Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · 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 7.0)

It is an undeniable fact that money plays a paramount role in the market. There has been a constant argument about making societies cashless. People believe that in the coming years, they will not require to carry any cash for their shopping. According to my perspective, cashless payments are increasing in today's contemporary world; however, some are uncomfortable due to some of the risks associated with them. In the below paragraphs, I would like to put forth my views with a valid opinion in the conclusion.

To begin with, carrying cash feels outdated these days. The youth is increasingly investing their time in learning digital skills; as a result, payments through phones have made the hustle much easier for people. Additionally, they do not need to remember to carry a wallet everywhere, and one phone can do several tasks for them. Furthermore, people feel that it is safer than carrying cash because of one-time passwords; it is the safest verification. For example, whenever you are making a payment using a phone or a card, a password comes to the designated phone number or to the email address given.

However, we seldom give a thought to ponder over the other side of the story. Many people are unhappy because they believe cash can be useful if it is in your hand and you can count it. Moreover, not everyone is comfortable with digitalisation. For example, elderly people find it tough to learn modern payment skills; they have spent their whole life understanding money the way it has been taught to them. Almost at the end of their life, it cannot be changed overnight. Later on, digital payments also involve a chance of cybercrime, which is not easy to solve for the police. It is not a tough task for hackers online to hack your bank account and take all the money out. Last but not least, spending amounts digitally leads to overspending due to not being able to see or feel the cash physically.

The seemingly inexorable debate about money can keep on going. Nevertheless, showing deep reverence for the aspects and observing a finer nuance of the matter mentioned above, I espouse the notion of supporting the fact that the world is modernising in terms of money, but cash would not disappear from the market overnight. This is going to take decades, because there is still a generation between us who is only comfortable with cash in hand.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt. You clearly state your position that a cashless society is inevitable but will take time, and you provide balanced reasons for why some people are hesitant, such as the difficulty for the elderly, security concerns, and the psychological impact of digital spending. The ideas are well-developed and supported with relevant examples. To reach a higher band, ensure that your introduction is more direct; phrases like 'In the below paragraphs, I would like to put forth my views' are somewhat filler-heavy and do not add substantive value to the argument.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Paragraphing is used effectively to separate the benefits of digital payments from the concerns regarding their adoption. You use a variety of cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'Additionally', 'Furthermore', and 'Nevertheless' to link your points. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical or forced, such as 'showing deep reverence for the aspects and observing a finer nuance'. Improving the natural flow of these linking phrases would enhance the overall cohesion of the essay.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary, including terms like 'paramount', 'contemporary', 'inexorable', and 'espouse'. These show an attempt to use more sophisticated language. There are some minor issues with collocation and word choice, such as 'hustle much easier' (hustle is usually a noun for busy activity, not a task to be made easier) and 'spending amounts digitally' (which is slightly unnatural). Overall, the vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly and with some precision, though it lacks the consistent naturalness required for the highest bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, and the majority of your sentences are error-free. There are occasional grammatical slips, such as 'they will not require to carry' (should be 'they will not be required to carry' or 'they will not need to carry') and 'a generation between us who is only comfortable' (should be 'who are only comfortable'). Punctuation is generally accurate, and your control over complex structures is sufficient to maintain clarity throughout the response. The errors present do not impede communication.

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