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)

In the contemporary world, a surge can be observed in the usage of digital platforms for making any purchase at stores or malls. I sincerely believe that this advancement is not so far in the upcoming years.

To begin with, due to advancement in technology, new digital platforms and applications have already been launched in the market which are easily available for downloading on smartphones. This trend will definitely be increased in the further years rather than decreasing because nowadays, the youngsters feel it more convenient as a result they are taking more advantage of this modern technology. For instance, there are several government approved applications such as BHIM UPI or Paytm which have made online payments more reliable and convenient.

On the other hand, the elder members of the society are still lacking behind to get in touch with this trend hence they would always prefer cash over online card payments or digital transactions. They usually found it difficult to use these platforms and need more time to cope up with this technology. Furthermore, online transactions are often associated with risks of failed transaction or frauds due to which majority of people would avoid using the digital platforms for huge payments. One evidence of this can be seen wherein individuals purchase clothing or accessories online via several unauthorised links, high chances of fraud can be involved.

To conclude, it is my firm believe that numerous digital platforms can overtake the cash payments in future however, during any huge payments, cash payments would be preferred by wealthy society individuals.

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. However, the development of ideas is somewhat uneven. While the first body paragraph provides relevant examples like BHIM UPI, the second paragraph relies on generalizations about 'elder members' and 'wealthy society individuals' without sufficient depth. The argument regarding fraud is relevant but could be more effectively linked to the broader topic of why people fear abandoning cash. Overall, the response covers all requirements, but the depth of analysis is more consistent with a Band 6.0 or 6.5 level.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, each with a clear central theme. Cohesive devices such as 'To begin with,' 'On the other hand,' and 'To conclude' are used to guide the reader. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical, and there are instances where the flow is interrupted by awkward phrasing, such as 'One evidence of this can be seen wherein individuals purchase clothing.' While the progression of ideas is generally clear, the use of cohesive devices could be more sophisticated and varied to achieve a higher band score.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the writer to express their ideas clearly. There are some attempts at less common vocabulary, such as 'contemporary world' and 'advancement,' but the range is somewhat limited. Some word choices are slightly unnatural or imprecise, such as 'lacking behind' (should be 'lagging behind') and 'wealthy society individuals.' Additionally, the phrase 'huge payments' is repeated, suggesting a limited range of collocations. The errors in word choice do not impede communication, but they prevent the response from reaching a higher band.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors throughout the text. For example, 'this advancement is not so far in the upcoming years' is awkward, and 'they usually found it difficult' should be 'they usually find it difficult' to maintain consistent tense. There are also issues with preposition usage and verb forms, such as 'cope up with' (should be 'cope with'). Despite these errors, the writer demonstrates an ability to construct complex sentences, and the mistakes rarely cause confusion for the reader.

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

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