Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-11

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 6.5)

It is anticipated that cash use might be disappeared in the near future due to popularity of digital payment methods. According to today's fast paced world it seems reality, but it might not be universal because over dependance on technology could be dangerous especially in case of emergency situations where digital payment methods might ineffective.

Considering the reasons that compel to think cash would be useless measure for purchasing goods and services, the primary one is that it is a convenient way of payment. This is because people not have to carry cash along with them owing to payment apps, for example, Wallet app in Apple phones, which provide ease to users regardless of any inconvenience of cash change. Moreover, people are shifting to online shopping platforms rather than in store, and on most websites, they need to pay online to get exclusive offers, resulting in wide popularity of digital payment methods.

On the other hand, some people, especially who are not tech-savvy, do not feel secure using electronical payments methods, as they are scared of cyber crimes. Nowadays, numerous people face fraud related to credit cards or payment apps, and less educated people prefer to pay cash when they make any purchases. Apart from this, conventional ways of payment remain in use because some people are aware of the harmful effects of overdependence on technology. To understand this deeply, take a case: if in a war-like situation a country shuts down all the internet services, people in that situation would not be able to buy anything if they did not have cash.

In conclusion, undoubtedly digital payment options are convenient to use, but they cannot entirely replace the traditional methods of payment.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

You have addressed both parts of the prompt: the likelihood of a cashless society and the reasons why some people might resist this change. Your position is clear from the introduction and maintained throughout the essay. The ideas are relevant, such as the convenience of digital payments versus the security concerns and technological dependency issues. To reach a higher band, ensure that your arguments are more fully developed. For instance, the point about 'war-like situations' is a strong example, but it could be expanded to discuss the broader implications of digital exclusion or systemic failure to provide a more comprehensive analysis of the topic.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. You use cohesive devices such as 'Moreover', 'On the other hand', and 'Apart from this' to guide the reader through your arguments. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and there are minor issues with referencing and flow. For example, the phrase 'To understand this deeply, take a case' is a bit clunky. Improving the variety of your linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence would enhance the overall flow and coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'tech-savvy', 'cyber crimes', and 'digital payment methods'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'cash use might be disappeared' (should be 'might disappear') and 'useless measure' (which does not quite fit the context of payment). You also use 'electronical' instead of the standard 'electronic'. To improve, focus on using more precise collocations and ensure that your word forms are accurate. Expanding your vocabulary to include more sophisticated synonyms for common words will also help elevate your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this level. However, there are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text, such as 'people not have to carry' (missing auxiliary 'do'), 'might ineffective' (missing verb 'be'), and 'especially who are not' (should be 'especially those who are'). While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of auxiliary verbs to improve your accuracy. Proofreading for these small slips will significantly improve your grammatical control.

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

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