Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-06

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 6.0)

In today's world, technology is bringing immense changes to people's lives. Getting used to paying with mobile phones is developing, and people are taking advantage of it, while other think that there might be some negative sides as well. Let's discuss both statements.

To begin with, paying with phones is increasing daily, and people are trying to adopt the technology with a growing development. Considering the advantages, people no longer need to keep their wallets with them; they can also travel cashless. Moreover, people travelling abroad will also benefit from using mobile pay. We do not need to worry about taking international cash with us. Most of the countries have already adopted this system, while others are still under development. To mention, going cashless will help the individual to stay stress-free from theft.

On the flip side of the coin, a completely online payment process is partially difficult for people who are not familiar with the use of technology. For Instance, older people will face the hard time to use the mobile phone payments, and adopt the latest technology process. Additionally, keeping the cash options for such people will make it easier to go out and purchase groceries. Not to mention, if the cash option is removed from the system, then older people will no longer be able to purchase items for themselves.

After discussing the aforementioned reasons, I opine that using the cellphone pay method and adopting the latest technology is good for the development process of the country. But keeping the cash option for certain people is also necessary.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses the prompt by discussing both advantages and disadvantages of mobile payment systems. However, the position is somewhat ambiguous. While you mention that technology is good for development, you also argue for the necessity of cash, without clearly stating whether you believe the advantages outweigh the disadvantages or vice versa. The ideas are relevant, but the development is somewhat superficial. For instance, the point about theft is mentioned but not fully explained. To reach a higher band, ensure your position is clearly stated in the introduction and consistently maintained throughout the essay, with more detailed supporting examples.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized into clear paragraphs, each with a distinct focus. You use some cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'Moreover', and 'On the flip side of the coin' to guide the reader. However, some transitions feel a bit mechanical or slightly unnatural, such as 'To mention' or 'Not to mention'. The progression of ideas is generally clear, but the link between the introduction and the body paragraphs could be smoother. Overall, the paragraphing is appropriate, and the structure supports the reader's understanding of your argument.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, allowing you to express your ideas clearly. You use some topic-specific terms like 'cashless', 'online payment process', and 'latest technology'. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there are instances of slightly awkward phrasing, such as 'face the hard time' instead of 'have a hard time' or 'struggle'. To improve, try to incorporate more precise collocations and less common lexical items to demonstrate a higher level of control and sophistication in your writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'while other think' (should be 'others think') and 'stay stress-free from theft' (which is slightly unnatural). Punctuation is generally functional, but there are minor errors in article usage and verb agreement. The majority of your sentences are understandable, but the frequency of these small errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and more varied sentence construction will help improve your score.

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