Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-09
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 5.5)
In Modern Ara technology is going improve like water flow, something new in every day. So in up coming day change in doing payment is very Comman. I will give some important example in following peragraph.
On the first hand people are enjoying e-payment like Ptym, googlepay , applepay beacuse it is easy to carry no need to worry about threft and carry heavy coin even no need to go to the bank or atm it can save time money for fuel. Now people is using online payment for small thing like doing payment at tea store so, yes definetaly in future almost all bill payment will be paid by phone or card.
On the other hand some people still want to use cash only and even in future they just want to use cash beacuse some people are worry about cyber crime so they avoid to using card at all place they think using cash is a very safe there data will not goes in wrong hand and there money is a safe for example one of my uncle he do not want to use apple pay or card he always carry money even he told me to use cash only as he face cyber threft and then he went cryber crime department he lost 10K.
For me it is very good improvement just need to make it safe beacuse last year I went USA I dont have USD and i want to visit status of liberty but apple pay help me to fulfeel my wish.
In conclution in up coming days technology will change and we will use card and online payments only.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
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 resistance to this change. The position is clear, and the ideas are relevant. However, the development is somewhat limited. While the personal example of the uncle is relevant, the explanation of why people might be unhappy is slightly repetitive, focusing heavily on cybercrime. To reach a higher band, you should expand on other reasons, such as the loss of privacy or the difficulty for elderly or unbanked populations. The conclusion is brief and does not fully synthesize the points made.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the argument. However, the use of cohesive devices is mechanical and sometimes inaccurate. For example, 'On the first hand' is an incorrect collocation (it should be 'On the one hand'). Transitions between sentences are often abrupt, and the flow of ideas is occasionally hindered by awkward phrasing. While there is a logical progression from the advantages to the disadvantages, the lack of sophisticated linking words makes the essay feel somewhat disjointed.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. There are several spelling errors ('Comman', 'peragraph', 'threft', 'conclution') and non-standard collocations ('doing payment', 'go to the bank or atm'). The use of 'Ptym' is informal and specific to certain regions, which is less appropriate for an international exam. To improve, focus on using more academic vocabulary and ensuring correct spelling and word choice in a formal context.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The essay relies heavily on simple sentence structures. While there are attempts at complex sentences, they are often marred by grammatical errors, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('people is using', 'he do not want') and incorrect verb tenses ('he face cyber threft'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with several run-on sentences and missing commas. The frequent errors in basic grammar and sentence construction occasionally impede the reader's understanding of the intended meaning.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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