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 digitalized era, paying option for essentials has been transformed from last few years, especially at big markets people are preferring to do online transactions. Therefore, it has been noticed the options of cash paying will be demolish in the future. I think this will happen one day that there are no choices for buyers to buy things with cash only. I will discuss the reasons and the effects of this trend on individual's lives.

To commence with, the main two factors behind having this scenario are technological advancements and safety threats. To expound, due to enhancements of latest techniques like online banking, google pay motivate consumers to doing payments with digital cards or using apps like PhonePe which lead to declining the habit of people to bring cash while will go for shopping. Additionally, carrying cash would require lot of security at public places since there are incident happening thieves trying to do theft mostly at crowded areas. For example, it can be seen in urban centers individuals are facing problems like lost their wallet during they are at busy streets.

However, this would create challenging situations for those citizens who are not agree with this option like mostly elderly people will have issues with this innovation or who are not willing to pay high taxes for items. To explain it, old generations have insufficient knowledge about modern payments method like they have less awareness how to use credit or debit cards so that it would be problematic for them.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: the likelihood of a cashless society and the reasons for resistance. However, the development is somewhat uneven. The first body paragraph provides clear reasons for the shift, but the second paragraph, which addresses the resistance, is underdeveloped and ends abruptly. The position is clear, but the explanation regarding why people might not be happy is limited to elderly citizens and tax concerns, lacking depth. To reach a higher band, you should expand on the second point with more detailed examples or a broader perspective on privacy and financial exclusion.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into paragraphs, and there is a logical progression of ideas. You use some cohesive devices such as 'To commence with', 'Additionally', and 'However'. However, some transitions are mechanical or slightly awkward, such as 'To expound, due to enhancements of latest techniques'. Furthermore, referencing is occasionally unclear, and the flow between sentences could be smoother. The final paragraph is incomplete, which impacts the overall coherence of the argument. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring each paragraph has a clear concluding thought would strengthen this score.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'digitalized era', 'online transactions', and 'technological advancements'. However, there are several instances of awkward word choice and collocation errors, such as 'options of cash paying will be demolish' (should be 'demolished') and 'incident happening thieves trying to do theft'. These errors occasionally impede the flow of the text. To improve, focus on using collocations correctly and refining your use of verb forms and word endings to ensure more precise expression.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors throughout. Examples include 'paying option for essentials has been transformed from last few years' (should be 'in the last few years'), 'motivate consumers to doing payments' (should be 'to do payments'), and 'lost their wallet during they are at busy streets'. These errors are noticeable and sometimes distract the reader, although they do not prevent the message from being understood. Increasing your control over verb tenses and prepositions will help improve your accuracy.

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

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