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 a 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 | 5.5 |
| 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 digital media. While the main ideas are relevant, the development is somewhat superficial. For instance, the argument regarding the cost-effectiveness of digital media is mentioned but not deeply explored. The essay covers all parts of the task, but the reasoning could be more nuanced by acknowledging potential counter-arguments or exploring the implications of this shift more thoroughly. The conclusion effectively summarizes the position, but the overall development remains at a Band 6 level as it relies on general statements rather than detailed analysis.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, each with a clear central topic. Cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'Additionally', 'Furthermore', and 'In conclusion' are used to guide the reader through the argument. However, the flow between sentences is occasionally mechanical, and some transitions feel repetitive. Referencing is generally clear, though the connection between the paragraph on universities and the broader topic of newspapers could be smoother. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the progression of ideas is logical, meeting the requirements for a Band 6.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks variety and sophistication. The student relies on basic phrasing such as 'human beings', 'daily work', and 'usage of technologies'. There are some inaccuracies in collocation, such as 'make a way from printed information', which sounds unnatural. While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey the intended meaning without difficulty, there is little evidence of less common lexical items or idiomatic language. To achieve a higher score, the student should aim for more precise terminology related to digital media and publishing.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'mostly people do their daily work' (should be 'most people') and 'access to the internet to a high proportion of human beings' (awkward phrasing). Punctuation is generally correct, but the sentence construction is often repetitive. While the errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent the essay from reaching a higher band. The student should focus on improving sentence variety and ensuring subject-verb agreement.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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