Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-22
IELTS Writing Task 2 question
News stories on TV and in newspapers are very often accompanied by pictures.
Some people say that these pictures are more effective than words.
What is your opinion about this?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Student answer (Band 5.5)
News are very important for everyone in their daily life. In modern era we can use many thing to read or watch news for examples televison or newspaper. Sometimes many people watch the news they are more comfortable with pictures. While some are just want to read highlights of news that what it is about. Today we will discuss about few reasons about it.
Firstly, person who born after 2000 so called GENZ they are more intrested in videos and picture rather than reading any kind of stories or news. One survey said that latest generation many of them haven`t even see newspaper in their life. They are now use technologies to watch reporst like on tv or mobile. For example, if any kid like to watch news about football they prefer with pictures. They want to see their idols in fron of them and that thing make that news more important. So, that how few of them make that news intresting to them.
On the other hand, senior citizens or the age of 50 plus they prefer rading news in deeply more than watching just pictures on televison or newspaper. Given examples, in the late 90`s there were no such technologies that peole use to get pictures or videos about the news. For example, in the era of my parents they used to hear news on the radio which comes just highlighted thing happening around. But,same stories they got to read full detail in news paper. Lastly, that how old generation use to read news in detail.
In conclusion, if we speak about time ongoing right now people like to see pictures with news. Beacause that pictures make that stories more intresting for them.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses the prompt by discussing the effectiveness of pictures versus words in news. However, the development is somewhat superficial. While you mention the preferences of different age groups (Gen Z vs. seniors), the arguments lack depth and specific, well-explained examples. For instance, the mention of a 'survey' is vague, and the explanation of why pictures make news 'more important' for younger people is not fully articulated. To reach a higher band, ensure that each point is supported by a clear, logical explanation that directly links back to the effectiveness of visual media compared to text.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate, such as 'Given examples, in the late 90`s' or 'Lastly, that how old generation use to read'. The transition between ideas is sometimes abrupt, and the referencing is occasionally unclear. To improve, focus on using a wider variety of linking words (e.g., 'consequently', 'furthermore', 'in contrast') more naturally to connect sentences and ideas, rather than relying on repetitive or awkward phrasing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is limited and repetitive, often relying on basic words like 'news', 'pictures', and 'things'. There are several instances of word-choice errors and awkward collocations, such as 'read news in deeply' and 'highlighted thing happening'. Spelling errors are also present, such as 'televison', 'reporst', 'intrested', and 'beacause'. To achieve a higher score, you should aim to use a broader range of vocabulary, including less common lexical items, and pay closer attention to accurate spelling and word formation.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The essay contains a mix of simple and some attempted complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors throughout. Common issues include subject-verb agreement ('News are', 'they are now use'), article usage ('in modern era'), and tense inconsistencies ('haven`t even see', 'use to read'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with apostrophes. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to lower the score. Focusing on basic sentence construction and proofreading for subject-verb agreement would significantly improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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