Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-09-27
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 frequently argued that printed newspapers and books will disappear because readers will be able to access all information online free of charge. Digital devices is increasingly popular; however I disagree that printed newspapers or books will disappear entirely.
There are several reasons why printed newspapers and books will not vanish. First of all, digital devices are now available that people can get a wide range of information anywhere and at any time. Second of all, electronic devices are often cheaper than printed newspapers and books because devices do not need paper, printing and transportation. Moreover, social media provides news with videos instantly, which printed newspapers and books can not provide, they just provide picture.
Furthermore, some people now read printed newspapers and books because they are comfortable with them. Additionally, they do not require a battery and charging, which are more convenient for people. However, most of people enjoy collecting books displaying them in a corner of their house on bookshelfand give them as gifts. The most important thing is all online news is not available because publishers and authors do not make it free, they provide subscriptions and premium content, which require expensive to watch. Nevertheless, if reades spend most of the time on screen, it may harm their eyes, migraine, back pain etc.
Ultimately, I disagree that printed newspapers and books will vanish as readers feel comfort to read them in their hand and they also provide cultural value. Moreover, the majority of them is older people who read them every day.
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 all parts of the task by discussing whether printed materials will disappear and presenting a clear personal stance disagreeing with the prompt. The writer extends several relevant ideas regarding cost, availability, convenience, and health concerns associated with screens. However, some arguments in the body paragraphs conflict or shift focus abruptly, such as introducing content costs in the same paragraph as physical reading habits. Additionally, some points are slightly over-generalized, placing the response comfortably at Band 6.0. To reach a higher band, the student should ensure that all supporting arguments in each paragraph directly reinforce the central thesis without mixing disparate concepts.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The essay demonstrates a coherent overall arrangement with a clear stance established in the introduction and reinforced in the conclusion. Paragraphing is utilized, though the third body paragraph is overly dense and contains multiple distinct ideas that would be better split into separate sections. Cohesive devices such as 'First of all', 'Second of all', 'Moreover', and 'Furthermore' are employed to sequence ideas, but they occasionally feel mechanical or repetitive. Referencing is generally clear, but transitional flow between sentences can be disjointed at times. This corresponds to a Band 6.0 performance, where organization is apparent but cohesion can be faulty or mechanical.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, allowing the writer to convey their ideas about digital versus printed media. There are attempts at less common lexical items such as 'subscriptions', 'premium content', and 'cultural value'. However, word choice and collocations are occasionally imprecise, as seen in phrases like 'require expensive to watch' instead of 'expensive to access', and 'feel comfort to read' instead of 'find comfort in reading'. Spelling is generally good, but minor lexical inaccuracies prevent the score from reaching Band 7.0.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing conditional structures and relative clauses such as 'if readers spend most of the time on screen'. There are noticeable grammatical errors throughout the text, including subject-verb agreement issues like 'Digital devices is increasingly popular', missing prepositions, and awkward phrasings such as 'it may harm their eyes, migraine, back pain etc.' While these errors are frequent, they rarely impede overall communication. This performance aligns with the Band 5.0 to 6.0 descriptors, specifically demonstrating the mix of simple and complex structures characteristic of Band 6.0, alongside persistent errors.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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