Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-31
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)
There is a belief that individuals will not be able to buy something using cash in the future; thus, they may have to purchase goods and services using a card or online banking apps. However, I think this change will happen one day because online payments have a plethora of benefits. Many people will feel upset about this trend as they prefer to avoid additional taxes and secure their privacy regarding banking details, so they will demand cash payments. The following paragraphs will further elucidate the advantages and pertinent examples to support my opinion, and a few reasons behind the demand for cash payments.
In recent times, there is no denying that online banking apps and payment cards are popular for shopping for clothes, electronic appliances, and food. Online apps provide numerous features such as e-transfer, account transfer and instant withdrawal; therefore, paying money to someone is instant and hassle-free nowadays. That is why many online selling brands will close the option of cash payments in physical stores or shopping malls. Apart from that, for instance, the government has faced the issue of duplicate currency notes when people pay using cash, so are installing self-checkout machines in grocery stores. As a result, the number of cash counters in food shops is reduced, and they will vanish one day in the future.
On the contrary, people who like to pay by cash feel uncomfortable with online transactions. For example, old people do not know how to use banking apps properly, so they might face fraud. Moreover, some of the credit card companies charge a processing fee if we pay a small amount, so in that case, it would be better to pay in currency and coins.
To recapitulate, I firmly believe that cash payments will go away in future due to its benefits easily outweigh their potential drawbacks, even though some shoppers will disappoint from the trend of online transactions.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.0 |
| Overall | 6.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5
The response addresses both parts of the prompt: the likelihood of a cashless society and the reasons for public resistance. The position is clear throughout. However, the development of ideas is somewhat uneven. While the benefits of digital payments are mentioned, the explanation regarding 'duplicate currency notes' is slightly confusing and could be more clearly linked to the transition. The second body paragraph touches on valid points like security and accessibility for the elderly, but these could be expanded with more depth to reach a higher band. The response is relevant, but the arguments remain at a somewhat general level.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0
The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'However', 'Apart from that', and 'On the contrary' are used to guide the reader. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the two main ideas. However, there are instances where the flow is slightly mechanical, and some transitions feel a bit forced. Referencing is generally clear, though the connection between the government's issue with currency and the installation of self-checkout machines could be more smoothly integrated to improve the overall progression of the argument.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.5
The range of vocabulary is adequate for the task. The student uses some effective phrases like 'plethora of benefits', 'elucidate', and 'hassle-free'. There are some minor inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'shoppers will disappoint from the trend', which should be 'will be disappointed by'. Additionally, 'online selling brands' is a slightly unnatural collocation; 'e-commerce platforms' or 'retailers' would be more precise. The vocabulary is sufficient to convey the intended meaning, but it lacks the precision and sophistication required for a higher band score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0
The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There is a good attempt at using complex sentences, such as 'There is a belief that individuals will not be able to buy something using cash in the future; thus, they may have to...'. However, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'due to its benefits easily outweigh their potential drawbacks' (should be 'outweighing') and 'some shoppers will disappoint from the trend' (passive voice error). While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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