Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-22

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)

In today's technology-based economy, it is often argued that people are no longer able to pay for goods through physical money, because most payments are preferred by using digital cards or phone apps. Some individuals are not comfortable with digital money because of inconveniences caused by electricity and mobile network. I also believe that, it is not possible to completely avoid using the paper money.

To begin with, the use of digital money could increase security and eliminate practices like theft and illegal money, whereas risks like data breaches and phone hacks are still involved. Keeping money digitally could give individual a sense of relief from house invansions and the public thefts, because they barely have any expensive and valueable items at home. Moreover, digital money could wipe out black money, because online transactions are often traceable. Nevertheless, online banking applications are vulnerable to cyberattacks, as hackers could hack devices through a link or a phone call and could have unauthorized access to a victim's bank account.

On the other side, it is not possible to completely eliminate the physical currency, because of inadequate electricity and mobile network in the rural areas. Online transactions are usually done with the help of internet and a lack of network could cause them inconviences, as they are not able to use their own money when necessary. Similarly, all the payment machines work with the electricity. Consequently, online payment are mostly accepted and preferred in big cities.

To sum up, there are multiple benefits of using digital payment methods, but we have to be aware of the potential hazards associated with it. However, I believe it is not appropriate to fully digitalize money, until the problems such as electricity and internet were completely solved and established in the rural areas. These are the reasons why some individuals still prefer to use cash.

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 to this change. The position is clear from the introduction and maintained throughout. Ideas are relevant, such as the mention of security risks and infrastructure limitations in rural areas. However, the development is somewhat limited; for instance, the argument regarding 'black money' is introduced but not fully explored. To reach a higher band, you should provide more detailed examples or deeper analysis of the implications of a cashless society to ensure all parts of the task are fully developed rather than just mentioned.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central theme, such as the benefits of digital money or the limitations of infrastructure. Cohesive devices like 'To begin with', 'Moreover', 'Nevertheless', and 'On the other side' are used effectively to guide the reader. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical, and the referencing could be more fluid. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the progression of ideas is generally clear, making the essay easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'technology-based economy', 'unauthorized access', and 'cyberattacks'. There are some minor errors in word choice and spelling, such as 'invansions' (invasions), 'valueable' (valuable), and 'inconviences' (inconveniences). While you attempt to use less common vocabulary, the control is not always precise. To improve, focus on accurate spelling and ensuring that collocations are natural. Expanding your range of synonyms for common words like 'money' or 'problems' would also enhance your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While many sentences are clear, there are several grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader, such as 'most payments are preferred by using' (should be 'preferred via' or 'made using'), 'give individual a sense' (should be 'give individuals'), and 'until the problems... were completely solved' (should be 'are completely solved'). Punctuation is generally functional, but there are some unnecessary commas, such as after 'I also believe that,'. Increasing the frequency of error-free complex sentences will help you move into a higher band.

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