Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-09-23

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 modern times, an increasing technology has played a fundamental role in every individual lives. It has been reckoned that mobile payment applications have become an increasingly popular alternative to cash and traditional banking methods. Although this development may create certain risks, I believe that the advantages of using moblie payments apps considerable outweight the disadvantages.

To commence with, one of the main benefits of moblie payments is convenience. To exemplify, people can purchase goods and service withing seconds without carrying cash or a physical bank card. This is particularly useful when shopping onlie, odering food or paying bills. Moreover, mobile applications allow users to keep tract of their spending through digital records, which can make personal financial management easier. To illustrate, a person can immediately chech previous transactions on their phone instead of keeping paper receipts or visiting a bank.

Another significant benefits is greater accessibility and efficiency. mobile payment systems can be used at supermarkets, restaurants, public transport stations and many other places, reducing the tiem required to complete transactions. They can also be benefical for small businesses because digital payments can simplify record-keeping and reduce need to handle large amounts of cash.

However, there are some drawbacks associated with this trend. Cybersecurity and privacy concerns are among the most significant. If a person's phone or payment account is hacked, sensitive financial information could potentially stolen. There is also a risk that people may become overly dependent on technology, meaning that they could face difficulties if their phone battery dies, their devices is lost, or there is a techinal failure.

To recapitulate, while moblie payment applications involve risks related to security, privacy and technology dependence, their convenience, efficiency and ability to simplify financial transactions make them highly beneficial. Overall, I believe that the advantages of this develpment outweigh its disadvantages.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

The student addresses all parts of the prompt by discussing both the advantages and disadvantages of mobile payment applications and clearly stating their position that the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. The ideas presented are relevant and extended with examples, such as convenience when shopping online and security concerns like hacking. However, there are minor typos in some of the supporting explanations, but the core position is well-supported throughout the essay, meeting the criteria for Band 7.0.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The response is logically organized with a clear introduction, well-defined body paragraphs discussing distinct points, and a concluding summary. The student uses standard cohesive devices effectively, such as 'To commence with', 'Moreover', and 'However'. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate ideas about benefits from those about drawbacks, ensuring a clear progression of thought throughout the essay. This aligns well with the descriptors for Band 7.0.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The student demonstrates an adequate and sufficient range of vocabulary for the task, successfully using terms like 'cybersecurity', 'digital records', and 'financial management'. However, there are several spelling and typographical errors, such as 'moblie' instead of mobile, 'online' misspelled as 'onlie', 'odering' instead of ordering, and 'tract' instead of track. While these errors are noticeable, they do not impede communication, placing the response solidly at Band 6.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as concessive clauses using 'Although this development may create certain risks...'. There are some grammatical and lexical errors in sentence construction, notably the incorrect phrase 'considerable outweight the disadvantages' instead of 'considerably outweigh', and 'could potentially stolen' missing a 'be'. Despite these errors, the meaning remains clear and communication is not impeded, which is characteristic of Band 6.0.

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