Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-07-24

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

In many countries, paying for things using mobile phone (cellphone) apps is becoming increasingly common. Does this development have more advantages or more disadvantages?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Student answer (Band 6.5)

Online payment is becoming increasingly popular in different nations. I believe it has some disadvantages but its benefits outweigh its drawbacks that i will explain in the upcoming paragraphs.

First and foremost benefit of digital payment is convenience as people has no longer needed to carry their wallet for card and cash to pay for things they are buying because they can use their smartphones to make any payment. In addition, it makes the shopping faster and easier in the busy timings such as in the restaurants and shopping malls.

Moreover, online payment provides the safety and security, as the card or cash can be lost or stolen but to use the banking app , it needs password or fingerprints or facial recognition. Apart from that, people can manage their finacial expenses by tracking and checking their transactions. Thus, it is better option to spend and manage their money accordingly.

However, there are some disadvantages of digital banking as it needs high technology and good internet service. Therefore, if the battery of the phone is dead or the phone is switch off then it is unable to pay for anything.

Apart from that there is a great risk of cybersecurity such as online frauds or hacking. However, banks and app developers are working on to minimize these issues.

In conclusion, Despite of some cons of online payment related to cybersecurity and techonology its prons like convenience, security and efficiency are far better than the traditional payment methods and these will become more common in the future.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt by discussing both advantages and disadvantages and clearly stating a position that the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. The ideas are relevant, such as convenience, security, and the reliance on technology. However, the development of these points is somewhat basic. For instance, the mention of 'cybersecurity' and 'frauds' is a good point, but it could be extended with a more specific example or a deeper explanation of how these risks impact users. The conclusion effectively summarizes the position, but the overall depth of the argument is more characteristic of a Band 6.0 response, as it touches on the main points without fully exploring the implications.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'First and foremost', 'In addition', 'Moreover', and 'However' are used to link ideas. While the progression is generally clear, some transitions feel a bit mechanical. The referencing is mostly accurate, though there are minor issues with sentence-level flow, such as the phrase 'it needs password or fingerprints', which lacks a clear subject. Overall, the paragraphing is appropriate and the logical flow is sufficient to guide the reader through the argument without difficulty.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, covering the topic of digital payments with terms like 'transactions', 'cybersecurity', 'frauds', and 'banking app'. There are some minor errors in word choice and spelling, such as 'finacial' (financial), 'techonology' (technology), and 'prons' (pros). The range of vocabulary is sufficient to convey the intended meaning, but it lacks the sophistication and precision required for a higher band. The student relies on fairly common phrases, and there is limited evidence of less common lexical items or idiomatic expressions.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader. Examples include 'people has no longer needed' (people no longer need), 'it is unable to pay' (it is impossible to pay), and 'Despite of' (Despite). Subject-verb agreement and article usage are inconsistent throughout the text. While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent the essay from reaching a higher band. A greater focus on proofreading for basic grammatical accuracy would significantly improve the score.

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