Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-23
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 6.5)
It is often seen that the news is more effectively presents through images than explained entirely through written text. Some people consider visual content is more effective, other believe written information is more beneficial. This essay will elaborate both views prior reaching to a conclusion.
On the one hand, there are several reasons why pictures can be an effective way to presenting news. The first and foremost, pictures can immediately attract reader's attention and help them to understand the whole news story more easily. For example, if an individual is looking for a specific news in the newspaper, accompanying photograph make it easier to find it. In addition to this, visual content can save reader's time because picture can convey considerable amount of the information. Rather than reading entire description, people can understand the main situation by simple looking into pictures. Moreover, pictures stimulate cognitive skills such as observation, imagination and creative thinking.
On the other hand, written news also have significant advantages particularly in terms of language development. Regular exposure to wider range of vocabulary enable person to encounter grammatical structure and become language proficient. Moreover, written explanations can provide greater detail and context than a single image, allowing readers to develop a more comprehensive understanding of complex issues.
In conclusion, although visual presentation can attract attention, save time and develop essential skills, written content provider greater detail and contribute in learning language. I believe, neither method is universal superior, using images and explanation together would be more effective way to present news.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.0 |
| Overall | 6.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5
The response addresses all parts of the task, providing arguments for both the effectiveness of images and the benefits of written text. You clearly state your position in the conclusion, which is a strength. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the point about 'cognitive skills' is mentioned but not fully explained or linked back to the context of news. To reach a higher band, ensure that each supporting point is expanded with more specific examples or deeper analysis. The introduction is slightly repetitive, as it restates the prompt rather than providing a strong, original thesis statement.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0
The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. You use transition signals such as 'On the one hand', 'In addition to this', and 'Moreover' to guide the reader. However, some cohesive devices are used mechanically, and there are minor issues with referencing. For example, 'the news is more effectively presents' contains a grammatical error that disrupts the flow. Paragraphing is used appropriately, and the progression of ideas is generally easy to follow, though the transition between the benefits of images and the benefits of text could be smoother.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.0
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'comprehensive understanding', 'cognitive skills', and 'language proficient'. However, there are several word-choice and collocation errors, such as 'more effectively presents' (should be 'presented'), 'other believe' (should be 'others believe'), and 'neither method is universal superior' (should be 'universally superior'). These errors do not impede communication, but they prevent the response from reaching a higher band. To improve, focus on using adverbs and adjectives more accurately and ensure that word forms match the grammatical context of the sentence.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0
The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While you attempt complex sentences, there are frequent errors in grammar and punctuation. For example, 'pictures can be an effective way to presenting' should be 'to present', and 'picture can convey' lacks an article ('a picture'). Additionally, 'written news also have' should be 'has' to agree with the singular subject. While these errors rarely impede meaning, they are frequent enough to keep the score in the 6.0 range. Increasing your control over subject-verb agreement and article usage will significantly improve your score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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