Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-07-27

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 6.5)

Technology is changing the face of world currently as everything is shifting towards digitalization. In terms of using phone for payment or carrying cash very few local vendors are accepting cash, as its an extra task for them to deposit it in bank. But, here in this essay we will talk about why people will not love to stop using cash.

In my knowledge at this moment also there are many people who don't trust digital payment system as there are lot scam and fraud going on in the surroundings. For instance, when I was in my college years I used the digital payment for the first time while paying my exam fees, now I don't know how those scammers got info that I paid my fees somehow they found my phone number and started calling me and asking for money. They randomly come up with regardless things like you haven't paid the lab fees and ask for the card details.

Apart from this digital payment are processed through the OTP (One Time Passcode) which you get as text message on registered phone number. Now using some intelligence those scammers hack your phone number and take that OTP and reverse the payment and take your cards details. Same scenario happened to my friend when he lost his phone while we were on trip and he lost his 40,000 rupees.

These are the reasons why I believe that people might not be happy giving up on cash. As all the time they might be afraid of going through some kind of scam.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: the likelihood of a cashless future and the reasons for public resistance. However, the development is somewhat limited. While you provide personal anecdotes about scams, the essay lacks a broader perspective on why a cashless society might be inevitable or the systemic advantages/disadvantages beyond individual security concerns. The position is clear, but the argument could be strengthened by discussing broader economic or social implications. The response is slightly repetitive in its focus on personal experiences with fraud rather than exploring the topic in a more balanced, academic manner.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is organised into logical paragraphs, each with a clear focus. There is a basic attempt at progression, moving from the introduction to the body paragraphs. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and limited (e.g., 'Apart from this', 'For instance'). Some transitions between sentences feel abrupt, and the referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the second paragraph where the link between the exam fees and the subsequent scam is a bit disjointed. Paragraphing is present, but the flow between ideas could be smoother to achieve a higher band.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the precision and range required for higher bands. You use some relevant terms like 'digitalization', 'vendors', and 'scammers', but there is a reliance on simpler phrasing. There are also some awkward collocations and minor errors, such as 'regardless things' (likely meaning 'irrelevant things') and 'in my knowledge' (which should be 'to my knowledge'). To improve, focus on using more sophisticated synonyms and ensuring collocations are natural. The range is sufficient to convey meaning, but it does not demonstrate a high level of flexibility.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the flow. Examples include 'Technology is changing the face of world' (missing article), 'there are lot scam' (missing article and pluralisation), and 'he lost his 40,000 rupees' (slightly awkward phrasing). Punctuation is generally functional, but there are run-on sentences and comma splices. The control of grammar is inconsistent, and while complex structures are attempted, they are often marred by errors in subject-verb agreement or word order.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.