Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-15

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 modern era, due to digitalization, the usage of cash payments getting decline day by day. While some individuals believe in future it will be only cards and phones will be in use for making payment, other people still wants to use the traditional payment method. I will discuss both questions and give my own views on it.

Since we got the digital payments methods, its booming and next huge thing in the entire world. Nowadays, most of the people do not carry their purses or wallets as they can make payments using their phones and cards. For instance, in developed nations like USA, Canada, Australia, China, and Japan, their 70% citizens choose to pay by using Apple Pay or cards. Moreover, in developing country like India, ever since they launched UPI payments, it got massive success. Additionally, I believe, public got attracted towards digital payments as it allows someone not to carry cash and wallets anymore which is more relaxing feature rather than carrying cash could be risky.

In contrast, there are few folks, who still use the cash for making payments for numerous reasons. One good example is, there are some stores or services which only allow and offer cash payments only. Furthermore, some people still carry some cash for the emergency purposes such as if they lost their phone or cards, they can use cash for making payments. Last but not least, some old individuals who are not tech savvy, they still prefer to use cash in their day to day routine.

Ultimately, the cash payments are going to be less in future due to the digitalization and technology but there will be some people who always carry some cash to use in emergency situations.

AI examiner evaluation

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 abandon cash. The position is clear throughout. However, the development of ideas is somewhat superficial. For instance, the reasons provided for why people might not want to give up cash—such as the elderly not being tech-savvy or emergency situations—are valid but could have been explored with more depth or specific examples. The introduction is slightly repetitive, as it restates the prompt rather than providing a strong thesis statement. Overall, the response covers all requirements but lacks the depth of analysis expected at higher bands.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'For instance,' 'Moreover,' and 'In contrast,' which help guide the reader. However, some transitions are mechanical or slightly awkward, such as 'Last but not least' and 'Since we got the digital payments methods.' Additionally, the referencing is occasionally unclear, and the flow between sentences could be smoother. The paragraphing is appropriate, but the internal structure of the paragraphs could benefit from more sophisticated linking to improve the overall progression of ideas.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the writer to express their ideas clearly. There are some attempts at less common vocabulary, such as 'digitalization' and 'tech savvy.' However, there are noticeable inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'usage of cash payments getting decline' (should be 'is declining') and 'relaxing feature' (which is not the most precise term for convenience). The range is sufficient to communicate the message, but the lack of precision and occasional awkward phrasing prevent it from reaching a higher band.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('usage... getting decline'), missing articles ('in developing country'), and awkward phrasing ('some stores... which only allow and offer cash payments only'). Punctuation is generally functional, but the frequency of errors in basic grammar structures is noticeable. To improve, the student should focus on subject-verb agreement, article usage, and ensuring that complex sentences are constructed accurately without unnecessary repetition.

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

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