Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-29

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)

Which is a better mode of transaction- digital or cash is a highly debatable topic of discussion. A large portion of society opine that in the upcoming years, all transactions will be made online via bank cards or mobile phones rather than paying by hard money in the convenient stores. Although I strongly believe, this will be the scenario in the future because of the convenience offered by digital currency, there will be a few individuals who will not be satisfied with this change owing to their lack of information about online transactions.

From my standpoint, only one mode of making payments will be prominently used in the next few decades. The primary reason behind this is the convenient method of making payments. Online payments are not only an easier method to do payments but are also time effective . Since there is no cash involved in the payment process, transactions go smoothly via direct bank accounts within seconds by just a single tap through either a bank card or e-wallet. To illustrate, as a worker in a restaurant, it is always challenging for cashier to process cash payment as it consumes more time to calculate the cash and round it off to the nearest number to provide change to customers. Therefore, digital transactions will indeed replace the physical ones in the near future to avoid the excessive time consumption.

On the other hand, there will be some individuals in the future, who might not be willing to adopt the change as they have lack of information about how to make digital payments. Online payments are sometimes, very difficult as there are a number of steps in conducting the process. To cite an example, to pay for a product from Walmart, if the tap of the card is not working or the payment device does not take tap, it becomes hard for customers to remember their security passcodes or their bank account details which makes them helpless in some circumstances. Therefore avoid these, some people prefer to go by conventional methods than opting for advanced ones.

Taking everything into account, I eventually conclude that despite the ease provided by the digital payment methods, not only humans will be able to use those effectively owing to their lack of information about the methodology. Thus, I suggest that before converting everything digital, the officials should provide accurate knowledge to people about the use of this technology to make it more accessable in the future for everyone.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, providing a clear position on the future of digital payments and explaining why some individuals might resist this shift. The ideas are relevant and generally well-developed. For instance, the example regarding the restaurant cashier effectively illustrates the efficiency of digital payments, and the point about technical difficulties at a checkout provides a logical reason for resistance. However, the conclusion is slightly confusing; the phrase 'not only humans will be able to use those effectively' seems to contradict the earlier argument about the benefits of digital systems. To reach a higher band, ensure that the conclusion consistently reflects the arguments presented in the body paragraphs.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the benefits of digital payments from the challenges. Cohesive devices such as 'From my standpoint', 'To illustrate', and 'On the other hand' are used to guide the reader through the argument. However, there are some minor issues with cohesion, such as the slightly awkward phrasing in the final paragraph ('Therefore avoid these, some people prefer...'). The progression of ideas is generally smooth, though the transition between the final body paragraph and the conclusion could be more seamless.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The range of vocabulary is sufficient to convey ideas with precision. You use terms like 'mode of transaction', 'digital currency', and 'conventional methods' effectively. There are some minor errors in word choice or collocation, such as 'hard money' (usually referred to as 'cash' or 'physical currency') and 'convenient stores' (which should be 'convenience stores'). Additionally, 'accessable' is misspelled. While you attempt to use less common vocabulary, these occasional inaccuracies prevent the response from reaching the highest band. Focusing on more natural collocations will help improve your score in this area.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several instances of grammatical errors, such as 'a worker in a restaurant, it is always challenging for cashier' (missing article 'a' before 'cashier') and 'there are a number of steps in conducting the process'. The sentence 'Therefore avoid these, some people prefer...' is grammatically incomplete. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur with enough frequency to prevent a higher score. To improve, pay closer attention to article usage and ensure that your complex sentences are punctuated correctly.

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