Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-27

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 the upcoming years, cash transactions would no longer be available in shops for the payment. Cashless purchases through phones or cards would be the only option for all payments. I believe it would be possible in near future because of the advancement in the technology. However, due to difficulty in using technical devices such as phone can might upset some people to give up using cash.

Living in the technological era, almost every field has machines and advance technological systems. Therefore, human being is constantly advancing in the technologies. As a result, I think that the current paper based payment systems would be replaced by digital payment system. Many countries has introduced application in phones which can be used for every type of transactions with just one tap. For instance, Japan has introduced the phone application that can be used not only for public transportation but also in every shop in the country which has provided immense level of conveniency to the citizen.

On the other hand, people who rely on cash might not be happy to replace their mode of payment because of unfamiliarity with digital applications. Especially older generation who does not have a better understanding of how to use technical devices or cards. Use of these softwares and cards might be tricky for them. Another prominent reason that can be upsetting is the fraudulant activities associated with this sytem. Anyone can do fradulant acitvities while helping them for payment or teaching them how to use the application.

In conclusion, Although, cashless payment methods would be generalised in the future because of advance systems, it might upset the people who relys on cash because of difficulties with oprating phones. I believe, the change is already been started as many countries have accepted this method.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: whether cash will disappear and why some people might be unhappy about giving it up. A clear position is maintained throughout the essay. The first body paragraph explores the shift towards digital payments, citing the example of Japan. The second body paragraph outlines the reasons why certain individuals, particularly the older generation, might resist this change due to unfamiliarity and the fear of fraudulent activities. While the ideas are relevant and supported with examples, some points could be further extended to reach a higher band. Overall, the task is addressed adequately, satisfying the requirements for a band 6.0.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The essay displays a coherent overall arrangement with a clear paragraph-by-paragraph structure. Introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion are identifiable. Cohesive devices such as 'However', 'Therefore', 'As a result', and 'On the other hand' are used to connect ideas, though some transitional phrasing feels a bit mechanical or repetitive. Paragraphing is used sufficiently to separate distinct themes, such as the technological shift versus the reasons for public reluctance. Referencing is mostly clear, though occasional awkward transitions prevent the flow from reaching a higher level.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, attempting some less common items such as 'technological era', 'immense level of conveniency', and 'fraudulant activities' (note the spelling error). However, there are noticeable word choice and spelling inaccuracies, such as 'conveniency' instead of 'convenience', 'oprating' instead of 'operating', and 'relys' instead of 'rely'. While these errors do not impede communication, they restrict the lexical score to a band 6.0 because precision and spelling control are inconsistent.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating some control over tense usage. However, there are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, such as modal verb misuse ('can might upset'), subject-verb agreement issues ('human being is', 'countries has'), article omissions ('due to difficulty', 'older generation'), and awkward passive constructions ('the change is already been started'). These errors occasionally cause the reader some difficulty, though they do not completely obscure the intended meaning. This performance fits the criteria for band 5.0.

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