Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-01

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 this modern era, everything changes so fast. Using cards for payments is always a big concern in today's world. Some people believe that in the future all payments should be made by card or using phones rather than paying cash in shops. I personally believe that this will happen one day, and the older generation might not like this change because they don't have enough knowledge regarding how to pay by using cards and phones. However, in this essay, I will discuss it briefly by giving some relevant examples.

To commence with, time runs so fast, and technology has also developed rapidly. There are numerous advantages of using cards for making payments. The first and foremost merit is that with the introduction of cards, people don't need to carry cash all the time. To explain this, due to inflation, some people do not have jobs to support their families, and they choose the wrong path to earn money, such as theft or robbery. So, in this case, if people do not have cash, then they don't need to worry about theft because, by chance, somebody stole their card; within one minute, they call the bank and ask them to block their card, so that the thief is not able to withdraw the money from the stolen card. Thus, using cards and phones is a great idea.

In this contemporary era, most of the adult generation prefers carrying cards rather than cash because they think it is too difficult to carry cash. Furthermore, most of the rich families carry cards, so to show status, everyone tries to use cards instead of paper money. To elaborate on this, most of the celebrities and film stars use electronic transfer in their daily lives, and nowadays people influence from these actors and perform the same activities that they do.

Apart from that, I think a few individuals might not be happy to give up using paper money because they belong to the old generation, and they are not fully aware of modern technology. They face several problems regarding how to use cards when the PIN is not working, and how to make payments using smartphones. Due to these problems, they might be unhappy and not use this new technology.

In conclusion, it is so difficult to adapt to new things, but using cards helps people to solve their money-carrying problem.

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. The argument regarding theft is logical, but the point about 'rich families' and 'celebrities' influencing others to use cards to 'show status' is a bit tangential and lacks depth. To reach a higher band, ensure that all supporting points directly reinforce the main argument rather than relying on social observations that may not be universally applicable. Overall, the task is addressed adequately.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized into paragraphs, each with a clear central topic. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'To commence with', 'Furthermore', and 'In conclusion', though some transitions feel a bit mechanical. The progression of ideas is generally clear, although the link between the second and third paragraphs could be smoother. Referencing is mostly clear, though there are minor issues with pronoun usage. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the essay follows a standard structure that guides the reader through the argument effectively.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary is sufficient for the task, allowing for clear communication of ideas. There are some attempts at less common vocabulary, such as 'contemporary era' and 'inflation', which demonstrate a decent range. However, there are instances of imprecise word choice, such as 'people influence from these actors' (should be 'are influenced by') and 'money-carrying problem'. The range is adequate to convey the intended meaning, but more precise collocations and a wider variety of topic-specific vocabulary would be needed to move into the higher bands.

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 frequent grammatical errors, such as 'time runs so fast' (idiomatically 'time passes quickly'), 'somebody stole their card' (tense inconsistency), and 'people influence from these actors'. Punctuation is generally functional, but there are some awkward phrasings that slightly impede the flow. The student demonstrates control over basic structures, but complex sentences often contain minor errors that prevent a higher score.

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