Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-02
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 5.0)
It has always been a matter of debate whether we should buy expensive clothes or cheap ones. Many individuals say it is better to invest in a few branded clothes rather than collecting a variety of budget-friendly clothes. I certainly disagree with this view. Even though, the branded clothes are visually more appealing, it does not mean that we should wear the same clothes frequently.
To commence with, having a few branded clothes may create hygiene issues and are more prone to wear and tear, due to their repeated use and wash. If any individual have a limited number of clothes, they might wear them more frequently and end up buying more clothes. As repeatedly wearing the same garments may affect their durability. Moreover, if any individual does not wash their clothes after every use, they are more vulnerable to skin infections such as itching and rashes. Therefore, it is better to buy more clothes at a cheaper price rather than having a few branded articles. For instance, the quality of garments depends upon their fabric not on its price and brand.
Furthermore, middle-class individuals have a limited budget for their clothes and they have to go to work every day. Instead of buying a few expensive clothes, they prefer to buy a variety of clothes from the local market at a cheap price to change them every day as per their office requirements. If clothes are taken care properly, they may not solely stand out but also be durable. If any individual comes under the peer pressure and invest a large chunk of money into the expensive clothes just to get a few compliments, they may struggle financially.
To sum up, branded clothes may help to get you the compliments from friends and family but having only few of them leads to hygiene issues and more wear and tear of clothes. I believe it is always better to buy a variety of clothes at a cheaper prise. By taking care of them, we may have options to wear every day and they are also economical.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 1.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 1.0
The response is completely off-topic. The prompt asks for a discussion on the future of cash payments and why some people might be reluctant to abandon cash. Instead, the essay discusses the merits of branded versus budget-friendly clothing. Because the response fails to address the task requirements entirely, it cannot be assessed for task achievement in relation to the prompt provided. In an actual examination, this would be treated as a memorised or irrelevant response, resulting in a very low score for this criterion.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0
The essay is logically organised into paragraphs with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'To commence with', 'Furthermore', and 'To sum up' are used effectively to guide the reader through the argument. While the content is irrelevant to the prompt, the internal structure of the text itself is coherent and follows a standard essay format. The progression of ideas within the context of the clothing topic is logical and easy to follow.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.0
The vocabulary is generally appropriate for an IELTS essay, showing a sufficient range to discuss the topic of clothing. Phrases like 'prone to wear and tear', 'vulnerable to skin infections', and 'invest a large chunk of money' demonstrate a good level of lexical control. There are minor errors, such as 'prise' instead of 'price', but these do not impede communication. The range is adequate for the task, though it lacks the sophisticated, academic nuance required for the highest bands.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0
The student demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some grammatical errors, such as 'If any individual have' (subject-verb agreement) and 'taken care properly' (passive voice construction). However, these errors are infrequent and do not hinder the reader's understanding. The control of punctuation is generally good, and the sentence variety is sufficient to maintain a steady flow. The grammar is functional and clear, though it lacks the consistent accuracy and complexity of higher-band responses.
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.