Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-11-01
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)
To some extent I agree that in the future most of the people will read their desired content or news on the internet rather than buying printed newspapers or books. But before giving my opinion on reading news online I'll describe some disadvantages of buying newspapers physically in the future.
On the one hand, buying newspapers and reading them will become very hectic in the future because people are getting more busy in their works and daily routine or maybe it will become a hobby for some bookworms, as there are many people who loves reading books and collecting different articles from newspaper by cutting them separately. Nowadays reading news from newspapers considered as a old fashioned because there are many other resources for news reading, such as television and radio, and they save time and money too.
On the other hand, time is evolving very quickly as many people are shifting from newspapers to online reading because every person has a digital device under his access such as mobile, radio station or television and they can gain the same amount of knowledge from such devices. Also reading news online save people time and money and in the coming years the trend of newspaper will be abolished because people will update their source of reading news as it is more easy to use and can provide precise information on our fingertips. Moreover, people don't have to spend on buying newspapers and collecting them in order.
In my opinion, no doubt online news reading will replace the trend of buying newspapers.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0
You give a clear general preference for online reading, especially in the final sentence, and you mention relevant reasons such as convenience, saving time and money, and access through digital devices. However, the response only partially addresses the full question: it focuses mainly on newspapers and news, while the prompt also asks whether printed books will disappear and whether online material will be free. Your opening says “to some extent I agree,” but the conclusion sounds more absolute, so your position is not fully consistent. Several points, such as people being busy and online information being precise, are asserted rather than explained or supported. Develop both sides of your view and address books and free access explicitly.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, two body paragraphs signposted by “On the one hand” and “On the other hand,” and a conclusion. The main ideas are generally grouped by topic, and the reader can follow the broad contrast between printed and online reading. However, progression within paragraphs is sometimes unclear: the first body paragraph moves from busy routines to book collecting and then to television and radio without explaining how these points connect. The repeated focus on newspapers also limits the development of the overall argument. Use clearer links between each reason and your position, and make paragraph topics more precise. Avoid relying mainly on formulaic signposts; logical connections between ideas should carry the argument.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
You use a reasonable range of topic vocabulary, including “digital device,” “collecting,” “resources,” and “precise information,” and your meaning is usually understandable. There are also attempts at less common expressions, such as “bookworms” and “on our fingertips,” although some are informal or used unnaturally in this essay. Several word choices and collocations are noticeably inaccurate: “hectic” does not naturally describe buying and reading newspapers, “under his access” is unclear, and “the trend of newspaper will be abolished” is not idiomatic. Repetition of “newspapers,” “reading,” and “people” also makes the vocabulary feel limited. Aim for precise, natural phrases such as “access to a device,” “digital news sources,” and “printed publications.”
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
You attempt a mix of simple and complex sentences, including clauses introduced by “because,” “as,” and “such as,” and the overall meaning can generally be followed. However, errors occur across the response and sometimes make sentences difficult to process. For example, “there are many people who loves” has a subject–verb agreement error, while “reading news from newspapers considered” is missing a verb. Articles and forms are also inaccurate in “a old fashioned,” and “online news reading save people time” needs agreement. Some long sentences combine several ideas without clear grammatical control. Practise checking each sentence for a complete verb, subject–verb agreement, and article use, and divide sentences when they contain too many linked points.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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