Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

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

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)

Over the coming years, cashless payments will be more in demand. Individuals will make payments with bank cards or the smartphones. Since It is convenient and contactless, it is likely that cash will become less common and people will eventually stop accepting it. Moreover, it may be hard for elderly people to accept this change.

Nowdays, technology plays an indispensable role in life. It has become more common to pay with cards and smartphones because it is faster and easier. Moreover, contactless payments are more secure as compared to the traditional methods. Furthermore, Digital payment will reduce the need to count the cash or to handle it. For instance, people use tap and pay option on the phones to pay for their groceries and restaurant bills. Thus, it is safe to assume that online transaction will replace the traditional method.

On the other side, some people will find it difficult to trust the digital tools as older people only prefers the methods they are comfortable and familiar with. Additionally, technical problems may arise like phone batteries may die or any kind of internet outages while doing a payment and that can cause a inconvenience for the buyers and they might have to skip buying the item. For instance, an elderly person who carries cash all the time might find it difficult to pay with a card at he local stores. Thus, it will be not be convenient for everyone to give up on cash.

To put this in a nutshell, I believe that cashless payments are likely to boost in coming years due to their easy use and technological development. However, some people may prefer to use the traditional methods of payment.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the task by discussing whether cash will disappear and explaining why some people might be unhappy about giving it up, such as elderly citizens and technological failures. The position is clear throughout the essay, and the ideas are supported by relevant examples, like using 'tap and pay' options for groceries or how older individuals struggle with digital tools. However, some arguments lack deep extension, particularly regarding why all payments might move to phones or cards. The development is generally good, but borders between Band 6 and 7 because some points, such as the initial prediction, remain slightly superficial. Overall, it satisfies the requirements for a Band 6.5 descriptor well, though rounding standard practices or descriptive fit places it solidly at a 6.0 for somewhat under-developed supporting examples in the second body paragraph.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized into four paragraphs, featuring a clear introduction, two body paragraphs focusing on different aspects of the prompt, and a conclusion. Cohesive devices are used to connect ideas, such as 'Moreover', 'Furthermore', and 'Additionally', although some transitions feel a bit mechanical or repetitive. Paragraphing is used appropriately, with each paragraph having a distinct focus (benefits of digital payments in the second paragraph and drawbacks/resistance in the third). While the overall progression is clear, referencing is occasionally slightly ambiguous, such as with pronouns like 'it'. These features align well with the Band 6 descriptors for Coherence and Cohesion.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for the task, successfully attempting less common items such as 'indispensable role', 'contactless payments', and 'online transaction'. There are, however, some lexical inaccuracies and awkward word choices, such as 'cause a inconvenience' instead of 'cause an inconvenience' and 'at he local stores' (typographical/spelling slip). Collocations are generally functional, but lack the precision and flexibility required for higher bands. The vocabulary is sufficient to convey meaning clearly, making Band 6 an appropriate and fair score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including conditional and causal structures like 'Since It is convenient and contactless, it is likely that...' and 'If/when technical problems may arise...'. There are several grammatical errors and punctuation slips throughout the text, such as capitalization issues ('Nowdays', 'Since It'), article omission errors ('cause a inconvenience', 'at he local stores'), and awkward subject-verb agreement or tense choices ('older people only prefers'). Nevertheless, these errors do not impede communication, and the writer maintains a reasonable level of control over basic structures, placing the grammar performance firmly within Band 6.

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

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