Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

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

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)

The advancement in technology has transformed various sectors leading to increased efficiency. The development in digital sector increases the trend of making digital payments by cell phone. The benefits of this trend outweighs its drawback which I will discuss in the impending paragraphs.

The first and foremost advantage of doing virtual payments is the reduction in thefts and robberies. The headlines of newpapers were usually filled with cash robberies when someone withdraws paper money from the ATMs and when some carries cash in bulk to make an experience purchase. Not only, this development makes masses feel safer but it also makes their life more convenient. For instance, for simple grocery shopping, transit travel one can make payments by tapping their mobile phones.

Moving further, people no longer have to carry cash and cards with them which eventually reduces the risk of losing them. apart from this, it saves alot of time as payments can be made within few seconds by tapping or scanning the QR codes at self checkouts. One can save their time by making online payments and can use their time in a productive way.

On the contrary side, there are few drawbacks of e- payments. For digital payments all the cards information is uploaded in the mobile phones. Through cyber crime one can easily get someone's banking information by hacking their phone and can withdraw money from their bank accounts by using OTPs. Additionally, elder people are not comfortable with the technology and doing virtual payments is nit a cup of tea for them.

To conclude it can be said that payments by using mobile phones adds comfort and convenience. However, one should use it wisely as sharing their personal or banking information can risk their easy access.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, clearly stating that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. The ideas are relevant, such as the reduction in theft and the convenience of digital payments. However, the development of these points is somewhat limited. For example, the discussion on cybercrime is brief, and the point about elderly people could have been expanded with more specific examples or a deeper analysis of the digital divide. While the position is clear throughout, the supporting arguments would benefit from more depth to reach a higher band.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized into paragraphs, each with a clear central topic. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'The first and foremost advantage', 'Moving further', and 'On the contrary side'. However, some transitions feel a bit mechanical, and there are instances where the flow could be smoother. For example, the sentence 'Not only, this development makes masses feel safer but it also makes their life more convenient' contains awkward phrasing that disrupts the logical flow. Overall, the progression of ideas is clear, but the use of cohesive devices could be more sophisticated.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the writer to express their ideas clearly. There are some attempts at less common vocabulary, such as 'impending paragraphs' and 'cyber crime'. However, there are also some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'make an experience purchase' and 'nit a cup of tea'. Additionally, there are minor spelling errors like 'newpapers' and 'alot'. To improve, the student should focus on using more precise collocations and ensuring accurate spelling of common terms.

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 throughout the text. Examples include 'The benefits of this trend outweighs' (subject-verb agreement), 'when some carries cash' (should be 'someone'), and 'elder people' (should be 'elderly people'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with comma usage. While these errors do not significantly impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher band score. Increasing the variety of error-free complex structures would be beneficial.

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