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)

Nowadays, technology increasing day by day and this is a sparked widespread issue all over the world and due to this advancement people love to pay online by using cards and phones instead of using cash. I will discuss about this trend like why this will happening and few individuals may be not happy for giving up for using cash payments.

To commence with, i really concern that, due to ameliorating in technology future will be unpredictable and more and more people use their smartphones for every purpose. In present time, numerous people using their debit or credit card for paying their shopping bills and it is not only applied on shopping but also the population pay their electricity and other bill by using online applications like Google pay. Therefore, It is a high chance in the upcoming years citizens use their phones for make their payments because it is a time saver and convenient for everyone.

Despite the abovementioned, young generation will be happy with this trend but old people love to pay by using cash because they do not have enough knowledge about using online platforms. Apart from this, few person scared from online scams like data phasing and financial crime. So, that's why they love to pay in cash instead of using their smart phones or cards while purchasing anything. For instance, In Canada, people make their payments by their phones due to this cyber crime increased 10% from the last 2 years. Thus, number of people using their cash for payment in Canada.

In conclusion, although i believe that going with the follow is vital for everyone, when people pay by their cards or phones, it is convenient and time saving for everyone in this fast paced lifestyle, if they paying in a cash they do not do overspending on unnecessary things and they also stay away from online crimes such as cybersecurity threats.

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 resistance. However, the development is somewhat uneven. The first body paragraph effectively discusses the trend toward digital payments, but the second paragraph, while identifying valid reasons for resistance (lack of digital literacy and fear of cybercrime), lacks depth in its explanation. The example provided regarding Canada is a bit vague and lacks a clear connection to the broader argument. To reach a higher band, ensure that each point is fully extended with more detailed reasoning or illustrative examples that clearly support the main argument.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, each with a clear focus. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'To commence with', 'Despite the abovementioned', and 'In conclusion', though some are used slightly awkwardly or mechanically. The referencing is generally clear, although the transition between the second and third paragraphs could be smoother. The progression of ideas is logical, moving from the trend to the counter-arguments and finally to a summary. Improving the variety and naturalness of linking words would help elevate the score in this criterion.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the writer to express ideas clearly. There are some attempts at less common vocabulary, such as 'ameliorating' and 'cybersecurity threats', though 'ameliorating in technology' is an incorrect collocation. Some word choices are imprecise, such as 'data phasing' (likely meant 'phishing') and 'going with the follow' (likely meant 'going with the flow'). While these errors do not impede communication, they indicate a need for more precise control over word choice and collocation to reach a higher band.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors, including subject-verb agreement issues ('technology increasing', 'people using'), incorrect verb tenses ('this will happening'), and missing articles. Punctuation is generally functional, but there are some awkward phrasings that require the reader to re-read for clarity. While the meaning is generally conveyed, the frequency of these errors prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. Focusing on basic sentence construction and proofreading for subject-verb agreement would be highly beneficial.

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