Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-09-21
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 recent years, the issue of whether buying newspapers and books or reading it online has sparked considerable debate. Some people predicted that there is nobody who buy newspaper or books due to free of cost they will be able to read everything they want in online. I firmly disagree with this view because although some people love to read in online, there are many people who are comfortable to read in paper.
On the one hand, there are several reason to read newspaper in online. Firstly, in online people may get easily several news, article or different types of books by use smartphones, laptop and another device. News will be updating very fast and it will be anotherreason of this view. As a result, people get latest news much faster than through newspapers without waiting. For increasing demand of online, reading newspaper on paper will be reduce and the pollution of environment may better than before because there are much create pollution due to paper.
One the other hand, I believe that reading on paper will not completely disappear. There are many people who do not comfortable to reading in electronic device. In addition, without internet individuals may not able to read in online and it will be distraction of people. Moreover, many students are comfortable to read in paper because they can easily underline crucial information on their books. For instance, if the students read in online, there will be create several types of destruction such as lack of internet, notifications, electricity etc.
In conclusion, in my perspective reading on paper is better than online because reading on paper is more comfortable. Although free online information is likely to reduce the demand for printed newspapers and books, I do not believe that these materials will disappear completely. Printed publications will probably continue to be used by people
who prefer traditional reading methods.
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 student addresses all parts of the task and presents a clear position throughout, agreeing that while online reading is growing, physical books and newspapers will not disappear entirely. The main ideas are relevant and supported by arguments regarding convenience, the ability to annotate text, and distractions online. However, some arguments lack full extension and are slightly repetitive, such as the frequent mention of comfort. The development leans towards generalisations rather than deep elaboration, matching the characteristics of Band 6.0.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is arranged coherently with a clear overall progression. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Cohesive devices are employed, such as 'On the one hand', 'One the other hand' (though with a minor typo 'One' instead of 'On'), and 'In conclusion'. However, referencing and transitions are sometimes mechanical or awkward, and pronoun referencing occasionally lacks precision (e.g., 'another reason of this view'). These issues place the response solidly at Band 6.0.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The student displays an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, attempting some less common items such as 'considerable debate', 'crucial information', and 'traditional reading methods'. However, there are noticeable word-choice and collocation errors throughout the essay, such as 'read it online', 'due to free of cost', 'reading in online' (instead of 'online'), and 'create several types of destruction' (likely meaning 'distraction'). These errors do not impede communication, placing the vocabulary score at Band 5.5.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing conditionals and subordinate clauses like 'although some people love to read in online, there are many people who are comfortable to read in paper'. However, there is a high frequency of grammatical errors, particularly regarding prepositions ('read in paper', 'in online'), article usage, and subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'there is nobody who buy', 'reading on paper will be reduce'). These persistent errors can cause some difficulty for the reader, aligning with Band 5.0.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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