Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-26

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)

In recent years, the trend of accompanying photos with the news stories has has become a subject of considerable debate. Some people believe that these photos are more effective than text , and I strongly agree with the view of news channels and press including photos along with the news stories. This essay will explain the main reasons for my position.

The primary reason why I agree with this view is because it is engaging for audience and understandable. This is because as per human psychology the attention span of humans is limited and visual's play a vital role. For example, for instance there are observations where in the popularity of a book is average however when it is adapted into a movie or a web series it gets trending and is most loved by the majority. Therefore, it is evident that photos or visual along with the articles or text are more effective.

Another significant reason is that when any news is accompanied with photos or visual there is a possibility of familarity. In other words, people can recognise or find familarity by looking at the picture which they might not taken in consideration or pay attention to if mentioned as a text. A good example of this can be seen in missing cases, where people go missing or get abducted and are found years later. Consequently, when there picture is shown in news along side their name and identification details there are high chances of families recognising them. This further demonstrates why photos or visuals are crucial along with words to ensure the news is reaching the audience and achieving the purpose.

In conclusion, I believe that visual are important while sharing the news stories because it keeps audience engaged and also helps in reaching the right audience to meet it purpose. Therefore, News channels and press should continue accompanying visuals and pictures in the news stories.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt and maintains a clear position throughout. The arguments regarding engagement and the practical utility of images in missing persons cases are relevant and well-supported. However, the development of ideas could be more sophisticated; for instance, the comparison between books and movies is a bit simplistic. To reach a higher band, you should aim to explore the nuance of the topic, perhaps by discussing how images can sometimes be misleading or sensationalist, which would provide a more balanced and critical perspective on the effectiveness of visuals versus words.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the progression of ideas is easy to follow. You use some cohesive devices effectively, such as 'In other words' and 'Consequently'. However, there is some repetitive phrasing, and the transition between sentences can occasionally feel mechanical. To improve, try to vary your linking words and ensure that referencing (e.g., 'this', 'these') is always precise to avoid ambiguity, particularly when referring back to previous ideas.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'engaging', 'human psychology', and 'identification details'. However, there are several instances of word-choice errors and minor spelling issues, such as 'visual's' (should be 'visuals'), 'familarity' (familiarity), and 'there picture' (their picture). These errors do not impede communication, but they do prevent the response from reaching a higher band. To improve, focus on mastering the correct form of words and expanding your range of collocations to express ideas with more precision.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('visual's play', 'visual are important') and incorrect pronoun usage ('there picture'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with some unnecessary commas and missing articles. While you attempt complex sentences, the accuracy is not consistent enough for a higher band. Focusing on proofreading for basic errors like pluralization and possessive pronouns would significantly improve your score.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.