Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-11-07
IELTS Writing Task 2 question
In the future, people may no longer be able to pay for things in shops using cash. All payments may have to be made by card or using phones. Do you think this will happen one day? Why do you think some people might not be happy to give up using cash?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Student answer (Band 6.0)
In today's rapidly changing world, the technology has become increasingly important by making our lives faster, easier and convenient. It is often predicted that in future, cards will totally replace the cash because it is more flexible to use, while some people are not happy with this innovation. I believe that we should considered this statement from different perspectives before reaching a final conclusion.
There are many reasons why people consider to use card or online payment. Firstly, it is convenient because by this you do not have to worry about taking a lot of money with yourself. For example, if a person pays his bill with credit card, in return there is no such issues like taking exact change from shopkeeper. Secondly, many shops or markets offer some kind a discounts for different credit cards, so it can be beneficial for many people.
However, many people disliked this technology, one of the main reason is that it is often difficult to use, the process is quite challenging for many people who are not aware of the procedure. Additionally, limited accessibility is another major concern for instance, if we visit any local market, we have to face difficulty if they have no option for online payment or there is some sort of network issue. In this way, this situation creates many drawbacks for the user.
In conclusion, although, there are clear advantages, it is important to acknowledge the disadvantages in a proper way, so that the issue can be understood in a balanced way. In my opinion, I firmly believe that innovation is very crucial in our live, but we should not totally depended on it, because simple things make the life better place to live or to deal with different circumstances.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0
You address both parts of the question: you give reasons for using card payments and explain why some people may resist them. Your position is broadly clear in the introduction and conclusion, where you support technological progress but caution against total dependence on it. The convenience and discounts examples are relevant, as are the difficulties for people unfamiliar with the process and problems caused by limited acceptance or network failures. However, the central question—whether cash will eventually disappear—is not answered directly or developed sufficiently. The discussion also focuses mainly on cards and online payments, with little consideration of phone payments or groups who may depend on cash. State your prediction explicitly and extend the reasons with a specific example or explanation.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5
The response has a clear overall structure: an introduction, separate paragraphs for advantages and concerns, and a conclusion. Sequencing is easy to follow, and signposts such as “Firstly,” “Secondly,” “However,” and “In conclusion” help readers identify the stages of the argument. This meets the lower-band expectation for coherent organisation and shows some of the stronger control associated with more flexible cohesion. However, the linking can feel mechanical, and some connections between ideas are not fully clear. For example, “In this way, this situation creates many drawbacks” repeats the previous point rather than explaining its consequence. The conclusion also introduces a broad claim about “simple things” without clearly linking it to the cashless-payment discussion. Use more precise referencing and transitions that show how each example supports your position.
Lexical Resource: Band 6.0
You use an adequate range of vocabulary for the topic, including “credit card,” “online payment,” “limited accessibility,” “network issue,” and “innovation.” These choices make the main points understandable, and you attempt some less common expressions such as “rapidly changing world” and “acknowledge the disadvantages.” However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or unnatural, including “taking a lot of money with yourself,” “some kind a discounts,” and “make the life better place to live.” “Flexible” is also not the clearest description of card payments in this context. These slips do not prevent understanding, but they limit precision. Aim for natural topic-specific phrases, such as “carry cash,” “offer discounts,” and “make life easier,” and check that each adjective expresses the intended meaning.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
You attempt a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including clauses introduced by “because,” “if,” and “although.” Most ideas remain understandable, and the response shows some ability to connect reasons and examples within longer sentences. However, some grammatical errors recur. For example, “I believe that we should considered” needs the base verb “consider”; “one of the main reason” needs a plural noun; and “we should not totally depended” needs “depend.” There are also problems with articles and sentence punctuation, as in “although, there are clear advantages,” and “for instance” is not punctuated clearly in its sentence. Review verb forms after modal verbs, subject–noun agreement, and punctuation around introductory phrases. More accurate control of these patterns would make your complex sentences clearer.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.