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)

In the years ahead, cash may become obsolete, with people relying entirely on bank cards and mobile phones to make payments.This essay will discuss why I think this will happen one day.

The society is becoming a digital world and it has influence a lot of shops. Nowadays, many people enjoys using bank cards or transfers using phone as it is faster and reliable. For example, I recent bought food in my neighbourhood and I did not have money with me, the food vendor told me to make a transfer with my phone and it was less than two minutes she got her funds.

Also, it can be used as an evidence of payment whenever there is a purchase of any product especially when there is a damage of goods. For instance, I made an online payment with my bank card to shop for an iPhone charger, when the dispatch rider brough my goods, he informed me that I have not paid for it, which resulted in presenting my receipt.

In addition, it could result to tracing criminals like like kidnappers and ritualist. To illustrate, two weeks ago, my sister was kidnapped by some group of men, he called and request for a ransome of two million naira to be sent to his bank account. We got his full name and was able to track his location and he was arrested. However, some people may be reluctant to abandon cash because not everyone has access to smartphones or bank accounts. Elderly people, in particular, may find digital payment systems difficult to use. Furthermore, electronic payments depend on electricity, internet connectivity and functioning banking systems, so people may prefer cash as a reliable alternative when these services are unavailable.

In conclusion, I believe that payment with cash is going to be limited soon and bank cards and phone is going to takeover. Overall it is fast, used as an evidence of payment and tracing criminals

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 for resistance. The position is clear throughout. However, the development of ideas is somewhat uneven. While the personal anecdotes regarding the iPhone charger and the kidnapping are relevant, they are quite specific and could be better linked to the broader societal implications. The conclusion is a bit abrupt and repetitive, merely listing points rather than synthesizing the argument. To reach a higher band, ensure that each paragraph focuses on a clear, well-developed point that directly supports the main thesis.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, and there is a clear progression of ideas from the benefits of digital payments to the reasons for resistance. Cohesive devices such as 'For example', 'In addition', and 'However' are used to link sentences and paragraphs. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical, and there are minor issues with referencing, such as the use of 'he' when referring to a group of kidnappers. Paragraphing is generally appropriate, though the final paragraph is quite brief and lacks a strong concluding statement that ties the essay together effectively.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the writer to express ideas clearly. There are some attempts at less common vocabulary, such as 'obsolete' and 'reluctant'. However, there are several instances of awkward phrasing and word choice errors, such as 'it has influence a lot of shops' (should be 'influenced') and 'result to tracing' (should be 'result in'). Additionally, there is some repetition of basic terms like 'payment' and 'money'. Improving the precision of word choice and using more varied collocations would enhance the overall quality.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('many people enjoys', 'phone is going to takeover') and tense inconsistencies ('I recent bought'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with comma usage and spacing after punctuation marks. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on proofreading for basic subject-verb agreement and tense consistency would be highly beneficial.

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