Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-07-29
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)
People might not be able to use cash as mode of payment in coming years in market because it might happen that most of the transaction would be in debits or by using phones . I believe this surely can happen. Many young people these days carry no cash and are fully dependent on cards or apple pays to make a payment .
On the other hand , most of the elders of society still prefer using cash. This is because they do not trust technology and are not very used to online transaction they believe it is easy to do with cash and sometimes cash helps them when the online payments did not work due to network or any in system glitch. For example, My Father always carry cash with him because once he went to buy grocery and he was trying to pay online but it did not work because bank was having some technical issue processing payment and he has to pay with cash .
According to me in this modern era anything is possible as the old generation disappear and gen z will take over it will be all about technology and online stuff. Most of the cafes and other businesses prefer card as payments they do not accept cash . Thesedays, people believe that carrying cash is risky because it would be stolen any time . No cash means no threat of robbery .
To conclude , online transactions may take over but there will be always a number of people who believe cash is best mode of payment .
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.0 |
| Overall | 6.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5
The response addresses both parts of the prompt: the likelihood of a cashless society and the reasons for resistance. However, the development is somewhat limited. While you provide a personal example regarding your father, the discussion on why people might be unhappy is a bit brief and could have been expanded to include broader concerns like privacy, data security, or the exclusion of those without digital literacy. The position is clear, but the arguments could be more thoroughly explored to reach a higher band. The structure is logical, but the depth of analysis is consistent with a Band 6.0 level.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5
The essay is organised into clear paragraphs, which helps the reader follow your argument. You use some basic cohesive devices like 'On the other hand' and 'To conclude'. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical, and the use of linking words is limited. For instance, the transition between the idea of 'young people' and 'elders' is abrupt. To improve, try to use a wider variety of cohesive devices (e.g., 'furthermore', 'consequently', 'nevertheless') and ensure that referencing (e.g., 'this', 'these') is used more precisely to connect ideas across sentences.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.5
Your vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing you to express your ideas clearly. You use some topic-specific terms like 'online transaction', 'technical issue', and 'robbery'. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there are instances of slightly unnatural phrasing, such as 'online stuff' or 'as the old generation disappear'. To reach a higher band, aim to incorporate more precise academic vocabulary and collocations. For example, instead of 'online stuff', you could use 'digital payment systems' or 'electronic financial platforms'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0
You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While your meaning is generally clear, there are frequent errors in grammar and punctuation. Examples include 'My Father always carry cash' (subject-verb agreement), 'he has to pay' (tense inconsistency), and missing articles (e.g., 'in market', 'as mode of payment'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with unnecessary spaces before commas. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement, consistent verb tenses, and the correct use of articles. Proofreading for these common errors will significantly improve your score.
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