Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-07

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 7.0)

In many nations, mobile phone apps are becoming increasingly common for payment methods. Although this can create some disadvantages, I believe its advantages outweigh them.

One major merit is convenience: people do not need to carry their cash or cards, which is highly convenient. These cashless transactions help them to save time. People go to the shops, buy things, and pay with their mobile phones. Moreover, the risk of card or cash misplacement is also reduced. Additionally, people can get notifications about their dues. For instance. If a person forgets to pay their gas bill, they can receive notifications in their mobile app and pay on time.

Another main advantage is the low risk of theft. People do not carry cash or cards, thus it will prevent them from being robbed. In addition, mobile apps help us track our total spending, and we can keep a record of it. To illustrate, last week my husband spent a little more than he had in the last three months; he was immediately notified about his high spending this month. He got proper details on where he spent most, such as on groceries or shopping.

Although there are numerous pros to using digital payment methods, I believe they also have some cons. When people use the internet to make payments, network issues can cause embarrassment as they try to connect to pay for purchases. Moreover, some people are not accustomed to using online apps and may face difficulties when using them. For example, older people are not used to these apps, so they have to carry their cash or cards for their convenience.

To conclude, although there are some disadvantages of using mobile phone apps for paying their amounts, I think the advantages outweigh them. It's very convenient and easy to use. There are also online frauds, but they can be mitigated by using security measures such as face recognition, fingerprint recognition, and passwords.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

You have addressed all parts of the prompt by discussing both the advantages and disadvantages of mobile payment apps and clearly stating your position that the advantages outweigh the drawbacks. Your ideas are relevant and supported by personal examples, such as the anecdote about your husband's spending notifications. To reach a higher band, ensure that your arguments are more fully developed; for instance, the point about 'network issues' is a good start, but could be expanded to discuss the broader implications of digital exclusion or infrastructure dependency. Overall, the response is well-focused and maintains a clear position throughout.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. You use cohesive devices such as 'Moreover,' 'Additionally,' and 'To illustrate' to link your ideas effectively. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct points. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical or repetitive. To improve, try to vary your linking phrases and ensure that the progression between sentences is smoother. For example, the transition between the benefits of tracking spending and the disadvantages of network issues could be more fluid to better connect the contrasting ideas.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your ideas clearly. You use topic-specific terms like 'cashless transactions,' 'digital payment methods,' and 'mitigated' correctly. There are some minor issues with word choice, such as 'paying their amounts,' which is slightly unnatural. To move into the higher bands, try to incorporate more sophisticated collocations and less common lexical items. For example, instead of 'get notifications,' you could use 'receive real-time alerts.' Your spelling is accurate throughout the text, which is a positive aspect of your writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While most of your sentences are clear and error-free, there are occasional grammatical slips, such as the sentence fragment 'For instance. If a person...' and the slightly awkward phrasing 'paying their amounts.' You demonstrate good control over basic grammar, but to achieve a higher score, you should aim for more variety in complex structures, such as using more conditional or passive constructions. Punctuation is generally handled well, though the aforementioned sentence fragment should be corrected by using a comma instead of a period.

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