Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-19

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)

Debate exists over whether paying by mobile phones is a beneficial or a limitation, as it is gaining popularity in multiple nations. This essay attempts to elucidate both perks and drawbacks of this trend with justified examples.

Convenience and speed are the foremost advantages of this approach. since people can make payments quickly and easily using their smartphones, they do not need to carry cash or cards. consequently, this saves time and make everyday transactions more convenient. The ability to track spending is another significant merit. To explain it, digital payment platforms keep a proper record of financial activities, making it easier for users to track their expenditure and manage their income. Moreover, mobile payments are particularly useful during emergencies. For instance, if someone forgets their wallet while shopping, they can simply use their smartphone to make the payment.

Security risks represent one major concern associated with this approach. To clarify, smartphone applications store personal and financial information, hackers may steal sensitive data or access user's bank details which therefore, create privacy threat. Technical problems are another possible drawback. To elaborate it, if the phone's battery dies or

the internet connection is unavailable, individuals may be unable to checkout. As a result, it creates an issue for the buyer to make instant payment. Moreover, it is not ideal for everyone. To exemplify, older people may struggle to use mobile payment apps because they are less familiar with modern technology.

In conclusion, although, electronic payment offer ease of use, rapidity, easy expense tracking, and usefulness in emergencies, they also have drawbacks such as privacy concern, technical difficulties, accessible to limited people. Therefore, both the benefits and limitations of this approach should be considered.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response addresses all parts of the task by discussing both advantages and disadvantages. The position is clear throughout, and the ideas are generally well-developed. For instance, the benefits of convenience and tracking spending are supported by logical explanations. However, the conclusion is slightly repetitive, and the essay could benefit from a more explicit statement of the writer's final opinion regarding whether the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. The development of the disadvantages section is adequate, though the point about older people could be further linked to the overall argument about accessibility.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with clear paragraphing. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the progression of ideas is easy to follow. Cohesive devices such as 'Moreover', 'For instance', and 'In conclusion' are used effectively to link sentences and paragraphs. However, there are some minor issues with punctuation and sentence structure that occasionally affect the flow, such as the run-on sentence in the second paragraph ('...consequently, this saves time and make everyday transactions...'). Overall, the information is presented in a coherent manner.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary is sufficient to convey the intended meaning with some flexibility. The student uses relevant terms like 'digital payment platforms', 'financial activities', and 'privacy threat'. There are some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'paying by mobile phones is a beneficial or a limitation' (should be 'a benefit or a limitation') and 'accessible to limited people' (should be 'accessible to a limited group of people'). Despite these minor inaccuracies, the range of vocabulary is adequate for the task and does not impede communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The student uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While there is a good attempt at complex sentences, there are frequent errors in grammar and punctuation. For example, 'make everyday transactions' should be 'makes', and 'electronic payment offer' should be 'electronic payments offer'. Additionally, there are some issues with comma splices and capitalization. While these errors are noticeable, they rarely impede the reader's understanding of the main points. To reach a higher band, the student should focus on subject-verb agreement and more precise punctuation.

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