Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

It is often argued that people will make online or card payments in the future instead of cash payments. Although some people believe that cash payments will never vanish, I completely disagree with this opinion because card payments are very easy, safe, and less time-consuming.

The first and foremost reason for online payments is that they are very convenient. This is because people do not count the money before payment; they just enter the number and confirm the payment. For example, people can use PayPal or Google Pay, which makes it very easy to pay in seconds just by entering the number on the screen; no need to count the money. Therefore, some people are too lazy to count the money because of a hectic schedule and tiredness.

Another important reason is that transferring money online is safe because of the high security provided by banks. For instance, if people face any kind of fraud during an online transaction, banks refund their money after an inquiry, which is not possible with cash payments. As a result, online payments are a safe and fast payment method in the current scenario, and there is also no need to carry heavy cash in pockets.

In conclusion, I firmly agree that online transactions are safe and easy. Therefore, I believe that instead of using cash, online payments are convenient, and using technology makes people smart and up to date. In addition, humans can handle all the difficulties related to money easily by using technology.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses the first part of the prompt regarding the future of cash, but it fails to adequately address the second part: 'Why do you think some people might not be happy to give up using cash?' The essay focuses entirely on the benefits of digital payments and ignores the concerns of those who prefer cash, such as privacy issues, the digital divide for the elderly, or technical failures. Because a key component of the prompt is neglected, the response is unbalanced and lacks full development of all task requirements. To reach a higher band, you must ensure every question in the prompt is given equal weight and dedicated paragraph space.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate ideas. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive, relying heavily on simple transitions like 'The first and foremost reason' and 'Another important reason.' While the progression of ideas is generally clear, the lack of a paragraph addressing the second part of the prompt creates a structural gap that hinders the overall flow of the argument. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring a balanced structure would improve the score.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task but remains somewhat basic and repetitive. Phrases like 'very easy,' 'very convenient,' and 'very safe' are used frequently, which limits the range of expression. There is an attempt to use some topic-specific vocabulary such as 'online transaction' and 'fraud,' but the overall lexical range is narrow. To improve, you should incorporate more sophisticated synonyms and collocations to demonstrate a wider command of the language. For example, instead of repeating 'very easy,' you could use 'seamless,' 'effortless,' or 'streamlined.'

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are some grammatical inaccuracies, such as 'no need to count the money' (which is a sentence fragment) and 'online payments are convenient, and using technology makes people smart and up to date' (which is slightly awkward in phrasing). Punctuation is generally correct, but the range of complex structures is limited. To achieve a higher band, you should aim for more varied sentence patterns, such as using conditional clauses or passive voice, while ensuring that your complex sentences remain error-free.

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

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