Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-08-20
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 5.0)
Nowadays, in many countries, people use more mobile applications like WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook, and they are more likely to pay for these apps. This development has both positive and negative effects. I will discuss both in the following paragraph.
The dominant positive reason is that people nowadays are more interested in knowing about new trends. Make it clearer that individual now intersted about fashion, politics, and new features that help them in their daily life. If they do not pay for this app, they might miss out on trends. For example, on Instagram, influencers use paid promotion, and because of that, if common people want to watch, they have to pay first, and then they can enjoy. Moreover, if a person pays for this app, they can access the latest features in a particular app; this can help them in their personal and professional life. For example, recently, instagram, lunch a AI tool for creating pictures that helps them enhance picture quality as well as create more meaningful photos.
On the other hand, the negative trend are this might be loose interst in study and more focus on the application. Because of this, especially teenagers nowadays, more indulged in all these apps, they create people-shaming photos.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words, which significantly impacts the development of ideas. While you identify both positive and negative effects, the arguments are underdeveloped and lack depth. For instance, the discussion on 'trends' and 'influencers' is vague and does not fully address the broader implications of mobile payment systems. Furthermore, the negative argument regarding 'people-shaming' is unclear and lacks a logical connection to the topic of mobile payments. To improve, you must expand your points with more detailed explanations and relevant examples to ensure the task is fully addressed.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay has a basic structure with an introduction and body paragraphs, but the progression of ideas is often disjointed. While you use some cohesive devices like 'Moreover' and 'On the other hand', the transitions between sentences are sometimes abrupt or confusing, such as the shift from influencers to AI tools. Paragraphing is present, but the content within the paragraphs lacks a clear, logical flow. To achieve a higher score, ensure that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence and that ideas are linked more smoothly using a wider variety of cohesive devices.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
Your vocabulary is generally limited and repetitive. You rely on basic terms like 'pay for', 'apps', and 'help'. There are also issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'lunch a AI tool' (should be 'launched an AI tool') and 'loose interst' (should be 'lose interest'). The range of vocabulary is insufficient to discuss the topic with precision. To improve, try to incorporate more topic-specific vocabulary related to technology and finance, and focus on using words in their correct grammatical forms.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The essay contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede communication. There are issues with subject-verb agreement ('negative trend are'), article usage, and sentence structure ('Make it clearer that individual now intersted'). You rely mostly on simple sentence structures, and attempts at more complex sentences often result in errors. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, ensuring correct verb tenses, and proofreading for common errors like pluralization and spelling.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.