Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-10-25

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 future, only a few people will prefer purchasing newspapers or books as they will be able to get access to it online without the need for paying. Personally, i agree with this statement to some extent because majority of the individuals have stopped purchasing books or newspapers like they used to, due to the availability of the information or study material online.

The need for buying printed newspapers or books have significantly reduced over time due to the introduction of technology-driven facilities, where people can download books in their phones, laptops and other gadgets, instead of purchasing its printed form. Printed newspapers are no longer bought that frequently as the related news is readily available over multiple social media platforms.

A few disadvantages of this is that nowadays, people depend too much on their gadgets which can also affect their eye vision. Instead of reading newspapers, audible news is readily available on social media which also affects the reading skills.

An example from my personal experience is that during my school time period, I used to buy printed books to study, as technology was not that upgraded and efficient at that time. But slowly as time passed, multiple facilities came into existence which made it very easy for me to acce

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You give a relevant, partly clear position: you agree “to some extent” and explain that online access has reduced purchases of printed material. The points about downloadable books, social-media news, and possible effects on eyesight and reading skills are connected to the topic. However, the response does not fully develop the extent of your agreement or address the claim that online reading will be free. The personal example begins but is cut off (“made it very easy for me to acce”), leaving the argument incomplete, and there is little supporting explanation. The response also contains 212 words, below the required 250. Develop both sides of your position, explain whether free online access is realistic, and complete your example with a clear concluding judgement.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic overall structure: an introduction, a paragraph about technology and its effects, and a personal example. Ideas are generally relevant and can be followed, with links such as “as” and “instead of” showing some relationships. However, progression is limited: the disadvantages are introduced abruptly, and the personal example does not reach a complete point. The final sentence is cut off, so there is no conclusion to bring the argument together. Some references are also unclear, such as “this” in “A few disadvantages of this,” which does not identify precisely what it refers to. Use separate, purposeful paragraphs for your main reasons and counterpoint, clarify references, and add a concluding sentence that restates your position.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a reasonable range of topic-related vocabulary, including “technology-driven facilities,” “printed form,” “readily available,” and “social media platforms.” These choices help communicate the main ideas, and the meaning is generally understandable. However, some expressions are awkward or imprecise, such as “the need for paying,” “technology was not that upgraded,” and “school time period.” There is also repetition of “printed,” “available,” and “facilities,” which limits flexibility. Aim for more natural collocations and precise wording, particularly when discussing online access and changes over time. For example, use “without paying” or “free of charge,” and describe technology as “less advanced” rather than “not that upgraded.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and complex sentences, including a reason clause with “because” and a contrast using “instead of.” Most of the message remains understandable, but errors in agreement, articles, pronouns, and sentence construction are noticeable. For example, “The need … have significantly reduced” should use a singular verb, while “a few disadvantages of this is” has a plural subject with a singular verb. In “get access to it online,” the pronoun does not clearly agree with the plural newspapers or books. Capitalise “I,” and check sentence boundaries and punctuation. The unfinished final sentence also prevents the structure from being grammatically complete. Practise proofreading for agreement and completing each sentence, while continuing to use varied sentence forms.

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