Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-07-29

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)

Digital payment method became very common in many countries. This has many positive effects along with some drawbacks.

To commence with, using cell phones for paying while shopping is common as well as modern method. To illustrate, many young people as well as some old people feel that this method is more convenient and faster. For example, carrying a cash may not enough secure method and it may represent a knowledge of individual regarding technology. Another one is that sometimes some modern cities has completely depended on digital method. They do not prefer to take cash as method of payment. For example, some shops in cities do not want cash payments.

On the other hand, Despite all these benefits, cash still plays a significant role in people's life. Some old and less educated people are not familiar with modern paying method. They like to use cash for any kind of payments. For example, elderly people may not feel much comfortable with cell phone payments, so they donot have much information about this method. Moreover, It seems to be not possible or uneducated person to remember their PINs. Furthermore, some small business owners and farmers are rely on cash only. They do not have access to these modern facilities in rural area. For example, the only cash is method for them to pay for anything so maybe it is not easy for them to adapt new methods as urban people's.

In conclusion, Although modern methods have made human life easier, I believe that cash may still has a crucial role in some people's life.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response6.5
Coherence and Cohesion6.5
Lexical Resource6.0
Grammatical Range and Accuracy6.0
Overall6.5

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses the prompt by discussing both advantages and disadvantages of mobile payment apps. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the argument regarding 'knowledge of individual regarding technology' is vague and lacks clear explanation. While the position is clear, the supporting points, such as the mention of farmers and small business owners, are relevant but could be expanded with more specific detail to fully explore the implications. The conclusion is brief and does not fully synthesize the arguments presented. To improve, ensure each point is thoroughly explained with clear logical links to the main topic.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, with an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'To commence with', 'On the other hand', and 'Furthermore', though some transitions feel a bit mechanical or repetitive. The progression of ideas is generally clear, but the referencing is occasionally weak, such as in the sentence 'Another one is that sometimes some modern cities has completely depended on digital method', where the subject of 'another one' is not explicitly defined. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring clear pronoun references would enhance the flow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks sophistication. You use basic terms like 'common', 'good', and 'modern method' repeatedly. There are some inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'carrying a cash may not enough secure method' (should be 'carrying cash may not be a sufficiently secure method') and 'uneducated person' (which is a bit blunt; 'less tech-savvy' or 'digitally illiterate' would be more appropriate). To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more precise collocations and topic-specific vocabulary related to finance and technology, such as 'digital infrastructure', 'financial inclusion', or 'transactional efficiency'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede readability. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('cities has', 'cash may still has'), missing articles ('carrying a cash'), and awkward phrasing ('it seems to be not possible or uneducated person to remember'). While the meaning is generally understandable, these errors are persistent. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, particularly the use of articles, pluralization, and verb tense consistency. Proofreading for these common slips would significantly improve the overall accuracy of your writing.

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