Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-03

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)

It is often argue that the upcoming generation will no longer be able to do cash transactions in shops. Online payment methods or card may become the permanent option to make payments. While there are some valid arguments in favour of this view, I believe that payments made by card or using phones may replace the cash option in the future.

The primary argument in favour of this view is that the developed countries are adapting the digitalization, which is motivating the citizens to follow the trend of online transactions. For instance, in recent years Indian government launched a program called Digital India, in which authorities explain the benefits of being digital. As of result, people started using the online payment apps such as Google Pay, Phone Pay, and BHIM. Moreover, Immigration is the second biggest reason of this change. Because majority of the immigrants are sending money home via online applications like Remitly instead of using old methods.

On the other hand, some people oppose this method because of such reasons. One the main reasons is that users may feel that they are under some kind of surveillance while doing online payments as authorities can track their every activity. For example, banks keep the history of the payments made by card or using phones in their systems, so anyone who knows how to hack the system can have the access of all the card users.

In conclusion, although online payment methods have some loopholes, I believe that the benefits of this outweigh the drawbacks.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: the likelihood of a cashless future and the reasons for public resistance. However, the development is somewhat uneven. While the first body paragraph provides relevant examples like 'Digital India', the second body paragraph regarding the reasons for resistance is less detailed. The argument about surveillance and hacking is relevant but could have been expanded to reach a higher band. The position is clear throughout, but the overall depth of analysis is limited, keeping it within the Band 6 range.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized into clear paragraphs. There is a progression of ideas from the introduction to the conclusion. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'For instance', 'Moreover', and 'On the other hand', though some transitions feel slightly mechanical. Referencing is generally clear, although the sentence 'some people oppose this method because of such reasons' is vague as it does not clearly link back to the previous paragraph's content. Overall, the structure is coherent and easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the student to express ideas clearly. There are some attempts at less common vocabulary, such as 'surveillance' and 'digitalization'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'adapting the digitalization' (should be 'adopting digitalization') and 'have the access of' (should be 'have access to'). These errors do not impede communication but prevent a higher score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The student uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'It is often argue' (should be 'argued'), 'As of result' (should be 'As a result'), and 'Immigration is the second biggest reason of this change' (should be 'for this change'). While these errors are noticeable, they rarely impede the reader's understanding. To improve, the student should focus on subject-verb agreement and correct preposition usage.

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

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