Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-05

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 5.0)

People are not like to pay cash they like to pay by online. This essay will be discuss my views points and explain it.

First and foremost reason, in recent years, people also pay online and by card instead of pay cash because they can easily pay and don't hagitate. For example, during COVID 19 pedimic, people did not go to the outside from their home so they can easily buy any product online and also pay online. Secondly, save time and money, people always save their time and money use online things because they give discount on alot of things. People see all the products by using online applications like Flipkart, Amazon and so on. They can see any things very easily like see one shoe and see in different colors and sizes are also available on this apps.

Thirdly, people are going to abroad for their further future. For instance, they use also card instead of cash because students are not using the cash for buy any products and for groceries. I am also living in Canada and also use the card cash is very difficult for me to pick. Sometime, I leave my bag on college tables and go to outside with my friends so also cash in my bag so that's by its not good for me because any person thift the money in my bag. Card is very easily pick in my pocket and use any where.

On the other hand, some people are not happy to using cash because they easily use the cards and pay by online with their phone. They do not face any problem pay. But some time, they pay by cash and face problems. So that's why people are not happy to pay cash.

To conclude, I think pay online it's better instead of pay cash. Also in other outside countries use online cards and pay online not pay cash.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: the future of cash and reasons why some people might be reluctant to abandon it. However, the development of these ideas is limited. The arguments regarding the convenience of online shopping and the security of cards are repetitive and lack depth. Furthermore, the second part of the prompt—why people might not be happy to give up cash—is misinterpreted; you argued why people prefer digital payments rather than explaining the potential concerns or disadvantages of a cashless society (e.g., privacy, technical failure, or exclusion of the elderly). The position is clear, but the supporting ideas are underdeveloped.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate, such as 'First and foremost reason' or 'that's by its not good'. The progression of ideas is sometimes disjointed, particularly in the third paragraph where the transition from studying abroad to personal anecdotes about losing a bag is abrupt. Referencing is occasionally unclear, and the logical flow between sentences is frequently interrupted by grammatical errors, which makes the overall argument feel somewhat fragmented.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is limited and often repetitive, relying on basic terms like 'pay', 'online', and 'things'. There are several instances of incorrect word choice and spelling errors, such as 'hagitate' (hesitate), 'pedimic' (pandemic), 'thift' (theft), and 'outside countries' (foreign countries). The range is insufficient to express complex ideas with precision. While the meaning is generally conveyed, the lack of variety and the frequent misuse of words prevent the response from reaching a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The essay relies heavily on simple sentence structures. There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, including subject-verb agreement issues ('people are not like to pay'), incorrect preposition usage, and awkward phrasing ('people are going to abroad'). Complex structures are rarely attempted, and when they are, they often contain errors that impede clarity. Punctuation is also inconsistent. These persistent errors in basic grammar significantly affect the readability of the essay.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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