Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-07-24

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 7.0)

In the future, technological advancement will make people use more digital payments from their cards or phones than using cash to purchase things. In my opinion, paying by bank card or digital payments will happen in most countries, especially with working adults and young generations, because of mobile phone culture, convenience in every situation, and safety perceptions.

In theseday, many working adults and the young generations own their phones in their hands almost the whole day for different purposes such as work-related convenience or safety matters. So, when they want to purchase something, they pay using a card or phone wallet. They believe that this is convenient for them by just tapping the card. In addition, by using digital payments, they protect themselves from theft or robbery by others on the street.For example, someone who carry cash to buy something at supermarket, he or she forgot it in the car but a thief had stolen that money when the owner is not around the car. This type of crime has happened at the city almost every month. Moreover, working adults can monitor their spending with proper records by bank, which is the most benefits for working adults.

On the other hand, some older people who prefer to cash every purchase will not be happy to use cards. The first reason is they are not familiar with the use of technology or phones like youngsters. Consequently, they don't feel satisfied with the purchase process with cards. Moreover, they believe that using digital payments is intruding on their personal data such as their account number, income, and merchant name, by using it.

In conclusion, most of the payments will change to digital in the future by the choice of user. By a convenience and safety perspective, people will prefer to use digital methods, while some people love to keep their personal data untouched or are unfamiliar with technology.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt. You clearly state your opinion that digital payments will become the norm and provide logical reasons for why some people, particularly the elderly, might resist this change. The ideas are relevant and generally well-developed, such as the mention of security concerns and the digital divide. However, some arguments could be more thoroughly extended; for instance, the example regarding the stolen money in the car is a bit anecdotal and could be framed more broadly to strengthen the argument. Overall, the position is clear throughout the essay, and the response meets the requirements of the task effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. You use cohesive devices such as 'In addition', 'Moreover', 'On the other hand', and 'Consequently' to link ideas. While the progression is generally clear, some transitions feel slightly mechanical or repetitive. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the advantages of digital payments from the concerns of older generations. Referencing is mostly clear, though there are minor issues with article usage and pluralization that occasionally affect the flow of ideas. Overall, the structure is coherent and easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'technological advancement', 'convenience', 'safety perceptions', and 'intruding on their personal data'. There are some minor inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'In theseday' (should be 'Nowadays') and 'prefer to cash' (should be 'prefer to use cash'). You also use 'the most benefits' instead of 'the main benefit'. While these errors do not impede communication, they indicate a need for more precise control over word forms and collocations to reach a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While you successfully convey your meaning, there are frequent errors in grammar and punctuation. Examples include 'someone who carry cash' (should be 'carries'), 'at the city' (should be 'in the city'), and 'by a convenience and safety perspective' (should be 'from a convenience and safety perspective'). Additionally, there are issues with article usage and subject-verb agreement throughout the text. Despite these errors, the meaning remains clear, and the grammar does not significantly impede the reader's understanding of your arguments.

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