Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-09-28

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 6.0)

The trend towards online learning has become increasingly popular among people. Some people believe that the online sources will replace printed books altogether, while others argue the importance of physical books will remain intact in the future. Although digital platforms provide a wider variety of information, I believe physical sources will remain valuable.

One of the main reasons why people claim the replacement of physical books by online platforms. Firstly, it provides greater convenience and affordability. By this I mean, students can have excess to thousands of study materials, research articles and surveys within seconds. They can find a plenty of focused data by the comfort of their homes. This is particularly beneficial for individuals living in distant areas from educational insitutes and public libraries and more importantly for people with limited incomes and those who cannot afford to purchase physical reading materials. As a result, people can enjoy the facility of accessing books from their homes and free of cost.

Having said that, online available books cannot replace the need for physical books. Firstly, printed books allow people to gain authentic information as the data available on the internet could not always be authentic. Moreover, books are published after several tests and checks, containing the least chance of incorrect and misleading information. Secondly, many people, particularly older citizens, find printed books more reliable since they are used to traditional mode of learning and have an issue of eyesight. Furthermore, it is recommended to teach children via printed assets as excessive screen time would be destructive for their mental and physical health.

All things considered, although digital services are providing peple with a plenty of information within a moment, it would not replace printed books and newspapers altogether. I believe that the combination of printed books and online sources would be the most suitable approach and produced more productive outcomes.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The response addresses the prompt by discussing both sides of the argument and presenting a clear position in the introduction and conclusion. The writer argues that while online resources offer convenience, physical books and sources will remain valuable. Key ideas such as accessibility, cost, and reliability are introduced and supported with explanations. However, the first body paragraph begins with an incomplete sentence fragment ('One of the main reasons why people claim the replacement of physical books by online platforms.'), which slightly detracts from idea development. Additionally, the prompt specifically mentions reading online 'without paying' and addresses 'printed newspapers or books', aspects that are only partially developed. Nevertheless, the main task requirements are met, and the position is consistent throughout.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The essay is logically organised into an introduction, clear body paragraphs, and a conclusion, demonstrating an overall progression of ideas. Cohesive devices are used to link paragraphs and points, such as 'Firstly', 'Having said that', and 'Furthermore'. However, referencing and cohesion are sometimes faulty or mechanical. For instance, the transition at the beginning of the second paragraph ('One of the main reasons why people claim...') lacks a main verb, which disrupts the logical flow. Paragraphing is appropriately used to separate the opposing views and the writer's perspective, but tighter internal cohesion within the body paragraphs would elevate the coherence of the text.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The student demonstrates an adequate vocabulary range for the task, attempting less common items such as 'authentic information', 'misleading information', and 'educational institutes'. However, there are notable word choice and collocation errors that hinder precision. For example, the student writes 'have excess to' instead of 'access to', uses 'online available books' rather than 'online books' or 'digital books', and writes 'produced more productive outcomes' instead of 'produce more productive outcomes' or 'yield better results'. Spelling and word formation are generally acceptable, but these lexical inaccuracies restrict the score to a Band 6.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The writer uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, incorporating conditional and dependent clauses such as 'Although digital platforms provide a wider variety...' and 'This is particularly beneficial for individuals living in...'. There is a mix of error-free sentences and grammatical errors. Notable errors include the sentence fragment in the second paragraph, misuse of prepositions ('by the comfort of their homes' instead of 'in the comfort'), and tense or modal inconsistencies ('the data available on the internet could not always be authentic' instead of 'cannot'). Punctuation is generally fine, and communication is rarely impeded, but the frequency of minor structural errors keeps the performance at a Band 6.0.

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