Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-19

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 5.0)

Through different forms of print and digital media, we come across reports that in advance technological era, majority of people are totally rely on online payments even they do not prefer to carry cash with them whenever they go outside for shopping.They will prefer to do paymens by phone pay, google pay or card in the future.

My stand can be justified with some intresting observations.The most convincing point in this regard is that in the future, majority of people will prefer to pay by card or digital payments.This view exits as it will convenient for them and make their payments very easy and Furthermore,my opinion can be bolstered with the fact if they do digital payments, sometime they will get reward as a money back.By this I mean that they will get 5 or 10% money back if payments made by online or card.Consequently,they can save money.

Apart from this,I can not ignore the fact that

online payments are one kind of evidence for people on the other hand cash payment is not consider as proof.This hypothesis is buoyed in the Idea that people always remember that their payment is done whereas in cash payment they may be sometimes forget about that.A global research in this matter has proven that there are 90% of people from my country,who always prefer to do payment by card or Google Moreover,If people carry cash with them they are afraid about losing their money or get stolen it.Thus,they do not prefer to take cash with them.

All in all, future will unfold many surprises for us.The need is be proactive and plough ahead with optimism.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response addresses both parts of the prompt, discussing whether cash will disappear and exploring reasons why people might be reluctant to give it up, such as security fears and the convenience of tracking expenses. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited and repetitive. For instance, the writer touches upon rewards and security, but these points lack deeper elaboration with compelling personal examples or concrete details. The position is generally clear throughout, though the arguments tend to be over-generalised, particularly the unsupported claim that 'there are 90% of people from my country' who prefer cards. Because all parts of the prompt are addressed with relevant, albeit basic, ideas, this performance fits the Band 5 descriptors.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The essay displays some logical organisation with basic paragraphing, separating the introduction, body points, and conclusion. However, the overall progression is hampered by disjointed sentences and mechanical or missing cohesive devices. For example, expressions like 'Apart from this,I can not ignore the fact that' are clunky and awkwardly integrated. Referencing and linking between sentences are frequently faulty, leading to abrupt transitions, such as jumping from digital evidence directly to a statistical claim without smooth bridging. Paragraphing is attempted, but internal cohesion requires better control to achieve a higher band. These characteristics align closely with Band 5.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is limited and repetitive, with noticeable errors that occasionally impede understanding. The writer employs basic terms and makes frequent collocation errors, such as 'advance technological era' instead of 'advanced technological era', 'totally rely' instead of 'totally reliant', and 'get stolen it'. There are also awkward phrasing choices like 'money back' instead of 'cashback' or 'rebates'. While the writer attempts some less common vocabulary items, such as 'proactive' and 'plough ahead', inaccuracies in word formation and choice mean the range remains minimally adequate for the task, placing it firmly at Band 5.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.0

The response features a very limited range of grammatical structures, relying heavily on simple sentences or faulty complex constructions. Frequent grammatical errors occur throughout the text, including tense inconsistencies, missing prepositions, and incorrect word forms, such as 'if payments made by online' and 'they may be sometimes forget'. Punctuation and spacing issues are also prevalent, with missing spaces after commas and periods. Although the core meaning can generally be deciphered, the high frequency of errors causes significant difficulty and distraction for the reader, which corresponds to the Band 4 descriptors.

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