Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

In the modern era, technological advancements have transformed the way people use to make payments. While the growing technology have certain benefits such as it reduces the burden of carrying physical cash, provides greater convenience and faster payments, it also have drawbacks such as frauds and technical issues which prevent payments to went through.

To begin with, digital technology, particularly smartphones plays a crucial role in individuals' lives. Digital innovations such as mobile phone applications provides greater flexibility in making online payments as it can be done in one single click. The apps not only eliminated the burden of carrying physical cash but also guarranteed the faster payments and financial incentives such cash back rewards or loyalty points while using debit or credit cards.

Secondly, as coin has dual phases likewise technology has it's own drawbacks as well. Fraudalent activities and hacking are the negative sides of technology because of which people are reluctant to switch from carrying physical cash to digital apps. In addition, another drawback could be the technical issues which prevent payments to went through. For instance, in rural areas where internet network is unreliable or phones are not upgraded by poor families may find it ease to carry physcial cash. Therefore, because of this technological smartphones apps is not readily adaptable by certain parts of world particularly rural areas.

In conclusion, although with rapid technological development have provides greater benefits such as flexib

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You address the topic by presenting benefits—convenience, avoiding cash, and rewards—and drawbacks such as fraud and unreliable internet. However, the task asks whether the development has more advantages or disadvantages, and your position is not clearly stated or consistently supported. The conclusion begins, “although …” but is cut off, so it does not resolve the comparison. Several points are also brief: the example about rural areas is relevant, but the effects of fraud and technical failures are not explained in much detail. The response is 13 words below the required minimum, which limits the space available to develop your argument. State your overall judgement directly and extend each main point with a specific explanation or example.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, two body paragraphs and an attempted conclusion. Sequencing phrases such as “To begin with,” “Secondly,” and “In conclusion” help signal the stages of the argument. However, progression is weakened by abrupt or unclear links between ideas. For example, “because of which people are reluctant” does not clearly connect the general risk of fraud to the later rural-area example, and “Therefore, because of this” repeats the same causal link. The conclusion is unfinished, leaving the essay without a complete final step. Use clearer links between each claim and its explanation, avoid repeating connectors, and ensure the final paragraph completes the argument.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a relevant range of topic vocabulary, including “mobile phone applications,” “physical cash,” “fraudulent activities,” “hacking,” and “unreliable” internet. These choices make the subject clear, and terms such as “loyalty points” add useful specificity. However, several spelling and word-choice errors reduce precision, including “guarranteed,” “Fraudalent,” “physcial,” and “ease” where “easier” is intended. Some phrases are also unnatural or imprecise, such as “coin has dual phases” and “technological smartphones apps.” Aim for accurate collocations and forms, and choose direct expressions such as “cash has advantages and disadvantages” rather than translating an idiom literally. Proofreading would help preserve the meaning of your otherwise relevant vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including a contrast in the opening and a conditional-style example beginning “where internet network is unreliable.” However, errors occur frequently, and some sentences are difficult to follow. Examples include “the growing technology have,” “it also have,” and “applications provides,” where subject–verb agreement is incorrect. Verb forms are also faulty in “prevent payments to went through” and “although with rapid technological development have provides.” Articles and sentence construction need attention as well, as in “in one single click” and the long opening sentence, which joins several ideas without secure grammatical control. Practise agreement, verb patterns after “prevent,” and complete sentence structures before adding more complex clauses.

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