Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-06

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 5.5)

I don't think so people will only depends in cashless payment in future. Some of them would like pay for things by cash. There are several reasons behind this to not be fully digitalize payments.

To begin with, In today's world humans started using digital mode for pay bills and more. E-commerce businesses are growing rapidly and digitalization is playing vital role in it. For a reason, people don't carry actual money to pay. Another reason is, they don't want to take extra purse or material to hold with them. Some are not good at math this might be one of the reasons. For instant, youth don't like change in term of coins because they have to take care of it and sometimes it disturb their fashion.

On the other side, many wants to carry real cash instead of using digital mode of payment. The reason behind it suppose to be they don't trust technology. Some of public won't be able to pay with their e-card just because they haven't have enough knowledge to use it. For example, a old age person who never paid his bill with mobile. He carries cash for the reason.

To conclude, there are several who are using digital mode of payment everywhere and don't like to carry cash. Vice a versa, there are lots who don't want to pay by card so they won't get in cyber security trouble and lack of knowledge. I don't think at all this world accept digitalized payment mode in future.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: the likelihood of a cashless future and the reasons why some people might resist this change. However, the development of ideas is somewhat superficial. For instance, the point about people not being 'good at math' is not a strong or relevant argument for why people prefer cash. The essay lacks depth in its analysis of security concerns or the digital divide. While the position is clear, the arguments are under-developed and rely on generalizations. To improve, you should provide more substantial reasoning and concrete examples, such as the impact of digital exclusion on the elderly or the specific risks of cybercrime.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate. Phrases like 'For a reason' and 'Vice a versa' are used incorrectly, which disrupts the flow of ideas. While there is a clear attempt to use transition words to link sentences, the connections between ideas are sometimes weak. The referencing is occasionally unclear, particularly in the final paragraph. Improving the variety and accuracy of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear, unified focus would significantly enhance the coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and range required for a higher band. There are several instances of awkward word choices, such as 'material to hold' instead of 'wallet' or 'purse', and 'digital mode' is repeated frequently. Some phrases are non-idiomatic, such as 'some of public' and 'a old age person'. To reach a higher band, you should focus on using more sophisticated vocabulary and collocations, and ensure that your word choices are contextually appropriate. Expanding your range of synonyms will also help you avoid repetitive language.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The essay contains a high frequency of grammatical errors that occasionally impede communication. There are frequent issues with subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'people will only depends'), article usage (e.g., 'a old age person'), and sentence structure (e.g., 'I don't think so people will...'). The range of structures is limited, consisting mostly of simple sentences with some errors in complex sentence construction. To improve, you need to focus on basic grammatical accuracy, particularly verb tenses and pluralization. Practicing the construction of complex sentences with correct punctuation will also help you demonstrate a wider range of grammatical control.

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

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