Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-14

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 6.5)

In this modern era, technology has become an integral part of all the individuals of the society. The advancement in technology has enabled people to make purchases online through phone apps and I believe that this trend of making virtual transactions has more advantages rather than disadvantages.

The main advantage of these applications is that they can help to conserve a lot of time. In brief, these mobile applications allow the users to make purchases online without visiting the stores themselves. For example, in this competitive world, people are swamped in busy schedule to make both ends meet and mostly get no time to shop for themselves by paying visit to the stores. thus, these applications allow everyone to make purchases on websites just by entering their card details. Apart from this, the online paying websites helps the individuals to access the global market. All the users can make purchases of different goods and services from every nook and corner of the world without visiting there. Moreover, the mobile paying applications eradicate the need of carrying cards or cash while going outdoors which in turn, reduces the chances of their currency or wallet being stolen or lost and save them from inconvenience.

On the other hand, considering about the cons, the only risk involved while using these websites is cyber attacks. Criminals can make fake websites to alure consumers to enter their card details during checkout or use applications like Apple Wallet to complete the transaction. In these way, these hackers succeed in receiving the user bank information and can do fraudulent activities.

In conclusion, although using mobile phone apps for payments can be a bit risky, which can prevented by using certain protection methods like cyber crime reporting and improved privacy, the advantages offered by these outweigh this dilemma.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

You have clearly addressed the prompt by taking a position that the advantages of mobile payment apps outweigh the disadvantages. Your main points—time efficiency, global market access, and security against physical theft—are relevant and well-supported. The counter-argument regarding cyber-attacks is also acknowledged and addressed. To reach a higher band, ensure that your supporting examples are slightly more specific; for instance, instead of general statements about 'busy schedules,' you could briefly mention a specific scenario, such as grocery shopping or utility bill payments. Overall, your position is consistent throughout the essay, and the task requirements are fully met.

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 'In brief,' 'Apart from this,' 'Moreover,' and 'On the other hand' to guide the reader through your arguments. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the paragraphing could be improved by ensuring each paragraph focuses on a single, distinct theme. The referencing is generally clear, though some sentences could be linked more fluidly to improve the overall flow. The progression of ideas is logical, moving from the benefits to the risks and finally to a balanced conclusion.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'integral part,' 'virtual transactions,' 'eradicate,' and 'fraudulent activities.' There are some minor inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'paying visit to the stores' (should be 'visiting stores') and 'alure' (spelling error: 'allure'). While you successfully convey your meaning, the range of vocabulary is somewhat limited to common expressions. To improve, try to incorporate more precise collocations and less common lexical items to demonstrate a higher level of sophistication and stylistic awareness.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While your meaning is always clear, there are several grammatical slips, such as 'all the individuals of the society' (should be 'individuals in society'), 'the online paying websites helps' (subject-verb agreement error: 'help'), and 'In these way' (should be 'In this way'). Additionally, there are minor punctuation and article usage errors throughout. The majority of your sentences are understandable, but the frequency of these small errors prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and consistent article usage will significantly improve your accuracy.

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