Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-04

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 this era, due to advances in science and technology, the way people shop has undergone a sea change. Individuals may be unable to pay in person at shops in the coming years because all payments will have to be made using online payment methods. There are numerous reasons behind this scenario. I personally believe that this will not happen one day.

There are a lot of reasons why some people may not be satisfied with using paper money. The first and foremost reason is the lower chance of theft. To explain it more, they do not need to carry plastic money anywhere with them because nowadays they have a lot of online payment apps on their mobile phones, which help them to buy anything without keeping cash with them. As a result, the crime rate decreases, especially in cases of snatching purses or wallets. This helps people to walk freely outside without any fear. Hence, people may feel safe. To cite an example, a study shows that 90% of people use online payment apps, which reflects that technology plays a vital role in financial transactions

Additionally, they do not have to go to banks to borrow money. To be more precise, they do not need to travel to withdraw cash from ATMS and banks, which saves their time as well as their energy because they do not need to wait in line to withdraw. As a result, they can use that travelling time to do other work.

I personally believe that this would not happen one day becasue their are some drawbacks of using online payment methods, like fraud. This also lessens the importance of banks and money flows between countries.

To conclude, after discussion, it becomes quite clear that, no doubt, using online methods of payment is good for people, but they can forget the importance of plastic money.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: the likelihood of a cashless society and the reasons why some people might resist this change. However, the development of ideas is inconsistent. While the benefits of digital payments are explained, the second part of the prompt—why people might be unhappy to give up cash—is somewhat confused. The student discusses reasons why people like digital payments instead of focusing on the reluctance to abandon cash. Furthermore, the position is slightly contradictory; the introduction states the change will not happen, but the body paragraphs focus heavily on the advantages of digital payments. To reach a higher band, ensure each paragraph directly answers the specific question asked.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, and there is a clear attempt to use cohesive devices such as 'The first and foremost reason', 'To explain it more', and 'Additionally'. However, some of these transitions feel mechanical or slightly unnatural. The referencing is occasionally unclear, particularly in the second paragraph where the pronoun 'they' is used repeatedly without a clear antecedent for the group being discussed. The conclusion is somewhat abrupt and does not fully synthesize the arguments presented in the body. Improving the flow between sentences and ensuring that cohesive devices are used to link ideas rather than just acting as signposts would improve the score.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, with some attempts at more sophisticated phrasing such as 'undergone a sea change' and 'financial transactions'. However, there are instances of imprecise word choice, such as 'plastic money' to refer to digital/online payments, which is technically inaccurate as plastic money usually refers to credit/debit cards. There are also some repetitive structures. To improve, the student should focus on using more precise terminology related to financial technology and avoid repeating basic phrases. The range is sufficient to communicate the main points, but lacks the flexibility and precision required for higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'their are some drawbacks' (should be 'there are') and 'this would not happen one day becasue'. Punctuation is mostly functional, but there are minor slips throughout. The student demonstrates an ability to construct complex sentences, but the frequency of errors in basic grammar and spelling prevents a higher score. Focusing on proofreading to catch subject-verb agreement and spelling errors would significantly enhance the quality of the writing.

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.