Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)
It is considered that in upcoming years all the transactions will be made cashless for example people will pay for the things or services by either card or cash. I think it will certainly be happening because of increase in technology. My essay will explain perks and demerits of this and throwing a light on how it will affect people.
On the one hand, the most prominent point is increase in internet and technology is utterly affecting transactions being made using cash. To elaborate it, everyone not only finds it very convenient but also safe to pay their bills by card or online methods after getting any kind of service because they don't have to count hard money or carry it everywhere with themselves. it sounds like a great method that they can just simply tap their phones to pay a bill. This results in making their life significantly smoother.
On the other hand, a lot of human beings will be down in the dumps if everything goes cashless. To explain it, not all the people are familiar with electronic gadgets or cards as they have always used paper money for any kind of transaction. That is why, making everything paperless can worsen the situation and make lives of those people completely harder. Moreover, if everyone will start using online methods for payment it will lead to more money scams because scamming people online who are not fully aware about technology will be weigh more easier which can be a matter of concern.
In conclusion, although development is essential for the world, I believe that demerits of being paperless for payments are notably higher than merits because it can badly affect some people's life in the long run.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.0 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
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 from the introduction. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the argument regarding 'money scams' is mentioned but not fully explored with specific examples or deeper analysis. The essay covers the requirements, but the depth of the arguments could be improved to reach a higher band. The introduction contains a factual error where you state 'people will pay for things... by either card or cash' when discussing a cashless future, which slightly confuses the reader.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5
The essay is logically organized into clear paragraphs, each with a distinct focus. Cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', and 'To elaborate it' are used to guide the reader. However, some transitions feel a bit mechanical or repetitive. The referencing is generally clear, though the flow between sentences within paragraphs could be smoother. The paragraphing is appropriate for the task, and the overall progression of ideas is easy to follow, meeting the requirements for a band 6 or 7 level.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.0
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, including phrases like 'prominent point', 'significantly smoother', and 'matter of concern'. However, there are some instances of informal or imprecise language, such as 'down in the dumps' (which is an idiom for being sad, not necessarily for being inconvenienced) and 'hard money'. The use of 'weigh more easier' is a grammatical and lexical error. To improve, focus on using more precise academic collocations and avoiding informal idioms that do not fit the context of a formal essay.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0
The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent errors in grammar and punctuation. Examples include 'it will certainly be happening' (should be 'it will certainly happen'), 'everyone not only finds it... but also' (awkward structure), and 'if everyone will start' (incorrect conditional form). Additionally, there are minor errors with articles and subject-verb agreement. While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score in this criterion.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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