Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-09-02

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 6.0)

Nowadays, paying for goods using mobile applications has become very common in many countries. Although, it has some drawbacks, I believe its advantages are greater as it makes the payment convenient and keep records of finanacial expenses.

To commence with, one major benefit of this development is that it provides the convenience as people do not need to carry a wallet or cash to pay for anything. For example, people can pay in restaurants, shopping malls and for transportation by using their cellphones in just few seconds. So, this is very advantageous for busy people. Apart from that, online payments keep the record of transactions and people can check their financial expenses and manage their spendings effectively.

Moving to the disadvantages, the biggest concern is the security issue. If someone's phone is hacked or lost, their personal and financial information can be at risk. Another drawback is elderly people are not familiar with the new technology, so it is difficult for them to pay for anything by using smartphones. Furthermore, it needs internet connection, therefore, the payment cannot be done if there is no network or the phone gets switched off.

In conclusion, although mobile payments can create some security concerns and can be challenging for some people but I believe its advantages outweigh its disadvantages because of its convenience, speed and its ability to keep the records of every penny.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses the prompt by discussing both advantages and disadvantages and clearly states a position. However, the essay is under the 250-word minimum requirement (231 words), which limits the depth of development. While the main points regarding convenience and security are relevant, they are somewhat brief. To achieve a higher band, you should expand on your examples with more detail or introduce a third supporting point to ensure the response is fully developed and meets the length requirement. The position is consistent throughout, but the lack of length prevents a more thorough exploration of the topic.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized into clear paragraphs, with an introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'To commence with', 'Apart from that', and 'In conclusion' to signal transitions. However, the flow between some sentences is slightly mechanical. To improve, try to use a wider variety of linking words and ensure that referencing (e.g., 'this development') is used to connect ideas more fluidly across sentences. The paragraphing is appropriate, but the overall progression could be smoother with more sophisticated transitions.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'transactions', 'financial expenses', and 'security concerns'. However, the vocabulary is somewhat repetitive and lacks the precision or 'less common' items required for higher bands. There are minor errors in word choice, such as 'keep records of finanacial expenses' (should be 'keeps a record of financial expenses'). To improve, focus on using more precise collocations and synonyms to avoid repeating words like 'pay' or 'advantageous'. Expanding your range to include more academic or topic-specific vocabulary would be beneficial.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical slips, such as 'Although, it has some drawbacks' (the comma after 'Although' is incorrect) and 'it needs internet connection' (should be 'it requires an internet connection'). Additionally, there are minor errors with articles and pluralization, such as 'in just few seconds' (should be 'in just a few seconds'). You have a decent grasp of basic grammar, but you need to increase the frequency of error-free complex sentences and improve your control over punctuation to reach a higher band.

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