Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-20

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)

It is predicted that in coming years, individuals will not be able to pay for things using bills and it will be completely cashless. In my opinion, this seems to be a certain thing in nearby future as the trend of cashless is increasing. But i think that a small fraction of population will not agree with not using cash as a mode of payment. My opinion and the reasons are discussed further.

Firstly, 90 percentage of current young and adult generation do not even carry cash with them while going out. All this people rely on e-transfer, apple pay, smart pay, debit cards and credit cards to make a payment. Moreover it seems more convenient and one can also save himself or herself from cash being stolen at a crowded place. For instance, my younger brother do not have wallet at all. He has a phone case where he can put his debit card and moreover apple pay is the main method of payment whenever he goes out.

On the other hand, I think that few individuals might not accept going all cashless. The reason being, our smartphone runs on batteries and it may get completely drained or it can also get stolen. In this circumstances you are left with nothing in emergency. hence, it is always a safer option to carry some cash and keep cash as a payment option in shops. In addition, cash flow plays a major role in running economy of the country.

All in all, influence of younger generation might put a complete end on using cash to pay for the goods at shops. However, few individuals might oppose this as cash is always a reliable option.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: the likelihood of a cashless future and the reasons for resistance. The position is clear throughout. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the argument regarding the economy is mentioned but not explained, and the point about the younger generation is supported by a personal anecdote rather than a broader societal analysis. To reach a higher band, you should expand on your points with more depth and provide more sophisticated reasoning. The response is well-structured and covers all requirements of the task effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the two main ideas. Cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'Moreover', 'On the other hand', and 'In addition' are used to guide the reader. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and there are minor issues with referencing, such as 'All this people' instead of 'All these people'. Overall, the progression of ideas is clear and easy to follow, meeting the requirements for a solid band 6.5 or 7.0.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task. You use some relevant terms like 'cashless', 'e-transfer', and 'emergency'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'running economy of the country' (should be 'the economy') and 'in nearby future' (should be 'in the near future'). The range is sufficient to communicate your ideas clearly, but there is a lack of more sophisticated or 'less common' lexical items that would be required for a higher band score. Focus on learning collocations and more precise academic phrasing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is always clear, there are frequent grammatical errors. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('my younger brother do not have', 'All this people'), missing articles ('in nearby future'), and punctuation errors. While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. To improve, focus on proofreading for basic subject-verb agreement and article usage, and try to incorporate a wider variety of complex sentence structures with greater accuracy.

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

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