Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)
In this era everything is getting digitalized and in upcoming future people might not be able to use money to purchase things from shops. However, there would be people of certain age group might not be happy on using digital payment options. Therefore I believe, there will be a change in mode of payments but it will not be completely cashless.
On the one hand, many people argue that in upcoming years all purchases will be cashless ether using card or phones. It would be a great shift in terms of safety and less corruption. Firstly, people would no longer need to carry a huge amount of cash, which reduce the risk of theft and robbery. In addition, electronic transactions leave a digital record, making it easier to track down any suspicious financial transactions. For example, business or people who use digital payments will have clear records which could make difficult for people to hide or avoid paying taxes.
On the other hand, people from old age would not be happy to give up on cash for some reasons. Firstly, in that age it would be difficult for them to learn a new technology which can make them feel frustrating and tough. Moreover, in this digital world people try to steal there money through digital fraud due to not having enough knowledge they get into the trap. For example, In recent publication it have shown that the majority of the digital fraud happen with old age people.
In conclusion, though, there are benefits of having a cashless payments, old age people would not be happy to give up on cash for their daily leaving.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.0 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
The response addresses both parts of the prompt: the likelihood of a cashless future and the reasons why some people might be reluctant to adopt it. The position is clear from the introduction. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the argument regarding tax evasion is a good point, but it could be expanded with more depth. Similarly, the discussion on the elderly is relevant but relies on generalizations. To reach a higher band, ensure that each supporting point is fully explored with more specific examples or logical consequences rather than just stating the point and moving on.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, each with a clear focus. Cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand', 'In addition', and 'Moreover' are used to guide the reader through the arguments. However, there are instances where the flow is slightly mechanical, and some transitions feel repetitive. The referencing is generally clear, though some sentences could be linked more fluidly to improve the overall progression of ideas. The conclusion is a bit abrupt and could better synthesize the main points discussed in the body paragraphs.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.0
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the writer to convey their meaning clearly. There are some attempts at less common vocabulary, such as 'digitalized' and 'suspicious financial transactions'. However, there are noticeable errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'daily leaving' (should be 'daily living') and 'In recent publication it have shown' (should be 'Recent publications have shown'). The range is sufficient for the task but lacks the precision and flexibility required for higher bands.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0
The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is usually clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with subject-verb agreement ('it have shown', 'fraud happen') and article usage. Some sentences are slightly awkward, such as 'there would be people of certain age group might not be happy'. These errors do not generally impede communication, but they are persistent enough to prevent a higher score. More attention to proofreading for basic grammatical accuracy would be beneficial.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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