IELTS Essay: Theaters and Cinemas

This is my IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay based on a recent Cambridge IELTS 21 book on the topic of theaters and cinemas no longer being as important.

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IELTS Essay: Theaters and Cinemas

Some people say that in the modern age, theaters and cinemas are no longer as important as people can watch all the entertainment they want on the internet. Others argue that these theatres and cinemas are still crucial both economically and culturally.

Discuss both views and your own opinion.

Many people argue that theatres and cinemas have become obsolete because audiences can stream unlimited entertainment at home. However, others believe these venues continue to play an essential economic and cultural role. Although online platforms are more convenient, I believe theatres and cinemas remain integral for society.

Those who believe these venues are no longer necessary point to the rapid growth of streaming services. Platforms such as Netflix, Disney+, and YouTube provide thousands of films, documentaries, and live performances for a small monthly subscription, allowing viewers to watch whenever they want. For example, a family can watch a newly released movie at home on a large television for far less than the cost of four cinema tickets, transport, and refreshments. As internet speeds improve and smart televisions become more common, home entertainment has become an increasingly attractive alternative.

Nevertheless, theatres and cinemas continue to make valuable contributions that online services cannot fully replicate. Economically, large cinemas employ projectionists, cleaners, ticket staff, and managers while attracting customers to nearby restaurants and shopping centres. Culturally, live theatre creates a unique experience through direct interaction between performers and audiences. For instance, London’s West End welcomes millions of visitors each year, generating billions of pounds for the local economy while preserving classic productions such as Les Misérables and The Phantom of the Opera. Similarly, independent cinemas often host local film festivals that introduce audiences to domestic filmmakers who receive little exposure on global streaming platforms.

Overall, I believe theatres and cinemas will continue to play a key role despite the growth of digital entertainment. Their unique social, cultural, and economic benefits ensure they remain valuable alongside, rather than replaced by, online services.

Analysis

1. Many people argue that theatres and cinemas have become obsolete because audiences can stream unlimited entertainment at home. 2. However, others believe these venues continue to play an essential economic and cultural role. Although online platforms are more convenient, I believe theatres and cinemas remain integral for society.

Paraphrase the overall essay topic.
Write a clear opinion. Read more about introductions here.

1. Those who believe these venues are no longer necessary point to the rapid growth of streaming services. 2. Platforms such as Netflix, Disney+, and YouTube provide thousands of films, documentaries, and live performances for a small monthly subscription, allowing viewers to watch whenever they want. 3. For example, a family can watch a newly released movie at home on a large television for far less than the cost of four cinema tickets, transport, and refreshments. 4. As internet speeds improve and smart televisions become more common, home entertainment has become an increasingly attractive alternative.

Write a topic sentence with a clear main idea at the end.
Explain your main idea.
Develop it with specific or hypothetical examples.
Keep developing it fully.

1. Nevertheless, theatres and cinemas continue to make valuable contributions that online services cannot fully replicate. 2. Economically, large cinemas employ projectionists, cleaners, ticket staff, and managers while attracting customers to nearby restaurants and shopping centres. 3. Culturally, live theatre creates a unique experience through direct interaction between performers and audiences. 4. For instance, London’s West End welcomes millions of visitors each year, generating billions of pounds for the local economy while preserving classic productions such as Les Misérables and The Phantom of the Opera. 5. Similarly, independent cinemas often host local film festivals that introduce audiences to domestic filmmakers who receive little exposure on global streaming platforms.

Write a new topic sentence with a new main idea at the end.
Explain your new main idea.
Include specific details and examples.
Add as much information as you can and make sure it links logically.
This essay is a bit long – aim for about 275 words.

1. Overall, I believe theatres and cinemas will continue to play a key role despite the growth of digital entertainment. 2. Their unique social, cultural, and economic benefits ensure they remain valuable alongside, rather than replaced by, online services.

Summarise your main ideas.
Include a final thought. Read more about conclusions here.

Vocabulary

What do the words in bold below mean? Make some notes on paper to aid memory and then check below.

Many people argue that theatres and cinemas have become obsolete because audiences can stream unlimited entertainment at home. However, others believe these venues continue to play an essential economic and cultural role. Although online platforms are more convenient, I believe theatres and cinemas remain integral for society.

Those who believe these venues are no longer necessary point to the rapid growth of streaming services. Platforms such as Netflix, Disney+, and YouTube provide thousands of films, documentaries, and live performances for a small monthly subscription, allowing viewers to watch whenever they want. For example, a family can watch a newly released movie at home on a large television for far less than the cost of four cinema tickets, transport, and refreshments. As internet speeds improve and smart televisions become more common, home entertainment has become an increasingly attractive alternative.

Nevertheless, theatres and cinemas continue to make valuable contributions that online services cannot fully replicate. Economically, large cinemas employ projectionists, cleaners, ticket staff, and managers while attracting customers to nearby restaurants and shopping centres. Culturally, live theatre creates a unique experience through direct interaction between performers and audiences. For instance, London’s West End welcomes millions of visitors each year, generating billions of pounds for the local economy while preserving classic productions such as Les Misérables and The Phantom of the Opera. Similarly, independent cinemas often host local film festivals that introduce audiences to domestic filmmakers who receive little exposure on global streaming platforms.

Overall, I believe theatres and cinemas will continue to play a key role despite the growth of digital entertainment. Their unique social, cultural, and economic benefits ensure they remain valuable alongside, rather than replaced by, online services.

Answers

For extra practice, write an antonym (opposite word) on a piece of paper to help you remember the new vocabulary:

Original	Synonymous phrase
theatres and cinemas	theatres and movie houses
obsolete	outdated and unnecessary
audiences	spectators
stream unlimited entertainment at home	access unlimited entertainment from home
venues	entertainment locations
play an essential economic and cultural role	serve an important economic and cultural function
online platforms	digital services
convenient	easy and practical
remain integral for society	continue to be an important part of society
no longer necessary point to the rapid growth of streaming services	no longer needed, citing the rapid expansion of streaming services
Platforms	services
documentaries	non-fiction films
live performances	in-person performances
a small monthly subscription	a modest monthly fee
viewers	audience members
watch a newly released movie at home on a large television	view a recently released film at home on a large screen
far less than	considerably less than
transport	travel
refreshments	food and drinks
As internet speeds improve	As internet connections become faster
smart televisions	internet-connected televisions
become an increasingly attractive alternative	become an increasingly appealing option
make valuable contributions	provide significant benefits
cannot fully replicate	cannot completely reproduce
Economically	From an economic perspective
employ projectionists	provide jobs for projectionists
ticket staff	ticketing employees
managers	administrative staff
attracting customers to nearby restaurants and shopping centres	bringing customers to surrounding restaurants and shopping areas
Culturally	From a cultural perspective
creates a unique experience through direct interaction between performers and audiences	offers a distinctive experience through direct contact between performers and spectators
welcomes millions of visitors each year	receives millions of visitors annually
generating	creating
the local economy	the surrounding economy
preserving classic productions	protecting traditional productions
Similarly	In the same way
independent cinemas	small privately operated cinemas
host local film festivals that introduce audiences to domestic filmmakers	organise local film festivals that showcase national filmmakers to audiences
receive little exposure on global streaming platforms	gain limited visibility on international streaming services
play a key role despite	remain important despite
growth of digital entertainment	expansion of digital entertainment
unique social, cultural, and economic benefits ensure	distinctive social, cultural, and economic advantages mean that they will
remain valuable alongside	continue to be valuable alongside
rather than replaced by	instead of being replaced by
online services	digital services

Pronunciation

Practice saying the vocabulary below and use this tip about Google voice search:

ˈθɪətəz ænd ˈsɪnəməz

ˌɒbsᵊlˈiːt

ˈɔːdiənsɪz

striːm ʌnˈlɪmɪtɪd ˌɛntəˈteɪnmənt æt həʊm

ˈvɛnjuːz

pleɪ ən ɪˈsɛnʃᵊl ˌiːkəˈnɒmɪk ænd ˈkʌlʧᵊrᵊl rəʊl

ˈɒnˌlaɪn ˈplætfɔːmz

kənˈviːniənt

rɪˈmeɪn ˈɪntɪɡrəl fɔː səˈsaɪəti

nəʊ ˈlɒŋɡə ˈnɛsəsᵊri pɔɪnt tuː ðə ˈræpɪd ɡrəʊθ ɒv ˈstriːmɪŋ ˈsɜːvɪsɪz

ˈplætfɔːmz

ˌdɒkjəˈmɛntᵊriz

lɪv pəˈfɔːmənsɪz

ə smɔːl ˈmʌnθli səbˈskrɪpʃᵊn

ˈvjuːəz

wɒʧ ə ˈnjuːli rɪˈliːst ˈmuːvi æt həʊm ɒn ə lɑːʤ ˈtɛlɪvɪʒᵊn

fɑː lɛs ðæn

ˈtrænspɔːt

rɪˈfrɛʃmənts

æz ˈɪntənɛt spiːdz ɪmˈpruːv

smɑːt ˈtɛlɪvɪʒᵊnz

bɪˈkʌm ən ɪnˈkriːsɪŋli əˈtræktɪv ɒlˈtɜːnətɪv

meɪk ˈvæljəbᵊl ˌkɒntrɪˈbjuːʃᵊnz

ˈkænɒt ˈfʊli ˈrɛplɪkeɪt

ˌiːkəˈnɒmɪkᵊli

ɪmˈplɔɪ prəˈʤɛkʃᵊnɪsts

ˈtɪkɪt stɑːf

ˈmænɪʤəz

əˈtræktɪŋ ˈkʌstəməz tuː ˈnɪəbaɪ ˈrɛstᵊrɒnts ænd ˈʃɒpɪŋ ˈsɛntəz

ˈkʌlʧᵊrᵊli

kriˈeɪts ə juːˈniːk ɪkˈspɪəriəns θruː daɪˈrɛkt ˌɪntəˈrækʃᵊn bɪˈtwiːn pəˈfɔːməz ænd ˈɔːdiənsɪz

ˈwɛlkəmz ˈmɪljənz ɒv ˈvɪzɪtəz iːʧ jɪə

ˈʤɛnəreɪtɪŋ

ðə ˈləʊkᵊl ɪˈkɒnəmi

prɪˈzɜːvɪŋ ˈklæsɪk prəˈdʌkʃᵊnz

ˈsɪmɪləli

ˌɪndɪˈpɛndənt ˈsɪnəməz

həʊst ˈləʊkᵊl fɪlm ˈfɛstɪvᵊlz ðæt ˌɪntrəˈdjuːs ˈɔːdiənsɪz tuː dəˈmɛstɪk ˈfɪlmˌmeɪkəz

rɪˈsiːv ˈlɪtᵊl ɪkˈspəʊʒər ɒn ˈɡləʊbᵊl ˈstriːmɪŋ ˈplætfɔːmz

pleɪ ə kiː rəʊl dɪˈspaɪt

ɡrəʊθ ɒv ˈdɪʤɪtᵊl ˌɛntəˈteɪnmənt

juːˈniːk ˈsəʊʃᵊl, ˈkʌlʧᵊrᵊl, ænd ˌiːkəˈnɒmɪk ˈbɛnɪfɪts ɪnˈʃɔː

rɪˈmeɪn ˈvæljəbᵊl əˌlɒŋˈsaɪd

ˈrɑːðə ðæn rɪˈpleɪst baɪ

ˈɒnˌlaɪn ˈsɜːvɪsɪz

Vocabulary Practice

I recommend getting a pencil and piece of paper because that aids memory. Then write down the missing vocabulary from my sample answer in your notebook:

Many people argue that theatres ____ cinemas have become o________e because a________s can stream _____________________ home. However, others believe these v_______s continue to play ________________________________ role. Although online ________s are more c___________t, I believe theatres and cinemas remain __________ society.

Those who believe these venues are no l__________________________________________ streaming services. P________s such as Netflix, Disney+, and YouTube provide thousands of films, d_________s, and live ___________s for a small ___________ subscription, allowing v_______s to watch whenever they want. For example, a family can watch ______________________________________ large television for far ______ than the cost of four cinema tickets, t______t, and r_________s. As_________________ improve and smart _________s become more common, home entertainment has become ________________ alternative.

Nevertheless, theatres and cinemas continue to make ________ contributions that online services cannot _______ replicate. E____________y, large cinemas employ____________s, cleaners, ticket ________f, and m_________s while attracting ________________________________ centres. C__________y, live theatre creates ________________________________________________________ audiences. For instance, London’s West End welcomes _______________________ year, g___________g billions of pounds for the ______ economy while preserving ____________ productions such as Les Misérables and The Phantom of the Opera. S_______y, ______________ cinemas often host __________________________________________________________ filmmakers who receive _________________________________________________ platforms.

Overall, I believe theatres and cinemas will continue to play ___________ despite the growth _________ entertainment. Their unique __________________________________________ ensure they remain _____________ alongside, rather _______________ by, online _________s.