Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

Over the last few decades, all payments have been done either through the cards or using the phone. This has attracted considerable attention worldwide. This type of change is also needed. Although opinions differ on this matter, I firmly believe that people may no longer be able to pay for things in shops using cash after a few years. This essay will discuss the possible reasons behind this change before reaching a conclusion.

There are various reasons to demonstrate why these payment-related methods are going to change. One of the main reasons is that it reduces the burden on the governments for making paper-based cash. Some people may feel that it is too difficult to carry cash, but through some mobile applications or card-related payment, it becomes easier to carry one or two cards instead of carrying money. For instance, I feel very comfortable using some mobile phone applications like Google Pay, PayTM, and many more. It helps me to analyze my spending into the different activities.

The second most famous reason is that some amount of discount could be possible if the payment is done by the cards or phone applications. Ultimately customers would be happy to buy such things if they get an offer or discount on certain types of matter. If the public has used these payment methods continuously, then one day, it will be possible to say that no one will use cash for their daily life; instead of these, they will tend to use cards like debit or credit cards and electronic gazzetes.

In conclusion, I believe that it would be better to use some digital platform for payment purposes because it preserves the environmental things without damaging them. Additionally, it provides some benefits for the spending analysis of the money for an individual. Governments should have to promote these digital payment methods worldwide.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

You have addressed both parts of the prompt: the likelihood of a cashless society and the reasons why some people might be reluctant to adopt it. However, the second part of the prompt—why people might not be happy to give up cash—is only partially addressed. You focused more on the benefits of digital payments rather than the concerns or disadvantages (such as privacy, security, or the digital divide). To reach a higher band, ensure you fully explore the counter-arguments or specific reasons for public hesitation, as the prompt explicitly asks for this perspective.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized with clear paragraphing. Each paragraph has a central theme, and you use some cohesive devices like 'Ultimately' and 'Additionally' to link ideas. However, some transitions feel a bit mechanical or repetitive. For instance, the phrase 'The second most famous reason' is slightly unnatural in this context. To improve, try to vary your linking words and ensure that the progression of ideas within paragraphs is smoother, particularly when moving from the benefits of digital payments to the conclusion.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You have a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your ideas, using terms like 'burden', 'analyze', and 'digital platform'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation. For example, 'environmental things' is vague and 'electronic gazzetes' (likely meant 'gadgets') is a spelling error that affects clarity. Additionally, 'the public has used these payment methods continuously' is slightly awkward. Focusing on more precise terminology and checking spelling will help you move into the higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While your meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors. For instance, 'all payments have been done' is an incorrect tense usage for the context, and 'Governments should have to promote' is grammatically redundant. There are also minor issues with articles and pluralization, such as 'the cards' or 'the phone' when referring to them in a general sense. Increasing the accuracy of your complex structures will significantly improve your score.

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

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