Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-21
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 5.0)
In the future, i believe that cash may become less common, but i do think it will completely disappear. Many people already use cards and mobile phones to pay because these methods are fast, easy and convenient. However, there are several reasons why some individuals may not be happy about giving up cash.
First of all, digital payments are useful in life. Whereas, the public can pay for food, clothes and other products without carrying a wallet. For instance, in India, many people use online method aspects the cash.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 4.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0
The response is significantly under-length, containing only 89 words against the 250-word requirement. Consequently, the task is only partially addressed. While you introduce the topic and mention the convenience of digital payments, the response fails to fully develop the arguments. You do not explain why cash might not disappear, nor do you provide a comprehensive discussion on why people might be reluctant to abandon cash. The ideas are too limited and under-developed to meet the requirements of the task. To improve, you must ensure you address all parts of the prompt with sufficient detail and meet the minimum word count.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The response shows some basic organization with an introduction and a transition to a body paragraph. However, the progression is interrupted by the premature ending of the text. You use basic cohesive devices like 'First of all' and 'For instance', but the overall structure is incomplete. The paragraphing is insufficient because the essay is too short to demonstrate a logical flow of ideas. To achieve a higher band, you need to develop a clear structure with distinct paragraphs that logically connect your arguments and supporting examples.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is adequate for the limited content provided, but it is quite basic. Phrases like 'fast, easy and convenient' are common and repetitive. There is an attempt to use vocabulary related to the topic, such as 'digital payments' and 'online method', but the range is very limited. There is also a minor error in 'aspects the cash', which is unclear and grammatically incorrect. To improve, you should aim to incorporate a wider range of topic-specific vocabulary and use more precise collocations to express your ideas more effectively.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures. There are basic grammatical errors, such as the failure to capitalize 'i' and the awkward phrasing 'aspects the cash'. While the meaning is generally clear, the limited length makes it difficult to assess your ability to use a wide range of complex structures accurately. To improve, focus on consistent capitalization, correct preposition usage, and ensuring that your sentence structures are grammatically sound and varied.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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