Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-09-03
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)
The world is changing from manual work to automation with the advancement in technology. Now mostly people do their daily work with the usage of technologies in which they feel comfortable. Currently, human beings of every generation watch content from social media through mobile phones, and only a minor number of people prefer to buy newspapers. I strongly agree that one day no one will buy printed newspapers and books and read them through online sources.
Firstly, a large number of human beings have access to the internet and mobile, by which they can see the content that they want. Most famous news paper publishers have pages as well as websites so that viewers can read them easily. Additionally, some of the publishers also have YouTube channels by which they show the news in the form of video content. In contrast, in less time everybody can watch the content from any place, and there is no need for going to the office. There is no need to spend money to buy newspapers.
Furthermore, in the last decade, mostly universities have given access to the internet and created portals to learn skills and read the academic content in the form of books and research papers. In Pakistan, the institute named HEC focuses on enhancing the quality of academic reading content for scholars and students. For that purpose, it created a library named Knowledge Point, which helps the researchers and scholars. Now students have no need to buy any printed books from shops.
In conclusion, the emergence of technology advancement and access to the internet to high proportion of human beings make a way from printed information to online content, which is easy and approachable for all.
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 the prompt by taking a clear position in favor of the shift toward online content. The ideas are relevant, focusing on accessibility, cost-effectiveness, and academic utility. However, the development is somewhat limited. For instance, the argument regarding the 'HEC' and 'Knowledge Point' is specific but could be better linked to the broader global trend mentioned in the prompt. The response tends to over-generalize by assuming that all printed media will vanish, without fully acknowledging potential counter-arguments or the nuances of why some people might still prefer physical books. To reach a higher band, you should expand on the implications of this shift more deeply.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, each with a clear central theme. The use of cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'Additionally', 'Furthermore', and 'In conclusion' helps guide the reader through the argument. However, the progression of ideas within paragraphs is sometimes mechanical. For example, the transition between the general point about internet access and the specific example of HEC in Pakistan feels slightly abrupt. Additionally, some referencing is repetitive, such as the frequent use of 'there is no need' or 'by which'. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring smoother transitions between sentences would enhance the flow.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the writer to express their ideas clearly. There are attempts to use topic-specific vocabulary like 'automation', 'publishers', and 'academic content'. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there is a reliance on basic phrasing (e.g., 'mostly people', 'human beings', 'do their daily work'). Some word choices are slightly unnatural, such as 'make a way from printed information', which should be 'facilitate the transition from'. To improve, you should incorporate more precise collocations and less common lexical items related to digital media and publishing.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is consistently clear, there are frequent grammatical errors. Examples include 'Now mostly people do their daily work' (word order), 'human beings of every generation watch' (awkward phrasing), and 'access to the internet to high proportion' (missing article). Punctuation is generally correct, but the control over complex structures is inconsistent. The majority of sentences are error-free enough to avoid impeding communication, but the frequency of minor errors prevents a higher score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and article usage would be beneficial.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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