Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-09
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)
Today’s generation media are the most common ways to spread the news posting pictures to aid them. While others claims that these additional posts can be helpful than only watching or reading the updates. I agree with this opinion that visual displays are interesting way to communicate with others in respect of spreading the news.
Those who support picture believes this creative mode of represent news helps to understand easily by saving time while reading a lot of sentences in one paper. A strong way to communicate and create balance between audience and reporter where both has equal understanding nature. Moreover, nowadays young generation avoids watching news on television or reading newspaper and choose watching posts, ads etc to connect with the updates. For example, smartphones have an option to download online apps , there apps has their logo to make others understand that update news live, with posts or an image so the audience may get attract. From my perspective one of the main reason can be people who could not able to read has this platform to at least understand the reason behind any news update and have medium to get the news.
In conclusion, while some people seem news stories are getting numerously increased by images, I suggest these should need to be promoted as these are an effective way of commercialize the news. Accommodate people who can’t hear or have problem reading, offer knowledge to young people. Moreover a best medium to gain social updates represented with evidence.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses the prompt by expressing a clear opinion that pictures are effective. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. While you mention that pictures save time and help those who cannot read, the arguments lack depth and specific, well-explained examples. The example regarding smartphone apps is a bit vague and does not fully illustrate why pictures are more effective than words in a news context. To improve, ensure each paragraph focuses on a single, well-supported idea that directly answers the 'why' behind your opinion. The conclusion is a bit repetitive and introduces new points like 'commercialize the news' which were not discussed in the body paragraphs.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the flow between sentences is often mechanical or disjointed. For instance, the transition 'Those who support picture believes...' is grammatically awkward and lacks a smooth connection to the previous paragraph. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Moreover' and 'In conclusion,' but they are sometimes used incorrectly or in a way that does not logically link the ideas. Referencing is occasionally unclear, making it difficult to track the subject matter. Improving the use of linking words and ensuring each paragraph has a clear topic sentence would significantly enhance the coherence.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and range required for a higher band. You rely on basic terms like 'good' or 'interesting' and struggle with collocations. There are several instances of word-choice errors, such as 'equal understanding nature' and 'commercialize the news,' which do not accurately convey your intended meaning. To reach a higher band, focus on using more sophisticated vocabulary and ensuring that words are used in their correct context. Avoid repeating simple words and try to incorporate more topic-specific terminology related to media and communication.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede communication. Common issues include subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'others claims', 'both has'), incorrect verb forms (e.g., 'people who could not able to read'), and missing articles or prepositions. Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with comma usage. While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. Focusing on basic sentence construction and proofreading for subject-verb agreement would be a great starting point for improvement.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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