Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-09-11

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)

In this modern era, due to advanced technology people conveniently will be able to read whatever they want online without paying a single penny and no one will buy printed newspapers or books. I strongly agree with this statement because the world has evolved so much over the past years that people did not have access to mobile phones so they used to buy books or newspapers so they stayed connected with the world. In the subsequent paragraphs, I will explain the reasons behind this agreement. Nowadays, everyone has phones with them. They can easily gain knowledge by searching online. Many articles and theories will come in front of them to support their question. Moreover, reading online is time and money saving. For instance, if you love reading books and you are stuck on a complicated word that isn't making any sense to you instead of visiting a library or going to store to buy a dictionary it is better to search it on a browser. On the other hand, many people are interested in what is happening around in their country or internationally. In preceding years, people only got to read news on a hard paper but apparently, modern technology has made it possible to read and watch news on screen. This development has unlocked the mass communication field. This development also saves trees because paper comes from them. On the contrary, some people enjoy reading on a hard copy rather than on mobile phones. Sometimes network is lost due to less signals so reading books physically is a good choice. In my conclusion, in the upcoming future there will be no existence of newspapers the reason is that digital technology has made it possible for us to read everything just by browsing it up without paying anything.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response5.5
Coherence and Cohesion5.5
Lexical Resource5.5
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.5
Overall5.5

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses the prompt and maintains a clear position throughout. However, the development of ideas is somewhat superficial. While you mention the convenience of online reading and environmental benefits, the arguments lack depth and specific examples. For instance, the point about 'articles and theories' is vague. Furthermore, the counter-argument regarding physical books is mentioned but not fully integrated or refuted to strengthen your position. To improve, ensure each paragraph focuses on a single, well-developed idea with more detailed supporting evidence. The conclusion is clear, but the overall argument could be more nuanced to reach a higher band.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, and there is a clear progression of ideas. You use some cohesive devices, such as 'Moreover', 'On the other hand', and 'In my conclusion', which help guide the reader. However, some transitions feel a bit mechanical or repetitive. The referencing is generally clear, but the flow between sentences could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words and avoiding overly simplistic sentence structures. Paragraphing is present, but the transition between the counter-argument and the final conclusion could be smoother to enhance the overall coherence of the argument.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing you to convey your meaning clearly. You use some topic-specific terms like 'mass communication' and 'digital technology'. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there is a reliance on basic phrasing (e.g., 'not making any sense', 'searching it on a browser'). There are also some minor inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'come in front of them' instead of 'are available to them'. To achieve a higher score, try to incorporate more sophisticated vocabulary and precise collocations related to the topic of media and technology.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, such as 'people conveniently will be able to' (word order), 'less signals' (should be 'fewer'), and 'in the upcoming future' (redundant). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with comma usage in complex sentences. While these errors do not significantly impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focus on improving your control over sentence structure and ensuring subject-verb agreement and correct word order in more complex sentences.

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

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