Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-13

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)

Undoubtedly, with advances in technology, the way individuals pay has changed significantly over time. Many people believe that in the future there will be hardly any shops that will accept payment through cash, instead all the financial transactions will be done digitally. In my opinion, the online payments will be accepted highly but it cannot eliminate transactions done through cash.

One major reason is that it is inevitable to stop using cash overall in society. Paying through cards is a convenient and preferable way but it cannot eliminate paying through cash. That is because online or cards payment require a stable internet connection, whenever that fails the shops automatically switch to only cash payment during that time. For example, sometimes there are some issues with the online banking or the server while making the payment during that time people use cash to complete the transaction. As a result, digital payments will be highly acceptable, but it can never totally replace cash.

Moving further, some people such as elderly might not be happy giving up cash for daily use. They are not properly comfortable in using technology for everyday, if they have to make payments digitally which will create a certain level of stress on them. This is because they have been using cash for their whole lives, this change might not be very comfortable for them. As a result, they will not be happy to give up cash as paying through cash is easier for them.

In conclusion, although digital payments are widely accepted due to its convenience, there are some situations where cash is required for transactions. Additionally, it is very hard for elders to learn how to process and pay for everything online which might not be suitable for them.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: the likelihood of a cashless society and the reasons why some people might be reluctant to adopt it. The position is clear throughout. However, the development of ideas is somewhat repetitive. For instance, the argument regarding internet failure is sound, but the explanation in the second paragraph could be more nuanced. Similarly, the point about the elderly is relevant but lacks specific examples or deeper exploration of the psychological or practical barriers they face. To reach a higher band, you should aim to extend your arguments with more detailed supporting evidence or hypothetical scenarios.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central topic. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Moving further' and 'In conclusion', though some transitions feel slightly mechanical or repetitive, such as the frequent use of 'As a result'. The progression of ideas is generally clear, but the flow between sentences could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words and better referencing to avoid repeating the same phrases. Overall, the structure is sufficient to guide the reader through your argument effectively.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'financial transactions', 'inevitable', and 'convenience'. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there is a tendency to repeat words like 'cash', 'payment', and 'digital'. There are also minor issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'accepted highly' (should be 'widely accepted') and 'properly comfortable' (should be 'entirely comfortable' or 'at ease'). To improve, try to incorporate more precise synonyms and collocations to express your ideas with greater sophistication and variety.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is always clear, there are several grammatical errors that persist. For example, 'online or cards payment require' should be 'online or card payments require', and 'some people such as elderly' needs an article ('the elderly'). Additionally, there are some punctuation and phrasing issues, such as comma splices and slightly awkward phrasing like 'create a certain level of stress on them'. While these errors do not impede communication, they prevent the essay from reaching a higher band. Focus on subject-verb agreement and article usage.

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