Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-09-12
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)
It is argued that the printed newspapers and books will not be purchased in comming future because everything will be available in online without any payment. I strongly agree with this statement. In future everything will depend on internet and these articles and newspaper will available in it without any cost and these online virtual newspapers will not only be faster than traditional paper based newspapers it will also be worldwide.
Online newspapes and books will be the future because the virtual news media is way faster than a traditional one. It takes a full day for a news to be printed in traditional newspapers whereas in virtual it takes just an hour or so. For instance of ktm post they print their news once a day so if a news occur after printing then the latest news will be printed in the upcomming day but for online news media it can upload news any time in a day without any delay like in traditional media.
Similarly, Traditional media lack behind in international news too. As we all know it takes time for news to transfer from one place to another and specially for international news due to timeline delay the news do not spread rapidly. For example, a new disease has spread in Uk and the news has to widespread to warn citizen of other countries but most of the countries will not be warned in time with newspapers because it takes time to news to transfer and print but in virtual media and takes days if one media outlet post it other can post it with in an hour so it is reliable for instant news warning or global news.
In conclusion, Online media will replace the traditional newspapers and books as it is faster and more impactful for international news. Therefore, I firmly agree with the virtual media is future view.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses the prompt directly and takes a clear, consistent position throughout, agreeing strongly with the statement. The main ideas regarding speed and global reach are relevant and supported with explanations and examples, such as the mention of print publication cycles versus online updates, and how international news spreads. However, the arguments tend to be somewhat repetitive, focusing heavily on the single dimension of speed rather than exploring broader implications such as cost (the 'without paying' aspect of the prompt is largely neglected in the body paragraphs) or the specific inclusion of books. Therefore, the task response aligns well with a Band 6.0, as all parts are addressed but some aspects are under-developed.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay displays a coherent overall arrangement with clear paragraphing, dividing the introduction, two body paragraphs focusing on speed and international news, and a conclusion. However, cohesion is frequently faulty or mechanical, with issues in referencing and repetitive transitional phrases. For instance, the phrase 'Similarly, Traditional media lack behind in international news too' is weak in linking the distinct concepts of speed and global reach. Furthermore, referencing pronouns such as 'it' and 'they' occasionally become ambiguous within longer sentences, and cohesive devices are somewhat basic. This performance reflects the descriptors for Band 6.0.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully incorporating terms such as 'virtual news media', 'international news', and 'reliable'. However, there are notable spelling errors ('comming', 'upcomming', 'newspapes', 'widespread' used as a verb form, 'lack' instead of 'lag') and awkward collocations like 'news to transfer' instead of 'news to travel'. While attempts are made to use less common vocabulary, inaccuracies in word choice and spelling persist. These lexical limitations and occasional errors place the response firmly at a Band 5.5.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, attempting relative clauses and conditional structures. However, grammatical accuracy is inconsistent. There are frequent errors in article usage ('in online', 'for a news'), preposition choice ('in comming future', 'with in'), and run-on sentences with comma splices, such as in the final sentence of the first paragraph ('...newspapers it will also be worldwide'). Although communication is not severely impeded and the reader can follow the intended meaning, the high frequency of basic structural errors prevents the essay from reaching Band 6.0, fitting the Band 5.5 descriptor more accurately.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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