Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-23

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)

Currently, we live in digital era, where things are getting more digital. Things are getting replaced from traditional methods to modern methods. Changes in payment method is one of the massive change in last few decades.

Initially, we used to do payments through cash or through cheques (if the amount was huge). But in these days, people are more dependent on cards. Cards are easy to carry and has features so please preffers it more over hard cash.

As per my observation, I hardly see anyone paying through cash in stores. The one of the major reason behind it is offers and cashbacks that card provides on the payments. These rapid changes can make payment completely cashless. The time will come soon when online transaction and cards will only be accepted in the stores.

I think it will happen soon as goverments are promoting digitalisation on massive level. It helps goverment in terms of taxation. I think, if this happens there will be pros and cons of this change. Pros like: Payments will become more transparent, we can pay anytime to anyone with hassle-free instant online transaction, etc. And there will be cons too like: It can create panic if by any chance payment gets stuck, or if someone loss their access to the payment mode in any emergency, etc.

And I also think that there will be some people who might not accept digital payment mode in future. Because, there are people who thinks they must deal in cash as when we use cash we are more attentive and practical while spending it. I can support it with my own example, I went to mall few days ago, where I liked one shirt and it was of ₹700. I opened my internet banking and was ready to pay ₹700 but for some reason my internet was not working and I thought to pay with hard cash. After payment I was thinking that I spent too much for the that shirt. which I never felt earlier when I purchased things through online payment or card.

In the end, I would like to conclude by saying that one day cash will be replaced, as we are moving towards advancement. But, there will be people who wont like this changes or it will be too early for them.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the task by discussing whether cash will eventually be replaced and explaining why some people might not want to give it up, specifically mentioning psychological factors regarding spending awareness. The position is clear throughout, and relevant ideas are presented and supported with a personal example about buying a shirt. However, some ideas are slightly under-developed or colloquial in tone, and the reasoning could be extended further for a higher band. Overall, the response meets the requirements of Band 6.0 effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The essay displays a coherent overall arrangement with logical progression from introduction to body paragraphs and a clear conclusion. Paragraphing is used sufficiently to separate different ideas, such as the advantages of digital payments versus the reasons people cling to cash. However, cohesion is sometimes mechanical or faulty, seen in transitions like 'In the end, I would like to conclude by saying' and repetitive sentence openings. Referencing is generally clear, but logical transitions between paragraphs lack seamless flexibility, placing the response firmly at Band 6.0.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully attempting less common items such as 'digitalisation', 'transparent', and 'hassle-free'. However, there are noticeable word-choice and collocation inaccuracies, such as 'massive change in last few decades' (missing article), 'please preffers it' (typographical error and wrong form), and 'someone loss their access' (incorrect part of speech). Spelling errors and imprecise phrasing recur throughout the text, meaning the lexical range and control fit comfortably within the Band 6.0 descriptor.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The writer employs a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating some control over multi-clause sentences. However, there are frequent grammatical errors in tense, article usage, and subject-verb agreement, such as 'Cards are easy to carry and has features', 'goverments are promoting', and 'people who thinks'. Punctuation is also erratic in places, particularly with run-on phrasing and unnecessary commas. Because these errors occur frequently but rarely impede overall communication, the grammar performance aligns with Band 5.5.

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