Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-23

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 argued that many individuals may have to use the digital payment methods to purchase their necessary things in shops, and less use of cash for payments. I believe that this trend will take place one day because it will make people's life convenient, whereas people are not glad to choose a cashless way payment due to scams.

To commence with, one of the reason of accepting modern payments for expenses is to save people's valuable time. When people travel longer for their trips or businesses purposes, it is very hard for them to carry a huge amount of money because it becomes very inconvenient for them when they have to pay a big amount. Therefore, people choose digital methods to pay because cards and smartphones are easy to fit in packets and money is transferred within few seconds. For example in Canada majority of people are digitally paying for their needs because of saving time.

Moving towards other point that people are not ready to give up cash payments because of frauds. Although technology has changed the standard of living, it also have a negative side for people. Scammers normally use this technology to withdrawal money form others people's account, and people may lose their whole saving within a second. Therefore, people are not ready to accept digital technology for payments and want to get stuck with cash payments. For instance, in Inada, people are being scammed by sending a personal message if they open the message, their bank account goes empty. However, I believe that people should use more cash for payments so that their saving may not be stolen.

In conclusion, although modern payments brings lots of comfort for people by saving their precious time, using cash for expensive can save people's earning from scammers.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

You have addressed both parts of the prompt: the likelihood of a cashless future and the reasons for public reluctance. Your position is clear throughout the essay. However, the development of your ideas is somewhat limited. While you mention convenience and fraud, the arguments could be extended with more depth. For instance, you could discuss the digital divide or the loss of anonymity as additional reasons for the hesitation to abandon cash. The conclusion is slightly contradictory, as you suggest that people should use more cash, which slightly undermines your earlier assertion that the cashless trend is inevitable. To improve, ensure your supporting points are fully explored and logically consistent.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized into clear paragraphs, each with a central theme. You use some cohesive devices such as 'To commence with', 'Moving towards other point', and 'Therefore' to link ideas. However, some transitions feel a bit mechanical or slightly unnatural, such as 'Moving towards other point'. Additionally, the referencing is occasionally imprecise, which affects the flow. For example, the connection between the example in Canada and the general argument could be smoother. Overall, the progression of ideas is coherent, and the paragraphing is appropriate for the task.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'digital payment methods', 'standard of living', and 'inconvenient'. However, there are several instances of awkward word choice and minor errors, such as 'necessary things' (better as 'essential goods'), 'fit in packets' (likely meant 'pockets'), and 'expensive' used as a noun instead of 'expenses'. There is also a spelling error with 'Inada' (presumably Canada). To reach a higher band, focus on more precise collocations and avoid repetitive phrasing. Expanding your range to include more sophisticated, topic-specific vocabulary would also be beneficial.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader. Examples include 'one of the reason of accepting' (should be 'one of the reasons for accepting'), 'it also have a negative side' (subject-verb agreement error), and 'withdrawal money form others people's account' (should be 'withdraw money from other people's accounts'). While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding your message, they are frequent enough to limit your score. Focus on subject-verb agreement, pluralization, and correct verb forms to improve your accuracy.

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

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