Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-31

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)

Nowadays print and tv media focuses on better presention. They add pictures and ofter consider this highly impactful. I agree with the belief because pictures tell us a lot without the incidents then written content. Reasons behind my perspective will be discussed in the upcoming paragraphs.

Primarily, getting information by looking at images is far more easier and time saving as well. To elaborate it, because it is easier for children to get the news from picture they are aware about happening. Moreover, they also do not get bored by looking at images which encouages them to stay updated.

Secondly, On tv pictures and videos are added to represent the news which is not only advantageous ordinary people but also for police. To elucidiate, if people have acccess to see the face of offenders, criminal won't dare to make another mistake. For instance, It has been figured out that mostly criminals are arrested because people recognise thier identity and inform police about thier where abouts. Hence, pictorial way to render information and news is best.

To conlude, news channels accompanied by photos are highly significant and should not be less valued.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response5.0
Coherence and Cohesion6.0
Lexical Resource5.5
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.5
Overall5.5

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words, reaching only 191 words. This significant under-length negatively impacts the development of ideas. While you address the prompt and state a clear position, the arguments are underdeveloped. For example, the point about children is mentioned but not fully explored, and the example regarding criminals is somewhat tangential to the core debate about the effectiveness of pictures versus words. To improve, you must expand your supporting arguments with more detailed explanations and specific, relevant examples to ensure the response is fully developed.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, and there is a clear introduction and conclusion. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'Primarily', 'Moreover', and 'Secondly' to signal the progression of your ideas. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the phrase 'without the incidents then written content', which is confusing. To reach a higher band, focus on using a wider range of linking words and ensure that each sentence logically follows the previous one to create a smoother, more natural progression of thought.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. You rely on simple, repetitive language, such as 'getting information' and 'looking at images'. There are also some awkward collocations and word choices, such as 'better presention' (presentation) and 'render information'. While the meaning is generally clear, the lack of sophisticated or less common vocabulary limits your score. Try to incorporate more topic-specific terminology related to media, journalism, and visual communication to demonstrate a more flexible range.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent errors in grammar and punctuation that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'far more easier' (should be 'much easier'), 'criminal won't dare' (should be 'criminals won't dare'), and 'thier where abouts' (spelling error: 'their whereabouts'). Subject-verb agreement and article usage are inconsistent throughout the text. To improve, focus on proofreading for basic grammatical accuracy and practice using more complex sentence structures, such as relative clauses or conditional sentences, while ensuring they are punctuated correctly.

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

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