Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-27
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)
Nobody will buy printed newspapers or books in the future because they will be able to read everything they want online without paying.
It has been observed that in this modern era, technology has replaced the printed newspapers or books because now a days, the books can be read online through different technological devices without paying such as smart phones and computers etc. I agree with this statement to some extent. My inclination is elaborated in ensuing paragraph and relevant examples.
The foremost argument to justify my stand is that technology has changed the life of human being. Now everyone has some technological gadgets through which they have easy access to the whole world or any kind of content they want. For instance, If a student doesn't find out some study related content from his book, then he will definitely try to search his topic and found the vast information about that by using his computer or smartphone.
Furthermore, some people strongly disagree to this perspective because they think technology will completely eradicate the quality time of most individuals which they spend with books and newspaper. They believe that by reading books people of all ages got some productive ideas and can enhance their critical thinking that can't be possible by reading books online because the gadgets divert the individual's attention.
In conclusion, reading books or newspaper online without paying will be less knowledgeable and beneficial for individuals rather than reading through paper and books
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response addresses the prompt but fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words, which negatively impacts the score. While you present a position, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. You touch upon the convenience of technology and the counter-argument regarding the quality of reading, but these points lack depth and specific examples. The conclusion is abrupt and does not fully synthesize your argument or provide a final summary of your position. To improve, ensure you expand on your points with more detailed explanations and ensure you meet the minimum length requirement to allow for full development of your ideas.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the progression of ideas is sometimes disjointed. While you use some cohesive devices like 'Furthermore' and 'In conclusion', the transitions between sentences can feel mechanical. The referencing is occasionally unclear, and the final sentence is incomplete, which disrupts the flow of the conclusion. To improve, focus on using a wider variety of linking words and ensure that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence that directly supports your thesis statement.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is generally adequate for the task but remains quite basic. You rely on repetitive phrasing, such as 'technological gadgets' and 'reading books or newspaper online'. There is little evidence of less common lexical items or sophisticated collocations. Phrases like 'less knowledgeable and beneficial' are slightly awkward in this context. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more precise academic vocabulary, such as 'digital transformation', 'accessibility', or 'tangible media', and avoid repeating the same words throughout the essay.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent errors in grammar and punctuation. For example, 'now a days' should be 'nowadays', and 'found the vast information' should be 'find vast information'. There are also issues with article usage ('the books', 'the printed newspapers') and subject-verb agreement. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to lower the score. Focus on proofreading for basic errors and practice using more complex sentence structures with greater accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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