Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

The rise of digital technology will replace cash with online transactions after a few decades. People will make payments with either cards or using digital devices. I could be possible that about ninety percent of the population will adopt online mode of payments. I believe that people who find it challenging to use online banking applications might not be happy with this change.

One of the primary reasons why individuals will give up cash in the future is that online transaction and cards make it convenient for people to make payments. This is largely because people do not need to carry huge amount of money with them, and it saves them from the fear lost of theft the money. By using cards or online payments, people do not need to visit banks in person to withdrawal money, and it saves substantial amount of time in this fast-paced life. A clear example to this can be seen in developed countries where in every city or countryside shops have online payment options available. Therefore it is evident that in the future online modes of payment can replace cash totally due to the benefits it offers.

Old generation, in particular, are not familiar with technological advancement. Since old people are not exposed with technology, they might not comfortable using cards for making payments, which can pose a treat of cybercrime. For instance, older people sometimes ask others for help when use credit or debit cards and may share their PIN with them, which can put them at risk of becoming involved in cybercrime. Hence, some people, especially older individuals might not be happy to give up using cash.

To conclude, there is a possibility that in the future, people may not use cash for the payments due to the convenient online payments offers

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 adopt it. The position is clear throughout. The ideas are relevant, though the development is somewhat basic. For instance, the argument regarding the elderly and cybercrime is a strong point, but the explanation could be more nuanced to reach a higher band. The response covers all requirements of the task, but the depth of analysis remains at a functional level rather than a fully extended one.

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 'One of the primary reasons', 'For instance', and 'To conclude' are used to guide the reader. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical, and there are minor issues with referencing, such as the phrase 'A clear example to this can be seen', which would be more naturally phrased as 'A clear example of this...'. Overall, the progression of ideas is easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task. You use some topic-specific terms like 'online transactions', 'technological advancement', and 'cybercrime'. However, there are some awkward collocations and word choice errors, such as 'fear lost of theft the money' (which is ungrammatical) and 'pose a treat' (should be 'threat'). While you attempt to use a range of vocabulary, the lack of precision in these instances prevents a higher score. Expanding your range of synonyms and focusing on correct collocations would improve your lexical score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with prepositions and verb forms, such as 'not exposed with technology' (should be 'to'), 'when use credit' (should be 'when using'), and 'withdrawal money' (should be 'withdraw'). These errors are noticeable but do not significantly impede communication. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct usage of gerunds after prepositions or conjunctions.

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

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