'less common' position.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct ideas. You use cohesive devices such as 'Moreover,' 'Another significant advantage,' and 'However' to guide the reader. However, some transitions are a bit mechanical, and there is occasional awkwardness in referencing, such as 'My viewpoints are discussed in the further paragraphs,' which is unnecessary meta-talk. The flow between sentences is generally smooth, but the connection between the environmental argument and the rest of the essay could be more tightly integrated to improve the overall progression of ideas.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'undeniable,' 'convenience,' 'affordability,' and 'cost-effective.' There are some minor inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'grab information' (which is informal; 'access' or 'acquire' is better) and 'ingredients to produce paper' (where 'raw materials' would be more precise). While you attempt to use some less common vocabulary, the overall range is somewhat limited, and there is a tendency to repeat words like 'information' and 'digital media' frequently. Increasing your use of synonyms and more sophisticated collocations would help elevate your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While many sentences are clear, there are several grammatical errors. For example, 'newspapers or books' should be plural ('newspapers or books'), and 'it also harms environment' is missing an article ('the environment'). Additionally, 'Since newspapers and books require paper, which is made from wood' is a sentence fragment. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher band. You should focus on ensuring subject-verb agreement and avoiding sentence fragments by ensuring every clause has a clear subject and finite verb.

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

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