Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-10-20

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)

It has become increasingly common for news programs and newspaper editiors to add pictures in the news. Some people consider that adding pictures can be more beneficial instead of words. Although photographs can make news more appealing, I believe words are also important for the detailed explaination.

One main reason why news that accompanied by picture are more useful than words is they can be more interesting. When news stories are broadcasted on television with photographs, they would be more appealing. This way of telecasting news can develop the interest of people towards news, as a result, people stay updated with their surrounding and aroud the globe.

Publishing newspapers with picture can be helpful to understand the news in an effective way. By printing news with photographs can provide overall overview about the story, which help to the reader to understand it properly. Without pictures, newspaper can be boring, they might be neglected by people. Consequently, newspapers can lose their importance, which reduce the sale of newspapers.

In my opinion, along with pictures in the news, words are also equally important. Photographs alone may not decribe the whole story in a detail, which can only be obtained from explaination. So, companies should give equal importance to words as well while broadcasting and publishing news.

In conclusion, the importance of adding pictures in the news is understandable, but the role of words explanation cannot be overlook

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You give a clear, relevant position: pictures can make news more appealing, but words are needed to explain it in detail. The response addresses both sides and offers relevant reasons, such as photographs attracting viewers and helping readers understand a story. However, these points are mostly asserted rather than developed with a specific example or fuller explanation; for instance, the claim that newspapers may lose sales without pictures needs support. The conclusion restates your view but ends abruptly. The response also falls 15 words short of the required minimum, so it has less space to develop its ideas. To strengthen the response, explain one example in detail and make the comparison between pictures and words more explicit throughout.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a coherent overall arrangement: an introduction, two paragraphs about the benefits of pictures, a paragraph explaining your view, and a conclusion. Linking expressions such as “One main reason,” “Consequently,” and “In conclusion” help signal the stages of the argument. However, the progression is somewhat mechanical, and the first two body paragraphs make closely related points about pictures being appealing or helpful without clearly distinguishing their roles. Some connections are also awkward, such as “This way of telecasting news,” and the final sentence is incomplete, which weakens the ending. Improve cohesion by making each paragraph’s main purpose distinct, using clearer references to earlier ideas, and ensuring the conclusion forms a complete sentence.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a relevant range of vocabulary for the topic, including “photographs,” “appealing,” “overall overview,” and “importance,” and your meaning is generally understandable. There are, however, noticeable spelling and word-choice problems, including “editiors,” “explaination,” “aroud,” and “decribe.” Some combinations are unnatural or imprecise: “news that accompanied by picture,” “telecasting news,” and “overall overview” do not express the ideas naturally. Repetition of “news,” “pictures,” and “important” also limits flexibility. Aim to use accurate collocations and vary key terms—for example, “news coverage,” “visual images,” and “provide context”—while proofreading spelling and choosing words that fit the intended meaning.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and complex sentences, including a concession in “Although photographs can make news more appealing” and a reason clause beginning “as a result.” The overall meaning is usually clear, but errors in sentence structure, agreement, and articles recur. For example, “news that accompanied by picture” is missing a verb form and has a number/article problem; “By printing news with photographs can provide” has a faulty subject construction; and “which help to the reader” does not agree with its antecedent or use the correct pattern. The final sentence, “cannot be overlook,” is also grammatically incomplete. Practise complete clause structures, subject–verb agreement, and article use, then check that every sentence has a clear subject and correctly formed verb.

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.