Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-10-14

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 4.0)

News stories on Television are often televised alongside photographs. Few people believe that visuals have more influence than words. In my opinion, words have greater impact than photographs as they explain the detailed context, depth of the scenario.

On the one hand, words provide detailed context and in-depth analysis of a situation, whereas photographs merely capture a single moment and cannot explain its causes or consequences. For example,

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.0

Your position is clear: you believe words have greater impact because they provide context and depth. The contrast between written explanation and a photograph capturing “a single moment” is relevant to the question. However, the response addresses the task only minimally: it stops just as an example is introduced (“For example,”), so there is no supporting example, developed reasoning, or conclusion. The required minimum of 250 words is not met, and this leaves the opinion and its reasons substantially incomplete. To strengthen the response, explain how words clarify causes or consequences, give a specific example from news coverage, and consider why pictures may be effective before reaffirming your view.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

The opening presents your opinion, and “On the one hand” signals the start of a supporting point. The ideas also follow a basic logical sequence: you state that words offer context, then contrast them with photographs. However, the response ends mid-development at “For example,” so the reader cannot see the example or how it supports the claim. There is no concluding paragraph, and the single body paragraph does not provide enough progression for a complete argument. Develop each main point in a separate paragraph, use linking phrases to show how examples support your reasoning, and finish with a brief conclusion that restates your position.

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

You use some relevant vocabulary for the topic, including “visuals,” “detailed context,” “in-depth analysis,” and “causes or consequences.” These choices help communicate the contrast between words and images. However, the range is narrow because the response is very short, and some phrasing is imprecise or repetitive: “News stories on Television are often televised” repeats the idea of broadcasting, while “depth of the scenario” is not a natural collocation in this context. Aim for more precise expressions and vary terms for pictures and written reporting. For example, “news reports” and “photographs” can replace repeated references to stories and visuals, while “complexity of an event” expresses your intended meaning more naturally.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

Your sentences are generally understandable, and you attempt a complex contrast using “whereas”: “photographs merely capture a single moment and cannot explain its causes or consequences.” The opening opinion sentence also communicates your view clearly. However, the range shown is limited, with most ideas expressed through straightforward statements and one unfinished sentence beginning “For example,”. In “as they explain the detailed context, depth of the scenario,” the two objects are not parallel in form, and the sentence would be clearer with a complete, balanced construction. Practise extending your argument with varied complex sentences, and check that each sentence is complete and that paired ideas use parallel grammatical structures.

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