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)
-> cash-theft, robbery (not trust)
-> easy to carry
-> fast
In this modern era, individuals do not like to pay cash, as all transactions are happening by card or phone. I largely agree with this statement and the reasons for my agreement are discussed in the following paragraphs.
There are certain reasons why people choose to pay online rather than cash. First and foremost, cards are easy to use as well as carry. To explain this, people do not need to worry about keeping cash all time with them and they can use it whenever anywhere and any time because it is convenient. Additionally, cards have fast transaction, because individuals do not need to wait in queue, they can just tap and save their time. For instance, 80% multinational companies' worker prefer to use either card or phone to save their precious time.
Paying bills by cash also
has number of benefits. Firstly,
individuals do not trust to the
technology. As they have risk of
losing or thefting their money. To
exemplify, majority of senior citizens
believe that do not depend on
technology.
To conclude, in upcoming days
individuals not prefer using cash for
payments as they will take benefitso
of technology and use cards. I
believe that they have risk of
theft of money.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response addresses both parts of the prompt, but the development is insufficient. The essay is significantly under the 250-word minimum, which limits the depth of the arguments. While you mention the convenience of digital payments and the concerns regarding trust and theft, these points are not fully extended or supported with detailed examples. The conclusion is also very brief and does not effectively synthesize the arguments. To improve, you must expand on your ideas by providing more detailed explanations and concrete examples, ensuring you meet the word count requirement to allow for a full exploration of the topic.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive (e.g., 'First and foremost', 'Additionally', 'Firstly'). The transition between ideas is sometimes abrupt, and the paragraphing is inconsistent, with some very short, fragmented sentences. To reach a higher band, you should use a wider variety of linking words and ensure that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence followed by supporting details that flow logically into one another.
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 simple terms like 'easy to use' and 'good', and there are some awkward collocations such as 'thefting their money' (theft is a noun; the verb is 'to steal'). There is also a minor spelling error ('benefitso'). To improve, try to incorporate more sophisticated vocabulary related to finance and technology, such as 'digital transactions', 'financial security', or 'technological skepticism', and ensure you use words in their correct grammatical form.
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. For example, 'individuals do not trust to the technology' is incorrect; it should be 'do not trust technology'. There are also issues with article usage and verb forms, such as 'individuals not prefer' instead of 'individuals do not prefer'. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors limits the score. Focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of prepositions to improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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