Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-09

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)

In the coming days, people will not be able to pay by cash while buying things from shop. All payments may have to be made by cash. we will delve more into this essay in the paragraphs below.

The world is growing, so is the technology and it is irrefutable to accept that you can follow the traditional method of paying cash while shopping.

Many people are hesitant to stop using the cash for plenty of reasons. First, people are reluctant to try new things as they fear about being judge. For example, my mother kept delaying buying insta pot just because she thinks what if she is not able to use and what other will think about it. Second, the world is growing yet the literacy not growing at the same pace and hence people are now aware of the benefits of making payments by card or by phone.

Additionally, some Individuals are afraid of the technology and hence refuse to use cash rather than by card. For instance, people fear what if the bank is out of business and they lose their hard earned money. Furthermore, People feel more comfortable and feel safe about their money when they are able to see and use them.

To conclude, I believe that the people are not ready to give up on using cash majorly, because of lack of education and awarness about the technology, like the way to use them and their benefits. Also, people last motivation to try new things due to the fear of being judged.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: the future of cash and reasons for resistance. However, the development is inconsistent. The introduction contains a significant error, stating 'All payments may have to be made by cash' instead of digital methods, which contradicts the prompt. The arguments regarding 'literacy' and 'fear of being judged' are relevant but remain somewhat superficial. To reach a higher band, you should provide more nuanced analysis of the societal or economic implications of a cashless society rather than focusing primarily on individual psychological fears. The position is clear, but the overall development lacks depth.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the flow between ideas is sometimes mechanical. For instance, the transition 'The world is growing, so is the technology' is abrupt and lacks a clear logical link to the subsequent sentence. While cohesive devices like 'Additionally' and 'Furthermore' are used, they are sometimes applied to points that are not fully developed. The referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the final paragraph where 'the way to use them' refers back to a vague antecedent. Improved logical progression between sentences would enhance the coherence.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. You rely on basic phrasing such as 'growing' and 'try new things'. There are also some inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'literacy not growing' when you likely meant 'digital literacy' or 'technological awareness'. The phrase 'refuse to use cash rather than by card' is confusing and does not accurately convey the intended meaning. To improve, focus on using more precise collocations and topic-specific vocabulary related to finance and technology.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'fear about being judge' (should be 'judged'), 'people are now aware' (when the context implies they are 'not' aware), and 'people last motivation' (should be 'lack'). Punctuation is inconsistent, particularly with capitalization (e.g., 'Individuals', 'People'). While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and correct verb forms would be beneficial.

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

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