Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-09-22

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)

In this contemporary world, the usage of mobile phones to pay for the procurement of things or goods is very common. The payment is completed within seconds due to the technological advancement nowadays.

In the last decade, the use of mobile phone has significantly increased with new technological development. The mobile phone which was initially used for communication purposes now serve as a medium of payment. The main contributing factor is the developed widespread use of internet services across the globe. With the help of 5G antennas and better service reception, internet is available across all major cities and even the rural areas are also in the process of development.

For instance,in India, the use of QR codes for daily local payment has been a story of success. The merchants have their own unique QR codes signifying their bank account details. When scanned, the consumers would be able to pay through their mobile phones with just a tap. This has proven to be beneficial for both the merchants as well as the consumers.

However, increased use of online payments has disadvantages too. One such example is the increased cyber crime wherein a consumer loses their hard earned money to the hands of the online hackers. This has been a serious issue nowadays wherein many such cases are reported on regular basis. Many consumers receive fradulent calls which impersonates to be from banks and thereby fall in the trap of sharing personal information to unwanted people.

In conclusion, the use of mobile phones for online payment is a mixed blessing. It is very important to stay careful in the online world where everything happens in a blink of the eye. Therefore, it is the consumer who should choose where,when and whom to share their personal details in the online platforms.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response successfully addresses the prompt by discussing both the advantages and disadvantages of using mobile phone apps for payments. You clearly take a balanced stance, noting that it is a 'mixed blessing.' Your ideas are extended and supported with relevant examples, such as the use of QR codes in India and the rise of cybercrime and fraudulent phone calls. The position is clear throughout the essay. However, to push into higher bands, the discussion on the balance between advantages and disadvantages could be slightly more analytical, weighing them more directly against one another rather than presenting them sequentially. Overall, you have fully addressed all parts of the task with good relevant examples from your own knowledge.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

Your essay demonstrates a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct focus, beginning with an introduction, followed by background, advantages, disadvantages, and a thoughtful conclusion. You use cohesive devices reasonably well, such as 'For instance,' 'However,' and 'In conclusion.' Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different ideas. However, referencing and cohesive links are sometimes slightly mechanical or repetitive, such as the frequent use of 'this' without always making the antecedent instantly clear. Nevertheless, the overall arrangement is coherent, making the text easy to follow from start to finish.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary for the task, successfully attempting less common items and phrases such as 'contemporary world,' 'procurement,' 'technological advancement,' and 'mixed blessing.' There is an adequate awareness of style, and your meaning is always clear. However, there are some minor lexical errors and awkward word choices, such as 'payment of the procurement of things or goods' which is slightly unnatural, and the spelling typo 'fradulent' instead of 'fraudulent.' Despite these occasional inaccuracies, your vocabulary is varied enough to allow smooth communication of your ideas.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You display a mix of simple and complex sentence forms throughout the response, utilizing structures such as relative clauses ('The phone which was initially used...') and conditional/participial phrases. There are several error-free sentences, and your control of grammar is generally good. However, some minor grammatical inaccuracies and punctuation slips persist, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('now serve' instead of 'now serves') and missing spaces after commas (e.g., 'For instance,in India'). Additionally, 'impersonates to be' contains a slight error in verb complementation. These errors do not impede communication, placing your grammar solidly in the Band 6.5 range.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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