Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

In today's world, the way technology is advancing, so are the payment systems. In future, online payment system will replace paper bills without any doubts, whilst some people won't be glad about because of the familiarity with traditional payment system and lack of technological knowledge.

First of all, it is quite evident that current technological shift has led people to use digital payment system, because it is very convenient and easily accessible. An individual can just tap his phone to make payments, and won't have to carry a chunk of cash in the pocket. Secondly, people don't have to worry about money theft, as most credit cards if stolen or lost are insured by companies. Hence, it is really safe to use unless someone share their credential. Lastly, cash salaries are banned in most of the countries to help avoid tax evasion. For instance, India introduced a new law that required payment of salaries via bank or cheques which resulted in soared tax collections as compared to prior year.

However, elderly generation might not be as excited as other with shifting of all payment modes to cards or phones, because of lack of information about payment technology. Hence, they couldn't understand new financial system and rely of cash money. Moreover, a few people have relied on traditional payment system for a long time as a result they don't want to change themselves.

Overall, with the advancement of technology there will be change in the payment setup around the globe. People will have move from traditional payment system to online or credit/debit card payment system. Hence, it the duty of the government to aware and guide people about new payment ss

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 for resistance. The position is clear throughout. The ideas are relevant, such as the mention of tax evasion and the digital divide for the elderly. However, the development is somewhat limited; for instance, the point about tax evasion is well-supported with an example, but the explanation of why people might not be happy could be more deeply explored beyond just 'lack of knowledge' and 'familiarity'. The conclusion is incomplete, which slightly impacts the overall development of the argument.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized into paragraphs, each with a clear focus. Cohesive devices like 'First of all', 'Secondly', 'Hence', and 'However' are used to guide the reader. However, there are some mechanical issues with cohesion, such as the abrupt ending of the final sentence ('new payment ss'). Referencing is generally clear, but the flow between sentences occasionally feels a bit repetitive due to the frequent use of 'Hence' and 'system'. Overall, the progression of ideas is coherent, but the lack of a finished conclusion prevents a higher score.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The range of vocabulary is adequate for the task. You use some topic-specific terms like 'tax evasion', 'credential', and 'digital payment system'. There are some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'soared tax collections' (should be 'increased tax revenue') and 'aware and guide' (should be 'raise awareness and guide'). While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly, it lacks the sophistication and precision required for higher bands. The repetition of 'payment system' throughout the text also limits the lexical variety.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'some people won't be glad about' (missing object), 'unless someone share' (subject-verb agreement), and 'rely of cash' (preposition error). Punctuation is generally functional, but the final sentence is incomplete, which is a significant error. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to suggest that your control over complex structures is not yet consistent. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and preposition usage would improve your accuracy.

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