Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-10-28

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 recent years, online payment using mobile phone application are more convenient on a daily basis. In my opinion, it have several advantages such as it can save a lot of time compare to going in store. However, it has drawback also for instance you have to go inperson if your card is not working. Moreover, this eassy will discuss about both advantage and disadvantage.

Firstly, Many individual use thier phone for paying thier utility bills through apple wallet which save thier time along with that their are many company give cash back if they pay thier charges through online. For example. if you pay your wifi bill through the online you can get cash back also which would lower your internet bill. Moreover, student who live overseas can aslo transfer money to thier family using phone application like remetly which can save thier time, not only it save time but deposite money within 4-5 hours.

However, people face challanges when the card or application stop working. For instance, if people go for a family trip near countryside and at place online payment is not accepted than they have to go to search for help nor they have to look for another alternative. Lastly, they have to borrow cash from somebody to pay thier bill. In modern era, Many people are can getting robed by hacker if they use thier cards details on a wrong webiste and they can loose thier money.

In coclusion, People should not relay on apps for payment all the time. However, if any individual is in emergency than online application can reslove that problem within short duration. So, in my opinion, there are varios benfit of using online apps which is good but every individual should carry card and cash both so blance can be maintained.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address both sides of the question and give a clear overall view: mobile payments are useful, but people should also carry cash and cards. The examples about paying a Wi-Fi bill, transferring money to family, and payment problems in the countryside are relevant. However, the advantages are more fully explained than the disadvantages, and the conclusion does not clearly weigh them to show why the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. The point about hackers is introduced but not developed with an explanation or example. To strengthen the response, state your comparison directly and extend each main idea with a clear consequence or specific supporting detail.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, separate paragraphs for advantages and disadvantages, and a conclusion. Sequencing words such as “Firstly,” “However,” and “In conclusion” help readers follow the main direction. Some connections are less clear or mechanical, though. For example, “not only it save time but deposite money within 4-5 hours” is difficult to connect grammatically and logically to the preceding point, while “Moreover” is used repeatedly without always adding a distinct step in the argument. The introduction also promises to discuss both sides but does not establish a precise position. Use clearer links between each claim and its example, and make the conclusion follow directly from the comparison in the body.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use enough topic-related vocabulary to communicate the main ideas, including “cash back,” “utility bills,” “transfer money,” and “online payment.” There are also attempts at more specific terms, such as “countryside” and “alternative.” However, spelling and word-choice errors are noticeable, including “eassy,” “challanges,” “robed,” and “relay,” and some phrases are unnatural, such as “go inperson” and “pay their charges through online.” These errors do not prevent the reader from understanding the overall argument, but they reduce precision and fluency. Check spelling carefully and learn common collocations for payments, security, and access to cash; this will make your vocabulary more accurate and appropriate to the topic.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including a conditional example beginning “if people go for a family trip” and a contrast introduced by “However.” The main message is generally understandable, but errors in agreement, verb forms, articles, and sentence construction occur across the response. For example, “application are,” “it have,” and “Many people are can getting” show problems with subject–verb agreement and verb patterns. The sentence beginning “if people go…” also becomes difficult to follow because its clauses are not joined accurately. Practise building accurate sentences with one main clause and a supporting clause, then check agreement and verb forms. Greater control of these patterns would make your ideas easier to read.

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