Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 15 · 2026-11-03

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 today's world, people are behind fast technology, fast food, and even fast transportation. No one wants to wait a second or waste time on things that really require proper attention. Everyone is into a fast-paced life.

One such matter is how we can make payments in the current world; the majority of countries and even small developing places are using phones as a medium to transfer money from banks to stores or restaurants or wherever a payment is required at the time.

For every innovation, there is a benefit and a drawback. Considering the time we can save by not visiting an atm for withdrawing money every time we need to make a payment, compared to carrying cards everywhere and keeping them safe from thieves. All these can be avoided by using mobile phone apps for making payments in the current period. For example, I forgot to carry my card with me; thankfully, the bank details were linked to my phone through the Paytm app. Just by scanning a QR code, a payment can be made rather than travelling all the way back home, getting card and then making the payment.

On the other side of these method of payment , there is high chance of online fraud alert required and even hacking all are to be issue known to common people. Only then this can be successful way while we move forward. If people are not aware about the way a stranger can call and give you a good reason that you can belive to provide an otp that was send from their side to access your phone through call, all of your device can be viewed and they can gain access to banking apps as well.

From my perspective, having a phone is good and makes things easier; when we are switching to comfort, we have to be cautious with everything. It takes few seconds to empty your bank money because of having this paying apps in phone which are linked to bank. So sticking to old methods are better rather than new ones, even though every method will have some drawbacks.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address the question by discussing both the convenience of app payments and the risks of fraud, and you give a relevant personal example involving Paytm and a QR code. However, the task asks you to decide whether the advantages or disadvantages are greater, and your position is not fully consistent: you first emphasise the benefits, but conclude that “sticking to old methods are better.” State this judgement clearly in the introduction and maintain it throughout. The security concern is relevant, but the explanation focuses on one type of scam and would benefit from a fuller account of its consequences or ways users can reduce the risk. These points make the response only partially developed, despite its relevant examples.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, a paragraph on benefits, a paragraph on risks, and a concluding opinion. The Paytm example also follows naturally from the point about convenience. However, progression is weakened by the opening generalisations about fast food and transportation, which do not lead directly to the comparison in the question. Some links are awkward or unclear, such as “On the other side of these method of payment,” and the conclusion introduces a stronger preference for old methods without clearly resolving the earlier discussion. Use topic sentences that signal each paragraph’s main point, connect the example explicitly to your argument, and make the final judgement follow logically from the evidence.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant vocabulary for the topic, including “medium to transfer money,” “QR code,” “online fraud,” “hacking,” and “banking apps.” These terms help communicate the main ideas, and the personal example gives the discussion some specificity. However, several expressions are imprecise or unnatural, including “people are behind fast technology,” “high chance of online fraud alert required,” and “empty your bank money.” Spelling and word-form errors such as “belive” and “send” also reduce accuracy. Aim for more natural collocations and precise wording, especially when explaining risks. For example, describe the possibility of “falling victim to fraud” and say that scammers may “gain access to a user’s bank account.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mixture of simple and more complex sentences, including a conditional explanation beginning “If people are not aware…” and a comparison between paying by app and returning home for a card. However, complex structures are often difficult to follow because of errors in sentence formation and agreement. For example, “Considering the time we can save…” is a fragment, while “On the other side of these method” has a number-agreement problem. The conclusion also has errors in “It takes few seconds” and “sticking to old methods are better.” Review articles, singular and plural agreement, and sentence boundaries. Breaking long explanations into complete sentences would make your meaning clearer while still allowing you to show grammatical variety.

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