Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-10

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 7.5)

Digital methods of payments such as mobile phone apps are becoming popular in multiple nations. They have significant advantages such as convenience, security and transparency which outweigh disadvantage like cyber-theft.

One of the significant merits offered by phone payments is convenience. Since people do not carry cash or credit cards everywhere if they can pay through the phone, it enhances their overall shopping experience. For instance, people can easily upload their credit card or bank account information on Apple Pay app on their phones and use it conveniently for everyday shopping. Another important advantage is a reduced risk of theft or pick-pocketing because individuals do not carry large cash amounts with them while they shop. Furthermore, using digital money reduces corruption at multiple levels as shopkeepers cannot hide their earnings from the government and need to pay taxes on their income which is reflected from their business accounts. This practice prevents black money accumulation and uplifts the society as a whole.

On the contrary, the demerit such as risk of cyber-theft cannot be overlooked as it can put consumers in precarious situations. It is quite common to hear the stories of cyber-fraud by the devious criminals who are coming up with innovative ways to steal money online. When one enters his credit card or bank details on the apps, there is always a risk of data leak which can be misused by hackers to steal the hard earned money of innocent users. Even though many applications promise secure platforms the risk of such incidents cannot be minimized.

In conclusion, although paying through cellular phone apps has a possible disadvantage of cyber-theft, the advantages offered in terms of convenience, prevention of in-person theft and transparency in business are far more considerable.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, clearly stating a position that the advantages of mobile payments outweigh the disadvantages. The ideas are relevant and well-developed, particularly the points regarding convenience, security, and the reduction of corruption. The argument is supported with logical reasoning and examples, such as the mention of Apple Pay and the impact on tax transparency. The position is maintained consistently throughout the essay, and the conclusion effectively summarizes the main points. To reach a higher band, the student could provide more nuanced exploration of the 'cyber-theft' counter-argument to demonstrate a deeper analytical approach.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the progression of ideas is easy to follow. Cohesive devices such as 'For instance', 'Furthermore', and 'On the contrary' are used effectively to link sentences and paragraphs. The referencing is generally clear, though some transitions could be more sophisticated to improve the flow. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the advantages from the disadvantages, contributing to the overall coherence of the response.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

The vocabulary is sufficient and appropriate for the task. The student uses topic-specific terms like 'cyber-theft', 'cyber-fraud', 'transparency', and 'black money accumulation' effectively. There is an attempt to use less common vocabulary, which is generally successful. While the range is adequate, it could be further enhanced by incorporating more precise collocations and idiomatic expressions to demonstrate a higher level of lexical control. The word choices are accurate and do not impede communication, showing a good awareness of style.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The student demonstrates a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are error-free, and the grammar is generally accurate. There are occasional minor slips, such as 'disadvantage like cyber-theft' (should be plural 'disadvantages') and 'hear the stories of cyber-fraud' (the article 'the' is unnecessary here). However, these errors are infrequent and do not interfere with the reader's understanding. The punctuation is handled well, and the control over complex structures, such as conditional sentences and relative clauses, is consistent.

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