Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · 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 7.5)

News stories on television and in newspapers are often accompanied by pictures. Some people believe that these pictures are more effective than words in communicating information. I partly agree with this view because pictures can attract attention and show events clearly, although words are still necessary to provide detailed information.

Firstly, pictures can communicate a situation quickly and make news more interesting. People can understand the basic nature of an event by looking at an image, even if they do not read the entire article. For example, a picture of a flooded city can immediately show the seriousness of a natural disaster. Similarly, images of damaged buildings after an earthquake can help viewers understand the scale of the destruction. This is particularly useful for people who have limited time to read long news reports.

However, pictures cannot always provide enough information. Words are important because they can explain the causes, background and consequences of an event. A photograph of a political protest, for instance, may show a large crowd, but it cannot explain why people are protesting or what the government has done. Written reports can provide these details and help readers understand the complete story.

In my opinion, pictures and words are most effective when they are used together. Pictures attract people's attention and provide a clear visual impression, while written information gives facts and explanations. Therefore, neither should completely replace the other.

In conclusion, although pictures can sometimes communicate information more quickly than words, written reports are essential for understanding the full details of news events.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.0

The response fully addresses all parts of the prompt. You clearly state your position in the introduction, arguing that while pictures are effective for immediate impact, words are necessary for depth. Each body paragraph provides relevant, well-developed examples, such as the flooded city and the political protest, which effectively support your arguments. The conclusion reinforces your balanced view. The ideas are extended logically, and the response maintains a consistent focus on the topic throughout. To reach a higher band, you could further explore the nuance of how digital media has changed the consumption of news, but the current development is sufficient for a high score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the transition between the benefits of pictures and the necessity of words is smooth. You use a variety of cohesive devices effectively, such as 'Firstly', 'However', 'For instance', and 'Therefore', which help guide the reader through your argument. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct points. The referencing is clear, and the flow of information is natural. The structure is coherent, and the relationship between ideas is always explicit, meeting the requirements for a high band.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic with precision. Phrases like 'communicate a situation', 'visual impression', and 'scale of the destruction' are used accurately. While the vocabulary is functional and clear, it lacks some of the more sophisticated or idiomatic collocations that would characterize a band 8 or 9 response. However, there are no significant errors in word choice or spelling, and the language used is appropriate for the task. You successfully avoid repetition and maintain a formal tone throughout the essay.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The essay displays a good control of grammatical structures. You use a mix of simple and complex sentences effectively, such as the conditional 'even if they do not read' and the contrastive 'although pictures can sometimes communicate...'. Punctuation is accurate, and there are no major errors that impede communication. The majority of your sentences are error-free, and you demonstrate a solid grasp of tense and subject-verb agreement. To improve, you could incorporate a wider variety of complex structures, such as passive voice or inverted conditionals, to demonstrate greater flexibility.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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