Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-01

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)

While it is widely believed that shops would prefer card payments as compare to cash, I consider that it is not possible to replace cash transactions completely because of possibility of technical errors and resistance by some individuals. In my opinion, a majority of people will continue using cash because of unwillingness to change their shopping habits and lack of trust on digital payments.

On the one side, I cannot imagine that entire world will be doing cashless transactions. The most compelling reason for this is that digital system may have some technical difficulties which may delay the transactions. Due to these issues, businesses would accept cash payments to avoid loss. Moreover, paying with cash is highly comfortable for many shoppers. The complexities of using electronic devices results in reducing popularity of e-payments for certain groups. For example, old age people find it difficult to use their phone wallets due to which they prefer traditional payments methods. Therefore, despite card payments would be common in many areas, a lot of entrepreneurs will still be accepting cash.

There are several reasons why some people would not give up using cash. The major one is trust issues about using digital modes of payment. Since cyber crime and frauds are quite common, uneducated people find it safe to use cash. The fear of losing vulnerable information make individuals uncertain about using modern payment methods. Furthermore, keeping cash during shopping leads to calculated decisions while availability of cards encourages implusive shopping. The excessive usage of cards may increase debts which demotivates people to do online payments. Consequently, it adversely affects people's budget and increase their expenses.

In conclusion, although electronic money provides convenience, cash payment will not disappear in future. This is because of reliance on cash in unexpected circumstances and unacceptance by some people. Additionally, cash will be used by many people owing to increased crime rates and fear of overspending.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: the likelihood of a cashless future and the reasons for resistance to this change. The position is clear throughout the essay. Ideas are relevant and supported with examples, such as the mention of elderly people struggling with technology and the concern regarding cybercrime. While the arguments are logical, some points could be further extended to reach a higher band. For instance, the discussion on 'calculated decisions' versus 'impulsive shopping' is an interesting point that could have been developed with more depth. Overall, the task is fully addressed with a consistent viewpoint.

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 technical difficulties or security concerns. Cohesive devices are used throughout, such as 'On the one side', 'Moreover', and 'Furthermore', which help guide the reader. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and there is occasional awkwardness in the flow between sentences. For example, the transition between the discussion of technical issues and the comfort of cash could be smoother. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct ideas.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate and allows for clear communication. There is an attempt to use less common items like 'compelling reason', 'vulnerable information', and 'adversely affects'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'as compare to' instead of 'compared to', 'lack of trust on' instead of 'lack of trust in', and 'unacceptance' which is not the standard term for 'reluctance' or 'resistance'. While these errors do not impede communication, they prevent the response from reaching a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'old age people' (should be 'elderly people'), 'despite card payments would be common' (should be 'despite the fact that card payments will be common'), and 'fear of losing vulnerable information make' (subject-verb agreement error: 'makes'). Additionally, there are minor issues with articles and prepositions throughout. While the meaning is always clear and the errors do not cause difficulty for the reader, the frequency of these slips limits the score to a 6.0.

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