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)

Due to banking system revolution and internet availability, financial transactions are digitalized. While few individuals prefer the conventional methods of using the cash to pay their bills, those who have quickly adopted this change, speculates that the physical money will soon be replaced by the digital currency. I am not fully buying their claim that the hard cash will disappear from the system.

It is very evident that the usage of cards and digital payment methods such as UPI or GPAY have increased significantly in the last decade. Not only developed counties, but developing countries also have adopted this digital technology. The way people are paying money has been changed from the past. For example, daily, there are billions of online transactions happening in India through the Unified Payment Method (UPI). The small vendor selling vegetable on the road side is not accepting payment through UPI, and the money is directly deposited in his bank account and he gets the transaction notification instantly in his mobile phone.

However, this does not mean that cash will be replaced in near future. Central banks or Reserve banks of the countries continue to print the currencies across the globe, and there is no official announcement or hint of reducing the currency printing. Digital currencies are not yet famous, only digital transactions are being used, hence it would be not possible to replace the hard cash.

Many elderly people use cash as they are not comfortable to do online transactions. Sometimes, due to technical glitches transactions get fail and people end up paying cash. At unknown places, people are not comfortable to swipe the card as there would be possibilities of fraud through card tampering. Small businesses have to pay fee

To conclude, digital transactions are more convenient and user friendly, however they will nor replace the cash completely as currency gives the confidence to many people.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: the likelihood of a cashless future and the reasons for resistance. The position is clear throughout. However, the development of ideas is somewhat uneven. While the example of UPI in India is strong, the explanation regarding why people might be unhappy to give up cash is a bit brief and could have been expanded with more depth. The conclusion is abrupt and contains an incomplete sentence, which limits the overall development of the argument. To reach a higher band, ensure that all points are fully explored with detailed supporting evidence.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized into paragraphs, each with a clear central theme. Cohesive devices such as 'However', 'For example', and 'To conclude' are used to guide the reader. However, the flow is occasionally hindered by mechanical phrasing and some awkward transitions between sentences. For instance, the transition between the second and third paragraphs is a bit abrupt. Additionally, the final paragraph is incomplete, which disrupts the overall coherence of the conclusion. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring all sentences are complete would enhance the logical progression of the essay.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the writer to express ideas clearly. There are attempts to use topic-specific terminology like 'digitalized', 'financial transactions', and 'card tampering'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'transactions get fail' instead of 'transactions fail' and 'not accepting payment' when the context implies the opposite. The range is sufficient to convey meaning, but more sophisticated or precise vocabulary would be needed for a higher score. The repetition of 'cash' and 'digital' is noticeable.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('those who have quickly adopted this change, speculates') and awkward phrasing ('The small vendor... is not accepting payment'). Punctuation is mostly correct, but the final sentence is incomplete, which is a significant error. The control of grammar is inconsistent; while the writer can construct complex sentences, the frequency of minor errors prevents a higher score. Focusing on proofreading for subject-verb agreement and sentence completion would be beneficial.

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