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. Using digital money could potentially reduce the crime and illegal activities. Some individuals are not comfortable with digital money because of inconvenience caused by electricity and mobile network. I also believe that it is not possible to completely avoid using 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 individuals a sense of relief from house invasions and public thefts, because they barely have any expensive and valuable items at home. Additionally, digital money could wipe out black money, because online transactions are often traceable. The trackable illegal cash money could be verified and not only stops corruption but also increases tax revenue of the authorities. Likewise, this increased revenue could be spent on enhancement of public policies and infrastructure. Nevertheless, online banking applications are vulnerable to cyberattacks, as hacker could hack any device 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 physical currency, because of inadequate electricity and mobile network in the rural areas. Online transactions are usually done with the help of the internet and a lack of network could cause them inconveniences, as they are not able to use their own money when necessary. Similarly, all the payment machines work with the electricity. Consequently, online payments 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 7.0

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: the likelihood of a cashless future and the reasons for resistance. The position is clear throughout, and the arguments regarding security, traceability, and infrastructure limitations are relevant. However, the development is somewhat uneven. While the benefits of digital payments are explored, the discussion on why people might be unhappy to give up cash could be more deeply extended. For instance, the focus on 'inconvenience' due to electricity is a good point, but it could have been bolstered by mentioning privacy concerns or the digital divide for elderly populations. Overall, the response covers all requirements well, though some ideas remain slightly under-developed.

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,' 'Additionally,' 'Nevertheless,' and 'On the other side' are used effectively to guide the reader. However, there are minor issues with referencing and flow; for example, the phrase 'the trackable illegal cash money' is slightly awkward, and the transition between the benefits and the risks within the second paragraph could be smoother. Overall, the progression of ideas is clear and easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'digitalize,' 'cyberattacks,' 'unauthorized access,' and 'infrastructure.' There are some instances of slightly unnatural collocations or word choices, such as 'illegal cash money' or 'the enhancement of public policies.' The use of 'black money' is appropriate in some contexts but could be more precisely phrased as 'illicit financial flows' or 'unreported income.' While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey meaning clearly, it lacks the sophistication and precision required for a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'most payments are preferred by using' (should be 'preferred via' or 'made using'), 'hacker could hack' (missing article 'a'), and 'until the problems... were completely solved' (tense inconsistency). Punctuation is generally correct, but some phrasing is clunky, such as 'they barely have any expensive and valuable items at home.' Despite these errors, the meaning is never obscured, and the student shows an ability to construct complex sentences, even if they are not always perfectly accurate.

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

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