Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-12

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)

Technology has been increasing day by day, and our current life changes with numerous assets and gadgets. The idea that stated that bill payments can be made using a phone or credit cards has been used for shopping or groceries. In the essay below, I can deliver both the idea that some people still prefer to make cash payments and the importance of bill payments in current life.

To begin with, technology has been used for various purposes. It's easier in our lives as we don't have to carry cash with us to do shopping or grocery. Another thing is that it has a proper benefit to it; when an individual makes a card payment, it has a proper record of it that can be useful for tracking payment records. For instance, The Times of India published that to make large payments, only debit or credit cards will be accepted. Moreover, it saves a person time and avoids any robbery, which has been seen in the past.

In another idea, many people still want to use cash instead of cards or phone payments. The first reason is the trust issue; individuals won't rely on online payments because of scams happening nowadays. Another thing can be that they won't exactly know the use of technology. For example, the BBC has published that many older people still recommend cash despite the use of technology and the latest models. So, people are happy to give cash to do shopping.

To conclude, despite the lucrative benefits of cash or credit card payments. I prefer to contradict the notion, as both have been used for various purposes: doing groceries with cash and online shopping by credit card.

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 superficial. While you mention benefits like tracking and security, and drawbacks like trust issues and technological illiteracy, these points are not fully extended with detailed reasoning. The introduction is slightly confusing, as it states you will deliver the idea of cash payments but then focuses on technology. The conclusion is also weak, as it contradicts the prompt's premise rather than summarizing your position on the future of cash. To improve, ensure each paragraph has a clear topic sentence and a more thorough explanation of the 'why' behind your arguments.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow your argument. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'To begin with,' 'Moreover,' and 'In another idea.' However, some transitions are mechanical or slightly unnatural, such as 'In another idea,' which is not standard academic phrasing. The referencing is generally clear, but the flow between sentences could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words to show contrast or consequence more effectively. Paragraphing is used appropriately, but the final paragraph is quite brief and does not effectively synthesize the points made in the body paragraphs.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You have an adequate range of vocabulary to convey your meaning, such as 'lucrative benefits,' 'contradict the notion,' and 'technological illiteracy.' However, there are some instances of imprecise word choice, such as 'our current life changes with numerous assets' or 'it has a proper benefit to it.' These phrases sound slightly unnatural. You rely on some repetitive vocabulary like 'idea' and 'payments.' To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise collocations and avoiding generic fillers. Expanding your vocabulary to include more topic-specific terms related to digital finance would also be beneficial.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While you can communicate your ideas clearly, there are several grammatical errors throughout the text. For example, 'The idea that stated that bill payments can be made' is wordy and awkward. There are also issues with article usage and verb tense consistency, such as 'technology has been used' versus 'technology has been increasing.' Punctuation is generally acceptable, but some sentences are slightly fragmented or lack smooth flow. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and reducing wordiness to ensure your complex sentences are grammatically sound.

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

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