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)

A growing number of people in the future will more reliant of cards and phone apps in order to paying their bills rather than following a traditional cash methods. I partially agree with the given statement, as cashless methods are convenient, keep records of customers' spending and time-saving, whereas cash will be suitable for older people and useful during power outages and network problems.

On the one side, using a phones and cards will be quite common in the future and now it is one important part of modern life. Certain apps facilitate the customers to make their payment within few minutes like Google pay app and save their spending data for a long time. As a result, digital methods save their valuable time by making transaction quicker and storing their shopping records for cross verifications. Additionally, consumers can get a huge discount during festivals or special holidays such as on Diwali or Christmas, if they pay their bills via modern payment apps and credit cards, therefore it is budget-friendly and encourage them to buy lot of things at one time.

On the other side, digital payment methods would be risky, less convenient for senior citizens and difficult during network issues conditions. Firstly, cashless payment apps are bit challenging for older people to use, because they are less adoptable with modern technologies. Therefore, they will most probably prefer cash instead of mobile apps or cards during shopping. Apart from that, a number of hackers can take confidential information from users and steal money from their account, therefore it will increase the ratio of online fraud over time. So, it is little bit unsecure and dangerous over traditional payment methods. However, mobile apps and credit cards cannot able to work during power outages, network issues and in rural areas, so it would be better to carry certain amount of cash to mitigate the chances of unforeseen consequences related to online payment transaction.

In conclusion, using mobile apps and credit cards will be popular in upcoming future because of accessibility, budget-friendly approach and consumers can track their records of spending at any time. However, traditional payment methods will more suitable for senior citizens, will reduce the online fraud and unable to work during a network problems or electricity shortage.

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 why some people might be reluctant to adopt it. The position is clear from the introduction and maintained throughout. Ideas are relevant and supported with examples, such as the mention of Diwali/Christmas discounts and the challenges faced by senior citizens. However, some points, such as the 'power outage' argument, are slightly repetitive in the body and conclusion. To reach a higher band, ensure that the development of ideas is more balanced and avoids minor contradictions, such as stating you 'partially agree' but then providing a very balanced view that leans towards the necessity of cash.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used effectively to separate the two main sides of the argument. Cohesive devices such as 'On the one side', 'Additionally', 'Firstly', and 'In conclusion' are used to guide the reader. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical, and there are occasional issues with referencing and flow, such as the slightly abrupt transition in the final paragraph where the summary of the opposing view feels a bit disjointed from the main argument. Overall, the progression of ideas is clear and easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the student to express ideas clearly. There is an attempt to use topic-specific vocabulary like 'confidential information', 'unforeseen consequences', and 'digital payment methods'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'less adoptable' (should be 'less adaptable') and 'cannot able to work' (grammatically incorrect). The range is sufficient to convey meaning, but more precise or sophisticated vocabulary would be needed for a higher band. Spelling is generally accurate, but the phrasing occasionally feels slightly unnatural.

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 frequent grammatical errors that detract from the overall quality. Examples include 'more reliant of' (should be 'more reliant on'), 'in order to paying' (should be 'in order to pay'), and 'cannot able to work' (should be 'are unable to work'). Punctuation is mostly functional, but there are some awkward phrasings that impact the fluency of the sentences. The student demonstrates an attempt at complex structures, but these are often marred by errors in verb forms or prepositions.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.