Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-09-14
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 often argued that in the future nobody would like to buy printed newspaper or books because the will be able to read everything they want online without paying. Although i accept that can be beneficial in certain circumstances, i would argue that reading by physical books or newspaper is also equally important. Therefore i only partly agree with this view.
There is considerably merit in the argument that many newspaper and books available online without payment. people can read anytime and anywhere with the use of mobile phones and laptops. Apart from this student can read educational books and articles online from home as result they can save their time and use it to in another activities.
Nevertheless, this perspective overlooks the fact that the old age individuals are still prefer to read by printed newspaper because they like traditional methods. Printed books paper can help people to more concentrate because some time mobile notification disturb the interest in the reading. On the others hands online information can be false or unrealiable. Many websites show some advertisements it attracted students easily and they try to do same as it is .
In conclusion, although traditional methods with reading books undoubtebly has certain advantages , i do not believe that it should be regarded as the sole solution. A more balanced approach, which takes both digital and traditional forms of reading into account would be preferable
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response addresses the prompt by discussing both the rise of digital reading and the continued importance of physical books, establishing a clear personal position. However, there are some limitations in the development of ideas, such as the underdeveloped point regarding students trying to copy online advertisements. Furthermore, the length requirement has not been met, as the response contains only 237 words, falling short of the 250-word minimum specified for Task 2. This under-length issue negatively impacts the overall task achievement and prevents the score from reaching the higher bands. Consequently, the descriptor for Band 5, which reflects limited and partially developed ideas, best characterizes this performance.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay displays a logical overall arrangement with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Paragraphing is used sufficiently to divide distinct ideas, such as the benefits of online reading versus the advantages of traditional formats. However, cohesion is at times mechanical or faulty, as seen in transitions like 'Apart from this' and 'On the others hands', which show awkward phrasing and punctuation. Referencing and logical progression are generally adequate to make the writer's meaning clear, aligning well with the Band 6 descriptors for cohesion and coherence.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, allowing the writer to convey their ideas about digital versus traditional media. There are several attempts at less common vocabulary, such as 'unrealiable', 'undoubtebly', and 'concentrate', but these are accompanied by spelling mistakes and minor word-form errors like 'physical books or newspaper'. While the vocabulary provides a minimally adequate range to communicate the main points, frequent errors in word choice and spelling place this performance firmly within the Band 5 category.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing conditional or concessive clauses such as 'Although i accept that can be beneficial...'. However, there are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, including missing articles ('the old age individuals', 'printed books paper'), incorrect prepositions ('read by printed newspaper'), and capitalization issues ('i'). These errors occasionally cause slight difficulty for the reader, although they do not completely impede communication. This balance of mixed structures and frequent minor errors reflects the Band 5 descriptors.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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