Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-17
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)
Electronic and print media often share news including images. Some people believe that this is more impactful, while others disagree. Pictures could help to increase the attention span of the consumer and also reflect the authenticity of news. In my opinion, incorporating pictures is more effective in conveying news.
One important reason, for supporting the use of images for news broadcast is because of how it helps to gain the attention. With social media becoming very popular, people are getting used to interactive interfaces hence losing the ability to focus on activities like reading as it requires sustained focus. People tend to find word only news dry and boring. For example, Dawn News sells more copies than Express News now. This is attributed to the adaptation that Dawn news did by addition of pictures in their news papers. Readers often say that the images besides the text prevents them from losing focus while reading.
Furthermore, having a picture accompanying the news serves as a display of proof. The validation helps build immediate trust. The consumers can now see the evidence and be certain about the authenticity of information. For instance, if the news of an arrest of a high profile criminal is released with an image of him in cell, validates the information. This also prevents spread of baseless rumors that create fear unnecessary fear or panic.
In conclusion, having images along side the text in newspapers and TV can help improving the focus of consumer, Moreover, it also validates the news and builds trust on the news source. Due to these reasons, I believe adding pictures to news stories is an effective strategy.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.5 |
| Overall | 6.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5
The response addresses all parts of the task well and takes a clear position throughout, arguing that incorporating pictures is more effective in conveying news. Key ideas such as maintaining the attention span of consumers and providing visual proof to establish authenticity are presented and supported with relevant examples, such as comparing newspaper sales and discussing the arrest of a high-profile criminal. The arguments are logically extended, demonstrating a strong understanding of the prompt. While some points could be expanded even further for maximum depth, the overall treatment of the task comfortably satisfies the requirements for a Band 7.0 performance under the IELTS marking criteria.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5
The essay displays a clear logical organization and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct focus, beginning with an introduction, followed by two well-defined body paragraphs discussing attention span and authenticity respectively, and ending with a concise conclusion. Cohesive devices are used reasonably well, such as 'One important reason', 'Furthermore', and 'In conclusion'. However, there are minor cohesion and referencing issues, such as missing articles and slight awkwardness in transitions like 'because of how it helps to gain the attention'. Paragraphing is used appropriately, and the overall flow remains easy to follow, making this a solid Band 6.5 to 7.0 response in terms of structure and cohesion.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.5
The candidate demonstrates a sufficient range of vocabulary to allow for flexibility and precision, employing terms such as 'authenticity', 'interactive interfaces', 'sustained focus', and 'high-profile criminal'. There are attempts to use less common lexical items, though occasional inaccuracies in word choice and collocation appear, such as 'builds trust on the news source' instead of 'builds trust in' and 'unnecessary fear or panic' preceded by 'fear unnecessary fear'. Spelling is generally accurate, and vocabulary errors do not impede communication. This performance aligns well with the descriptors for Band 6.5, showing an adequate to good lexical range with minor control issues.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5
The text contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including conditional forms and relative clauses ('if the news of an arrest... validates the information'). There are frequent error-free sentences, demonstrating a good control of grammar overall. However, several minor errors persist throughout the text, including missing articles ('gain the attention', 'in cell', 'help improving'), redundant phrasing ('fear unnecessary fear'), and a comma splice in the final paragraph. Despite these grammatical slips, communication is never impeded, and the sentence variety supports a dependable Band 6.5 rating.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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