Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-30

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 coming years, there is a possibility of cashless payment methods replacing physical cash. In my opinion, this will happen as online transactions are increasing and it is more convenient and secure. However, many people will not be happy because of the transaction limit and the risk of digital theft.

People are preferring cashless transactions as they do not want to travel with a huge amount of money. From my own experience, since I have started using cards and payment applications, I travel more relaxed. In addition to this, a lot of governments are promoting digital transactions. For example, Indian government is promoting UPI cashless method to make payments more convenient for the users. By using digital payment methods, customers do not have to visit banks to withdraw and deposit cash. Because of these reasons, I believe in the future we might see cash being replaced by cards and phone applications.

However, there is a huge risk of cyber attack while using digital payment methods. As senior citizens do not understand how to use these methods, they are the main targets for online theft. In addition to this, people might not be happy with spending limit on cards and online transactions. To keep their customers safe, majority of banks have transaction limit. It might creates a issue if customer wants to spend more than the limit they have.

In conclusion, I think that we will see complete cashless transactions in the future, because of convenience and safety it provides by not carrying physical cash. Many people might not prefer this because of limit on how much they can spend and risk of cyber attack.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, providing a clear position on the future of cashless payments and explaining why some individuals might be reluctant to adopt this change. The ideas are relevant, such as the mention of cyber security and the needs of senior citizens. However, the development of these points is somewhat limited. For instance, the discussion on transaction limits could be expanded with more specific examples or deeper analysis to reach a higher band. Overall, the response is well-focused and maintains a consistent position throughout the essay.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central theme, such as the benefits of digital payments or the risks involved. Cohesive devices like 'In addition to this', 'For example', and 'However' are used effectively to link ideas. While the progression is generally smooth, some transitions feel slightly mechanical. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different arguments, which helps the reader follow the writer's line of reasoning without difficulty.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the writer to convey their ideas clearly. There is some use of topic-specific terminology, such as 'online transactions', 'digital theft', and 'cyber attack'. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there is occasional repetition of basic words like 'methods' and 'payments'. To improve, the writer should aim to incorporate more sophisticated collocations and less common lexical items to demonstrate a wider range of vocabulary and more precise control over word choice.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is always clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'It might creates a issue' (should be 'create an issue') and 'Indian government' (needs an article). Additionally, there are minor punctuation and article usage errors throughout the text. Despite these slips, the errors do not impede communication. To reach a higher band, the writer needs to increase the frequency of error-free complex sentences and improve control over articles and verb forms.

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