Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-10-17
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 the coming years, most of the citizens start reading news and other things online without any charges and stop buying newspapers and books. While some people believe that this trend brings clear benefits, others worry about its consequences for society. However, I firmle believe that online reading and information provides a lot of advantages. This essay will discuss both the views before reaching a reasoned conclusion.
To begin with, I would argue that there are several reasons why people support the online reading trend. The main reson is that the accessibility of everything they want to read or learn about is just one click away and even people could read these without any extra charges. For instance, in medical studies, most of the books and material are very expensive that most of the students can not afford, so they download those books and articles online and easily start preparation without any pressure. Ultimately, online learning sources play a vital role in educational departments.
On the other hand, we must consider the arguments raised by the opposing side. The primary point is that this shift introduce some critical factors that society cannot overlook. For example, the elderly generation are not much aware of online tools or mass media. Furthermore, most of them are uneducated and find it difficult to search eveything online.
In con clusion, after analysing both side, I firmly stand with onlin
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 4.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5
You present a position in favour of online reading and include relevant points about access to free educational materials and difficulties older people may face. However, the response addresses the prompt only partially: it does not clearly explain whether printed newspapers and books will disappear in the future, and the opposing point is brief and not connected to a developed conclusion. The final sentence is cut off at “I firmly stand with onlin”, so your overall view is not fully stated. The response is also 16 words below the required minimum. To strengthen the answer, state your degree of agreement directly, develop both the future of print and online access with specific support, and complete a conclusion that follows from your arguments.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, two body paragraphs signalled by “To begin with” and “On the other hand”, and an attempted conclusion. This helps the reader identify the shift from benefits to concerns. However, progression is limited because the second body paragraph gives only one short concern, and the conclusion is unfinished, leaving the argument without a clear ending. Some linking phrases, such as “Ultimately” and “Furthermore”, connect sentences, but the relationships between ideas could be made more explicit. Organise each paragraph around one clear claim, explain how its example supports that claim, and use the conclusion to restate your position rather than introduce an incomplete final thought.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
You use a range of task-related vocabulary, including “accessibility”, “consequences”, “educational departments” and “primary point”, and the meaning is generally understandable. There are also noticeable spelling and word-choice problems, such as “firmle”, “reson” and “eveything”, as well as awkward expressions like “online reading and information provides” and “the elderly generation”. These reduce precision and make some phrases sound unnatural. Aim to check spelling carefully and choose collocations that fit the context: for example, “access to online resources” is more natural than “accessibility of everything”, while “older people” is clearer than “the elderly generation”. More precise vocabulary would help express your ideas without changing their meaning.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including the contrast in “While some people believe…” and the example introduced by “For instance”. The main ideas can usually be followed, but errors in agreement, verb forms and sentence construction remain. For example, “this trend brings” is followed by “online reading and information provides”, where the subject and verb do not agree; “this shift introduce” also needs a matching verb form. In “most of the books and material are very expensive that…”, the clause connection is faulty. The final sentence is incomplete, and punctuation around some long sentences could be clearer. Review subject–verb agreement and practise linking clauses accurately while retaining your attempts at complex structures.
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