Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-27

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 the future, modern technologies will change the way we live our lives. It is believed that in the coming days, people will make all payments by cards or using digital cards on their devices like phones or watches. Therefore, they won't be able to use cash anywhere in the world. I think that this change will happen very soon whether people will be happy with that or not.

These days, technologies have improved a lot in all of the sectors especially in banking sector. As person can do all kind of transactions just by using a phone. For example, if a person wants to buy a car, it is really hard to carry a big amount of cash as there are chances of thefts. That's why more and more people are trying to use a card for such transactions. Furthermore, it is very easy to keep track of the transactions for both customers and shopkeepers. And everyone has a habit of carrying their phones with them all the time, so many shopkeepers are nowadays accepts money only by card.

However, elder generations won't be happy to give up using cash, as it is sometimes hard for them to understand this technologies. Moreover, number of digital scams are increasing a lot these days. For example, a hacker in China made a fake website and stole more than 5 million dollars.

To Conclude, in my opinion, in the future, everyone will be using cards or their devices for all kinds of transaction as it is one of the fastest and convenient way of payment. And raising awareness of the scams and proper training of these modes of payment will help to make this change quickly.

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. The position is clear throughout. The ideas are relevant, such as the convenience of digital payments and the concerns regarding digital security and the elderly. However, the development is somewhat limited; for instance, the example of the hacker in China is a bit abrupt and could have been better integrated into a broader discussion on cybersecurity. To reach a higher band, you should aim to expand on your points with more depth and nuance, ensuring that the connection between your examples and the main argument is consistently strong.

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 distinct ideas. Cohesive devices such as 'Furthermore', 'However', and 'To Conclude' are used to guide the reader. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and there are minor issues with referencing, such as 'this technologies' in the third paragraph, which lacks a clear antecedent. The progression of ideas is generally smooth, but improving the variety of linking words would enhance the flow and make the connections between sentences feel more natural and sophisticated.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing you to express your ideas clearly. You use some topic-specific terms like 'transactions', 'digital scams', and 'cybersecurity' (implied). However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'in all of the sectors especially in banking sector' (missing articles) and 'accepts money' (should be 'accept'). The range is sufficient for the task, but to achieve a higher score, you should incorporate more precise, less common vocabulary and ensure that collocations are used accurately to convey your meaning with greater sophistication.

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 articles ('in banking sector'), subject-verb agreement ('shopkeepers are nowadays accepts'), and pluralization ('this technologies'). These errors do not impede communication, but they are noticeable. To improve, focus on proofreading for basic grammatical accuracy, specifically regarding articles and verb forms. Incorporating a wider variety of complex structures, such as conditional sentences or passive voice, while maintaining accuracy, would help elevate your score in this criterion.

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

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