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)

There is an ongoing debate whether all payment should be done by card or cash. Many people believe that cash payment will become obsolute in future. Others, however, argue that cash is better way to pay for the products and services. I believe that online payment will emerge in the future.

One of the main reasons of doing online payments is safety. There is a fear of losing cash during a commute. For example, if someone travel through public transport everyday. It is not safe to carry physical cash. They end up loosing it . Furthermore, there is circulation of fake notes in the market. If we use digital money then we can prevent ourself from such kind of frauds. For instance, when the payment is in large amount, there is a chance of duplicate notes .As a result, reciever will face serious consequences. Apart from this, it is convenient as well. Customers can make payment with one tab with their phone. E-wallet in phone eliminates the need of carrying physical cards.

On the other hand, some people still like to use cash. The main reason is that they are not aware of the new technology. They assume that physical cash is more convenient to use as compare to e-cash. For example, old age people do not have debit or credit cards. They usually withdraw cash from bank and use it for their daily purchases. Most people do not use smart phone. As a result, they do not know how to make payment with the help of phone

In conclusion, although many people do not like giving up cash as a mean of payment because they are not open to learn new technology . I beleive that online payment is the future of the world. Because It provide safety, convenience and prevent us from frauds.

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 why some people resist this change. The position is clear from the introduction. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the argument regarding the 'safety' of digital payments is a good point, but the explanation could be more nuanced. The discussion on why people resist change is slightly repetitive, focusing heavily on the elderly and lack of technology access. To reach a higher band, you should expand on other reasons for resistance, such as privacy concerns or the desire for anonymity, which would provide a more comprehensive answer.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized into paragraphs, each with a clear focus. There is a basic attempt at using cohesive devices such as 'Furthermore', 'For instance', and 'On the other hand'. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical, and some transitions feel forced. The referencing is generally clear, but the concluding paragraph is a bit abrupt and contains a sentence fragment ('Because It provide safety...'). Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence would enhance the overall coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You have an adequate range of vocabulary to express your ideas, such as 'obsolute' (though misspelled as 'obsolute' instead of 'obsolete'), 'circulation', and 'convenience'. There are some spelling errors ('loosing' instead of 'losing', 'reciever' instead of 'receiver', 'beleive' instead of 'believe') and minor collocation issues, such as 'make payment with one tab' (should be 'tap'). While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning, it lacks the precision and sophistication required for higher bands. Focusing on accurate spelling and more varied collocations will help improve your score in this area.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While you attempt complex sentences, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with subject-verb agreement ('It provide safety') and article usage ('the circulation of fake notes'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with some misplaced spaces before periods. While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. To improve, focus on proofreading for basic subject-verb agreement and ensuring that your complex sentences are constructed with grammatical precision.

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

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