Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-10-04
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)
Nowadays, technology and digital platforms are developing rapidly, the use of printed newspapers and books will become obsolete in coming years. I completely agree with this statement as the digital books or newspapers are not only free, but also protect the environment.
The major benefits of digital books and newspapers are that, they are eco-friendly, in addition digital libraries help to reduce the carbon footprint. Thousands of trees have been cut in recent years to produce paper for books or newspapers. However newspapers are read once by readers and thrown into a bin, which is a primary cause of paper waste, and harms our environment.
Overall, digital books or newspapers are user friendly, readers can easily highlight any line, and can access to their books anywhere through their smart phones, and gadgets by using internet, which results in saving time and traveling cost to visit market for purchase a book or newspapers.
In the foreseeable future, anyone sitting at any corner in the world can get update by using their daily use gadgets about what is going on in the world, and know government and political situations of a economy. Printed newspapers have limited news, while digital newspapers have broad pace, and readers can read multiple newspapers at same time available online and free of charge.
In this eassy, i argue that digital books and newspapers are a positive development, and in the future people will read digitally, as it is not only time saving option but also reduce travel costs, and environmentally friendly.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0
The response addresses all parts of the prompt by taking a clear stance on whether printed newspapers and books will disappear in favour of free online content. Relevant ideas are presented, such as environmental benefits and convenience, but some parts are under-developed rather than fully explored. For instance, the argument regarding economic situations and political news lacks specific support or extension. The position is maintained throughout the essay, but the depth of argumentation sits firmly at this level, as certain points like the accessibility of digital formats are stated rather than thoroughly expanded with compelling examples.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
There is a coherent overall arrangement to the essay with a clear introduction and conclusion, though paragraphing and transitions are at times mechanical. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'The major benefits', 'Overall', and 'In the foreseeable future', but referencing can occasionally feel repetitive or slightly disjointed. While the progression of ideas is generally understandable, the links between sentences occasionally lack fluidity. To move higher, the essay would benefit from smoother transitions between paragraphs and a more sophisticated management of cohesive relationships that guides the reader effortlessly through the arguments.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, demonstrating an acceptable range with attempts at less common items such as 'eco-friendly', 'carbon footprint', and 'obsolete'. However, there are noticeable inaccuracies in word choice, collocation, and phrasing, such as 'broad pace' instead of 'wider reach', 'purchase a book' instead of 'purchasing books', and spelling slips like 'eassy'. These errors do not seriously impede communication, but they reflect a level of control that requires more precision and awareness of natural collocations to achieve a higher score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating some control over structure. However, there are noticeable grammatical errors and punctuation issues throughout the text, including a comma splice in the opening sentence ('...developing rapidly, the use of...'), missing articles ('situation of a economy'), and awkward prepositions. Despite these errors, they rarely impede overall communication. To reach a higher standard, the writer needs to eliminate basic structural errors, improve punctuation control, and produce a higher proportion of error-free complex sentences.
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