Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

In recent years, there has been a growing trend towards paid applications.

While this development offers several benefits, it also has some drawbacks. This essay will discuss both the advantages and disadvantages of this trend.

There are several advantages associated with this trend.

The most significant benefit is that paying for something assists to avoid unnecessary usage. This is because if people have access to download applications without money. They can easily trap themselves towards social media. A clear illustration of this can be seen in a people whose are scrolling whole day due to unlimited data. It would be better if they need to pay for it they become less addicted towards phones.

Furthermore, application status is another positive aspect of this trend. This can lead to maintain status and popularity of that application.

Despite, these benefits, this trend is not without its disadvantages. One of the major drawback is that everybody cannot afford these applications.

The reason behind this is individuals who use paid software everyday for work needs to pay half of their salary for these tools.

In addition, online payment is another scam for these programs. Nowadays, online money scandals are increasing day by day. Sometimes people afraid to make online transitions to purchase a application as they need to upload personal information too.

In conclusion, this development has certain drawbacks. I believe that its advantages are more significant than disadvantages because payment method helps to avoid excessive use of internet, and also assists to decline unnecessary data usage.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses the prompt by discussing both advantages and disadvantages. However, the development of ideas is limited. The argument regarding 'application status' is vague and lacks clear explanation, while the point about 'unnecessary usage' is somewhat repetitive. The position is stated in the conclusion, but the supporting arguments lack depth and specific, well-explained examples. The essay touches on the core topic but fails to fully explore the implications of mobile payment trends, resulting in a somewhat superficial treatment of the subject matter. To improve, you should provide more detailed reasoning and clearer examples for each point raised.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organised into paragraphs, which is a positive feature. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate. For example, 'Despite, these benefits' is grammatically incorrect and awkwardly placed. The transition between ideas is sometimes abrupt, and the logical flow within paragraphs is hindered by sentence-level errors. While there is an overall attempt at a logical structure, the progression of ideas is not always smooth. Referencing is occasionally unclear, such as the vague mention of 'application status'. Improving the variety and accuracy of linking words would significantly enhance the coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks precision and variety. There are several instances of awkward word choice, such as 'paying for something assists to avoid unnecessary usage' and 'trap themselves towards social media'. The term 'online money scandals' is informal and imprecise. While the meaning is generally clear, the range of vocabulary is limited, and there is little evidence of less common lexical items or sophisticated collocations. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise terminology related to digital finance and technology, and work on natural collocations.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede readability. Examples include 'a people whose are scrolling', 'if they need to pay for it they become less addicted', and 'everybody cannot afford these applications'. Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with sentence fragments like 'This is because if people have access to download applications without money.' These errors are frequent and represent a lack of control over complex structures. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement, correct use of relative clauses, and ensuring that sentences are complete and grammatically sound.

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