Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-10-25

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)

It has been argued that in some cities individuals paying bills with their cellphones app is going trend and i have more disadvantages to this issue which i will be discussing in this essay

Firstly, if we use cellphones app payment we could not know how much amount does it left with us to know that we should check our bank account then only we can find the exact amount having with us. For example, if we had cash with us then we don't want to check and we don't need to go to the bank for statement we can check at our home it self with out any problem.

Secondly, paying online with cellphone apps may apply tax on each payment and it will be difficult to pay tax on every purchase, every individual can't efford this because some of people are having low income which they can't pay tax on little things. For instance, if we pay cash then we don't have tax to pay we can easily buy things with out paying tax.

To Conclude, paying online with cellphones app is becoming more worse for some people who earn less income cannot efford so it is disadvantage. Therefore, cash payment is more helpfull for everyone to buy things and purchase easily with out paying any tax to the government

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You state a clear view that mobile-app payments have more disadvantages, and both body paragraphs attempt to support that position. However, the response addresses the task only partially: the points about checking a balance and paying tax are not explained convincingly, and the claim that cash purchases avoid tax is too broad and potentially inaccurate. The examples are brief and do not show clearly how these problems affect users. The conclusion repeats your position but adds little development. The response is also 28 words below the required minimum, which limits the space available to explain and support your ideas. Develop each disadvantage with a realistic example and explain why it outweighs the convenience of app payments.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The essay has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, two body paragraphs signalled by “Firstly” and “Secondly,” and a concluding paragraph. This makes the main direction easy to follow. However, progression within paragraphs is limited: each point is stated and followed by an example, but the connection between the example and the claimed disadvantage is not always clear. For instance, checking a bank account does not necessarily show why app payments are worse than cash. Linking phrases are repetitive and sometimes mechanical, while the conclusion largely restates the introduction. To improve, organise each paragraph around one clearly explained claim, then use a specific example and a sentence showing its consequence.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

Your vocabulary is sufficient to communicate the general topic, using relevant terms such as “cellphones,” “bank account,” “cash payment,” and “low income.” However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate, which makes parts of the response awkward or unclear. Examples include “going trend,” “how much amount does it left with us,” and “more worse.” Spelling errors such as “efford” and “helpfull,” along with repeated use of “pay” and “payment,” also reduce control. Build a more precise set of topic phrases, such as “mobile payment apps,” “monitor spending,” and “transaction fees,” and check spelling and natural word combinations.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You use mostly simple sentence patterns, with some attempts to join ideas using clauses such as “which they can't pay tax on little things.” These attempts show an effort to express cause and explanation, but complex structures are often faulty, and frequent errors sometimes make the meaning difficult to follow. For example, “if we use cellphones app payment we could not know how much amount does it left with us” has problems with articles, question structure, and verb form. There are also errors in sentence boundaries and punctuation, including the long opening sentence and inconsistent capitalisation of “I.” Practise accurate simple sentences first, then add subordinate clauses and check subject–verb agreement, articles, and punctuation.

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