Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-09

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)

It is undeniable that due to technological development nowadays people are using debit cards, credit cards , e -transfers for the payment of the bills such as for shopping , for eating at restaurants , grocery and electricity and water bills.Hence it will continue in the future and people will no longer use cash for payments.In this essay i will discuss that why people will not use cash in future for payments and why some may not be happy to give up the use of cash in future.

There are many reasons why some people are not use cash in fiture for their bill payments.The first and foremost reason is that nowadays its is very hard to keep cash safe and secure.Due to development in technology online banking system is more reliable and convenient.Even when the debit card and credit card is lost then we people can just lock the card and make their money safe.But if they lost the money then there will be no chance that they will get money again or not.Secondly, there are many benefits of using cards and online money transfer.People can get purchasing points and get more benefits like discounts.

However there are many reasons why some people are still using cash and not able to give up from using cash for bill payments.To begin with,some people are not so good at using technological gadgets and are not comfortable with doing online payments.For example , like our grandparents they are using cash for many years and they are afraid of using new technology.Furthermore, the possible reason is the Internet connection.People are not able to do online transactions without using internet.For example, in some areas there is some issues regarding Internet connection that people are facing.Hence ,that is why they are not able to giving up from using the cash.

To sum up , i would like to reiterate that there are some reasons regarding Internet that whysome people are not giving up from using cash .

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address both parts of the question: you predict that cash use will decline and explain why some people may resist giving it up, especially older people who are uncomfortable with technology and people affected by unreliable internet. However, your position is not fully clear. The introduction says people “will no longer use cash,” while the conclusion focuses only on why some will continue using it, without directly confirming whether cashless payments will eventually become universal. The first body paragraph mainly explains the advantages of cards rather than developing why cash may disappear. Extend the prediction with a clear explanation—for example, how wider access to digital payment systems could make cash less common—and develop the concerns with specific consequences or examples.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, two body paragraphs and a conclusion. The contrast signalled by “However” helps distinguish the benefits of digital payments from reasons people may retain cash, and examples are placed alongside relevant points. Nevertheless, progression is weakened because the first body paragraph begins by discussing why people do not use cash, then shifts to card benefits, while the conclusion repeats the internet point rather than bringing both sides together. Linking phrases such as “first and foremost,” “secondly” and “to sum up” are clear but somewhat mechanical. Organise each paragraph around one main purpose, use clearer references between ideas, and make the conclusion restate your overall prediction as well as summarise the concerns.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use enough topic-related vocabulary to communicate the main ideas, including “debit cards,” “online banking,” “purchasing points,” “discounts” and “Internet connection.” There are also attempts at more specific expressions such as “safe and secure” and “online transactions.” However, the range is limited by repeated use of “cash,” “payments” and “people,” and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate, such as “give up from using cash” and “not able to giving up.” Spelling and written forms also need attention, including “fiture” and “whysome.” Choose more precise alternatives where possible, such as “abandon cash” or “cashless transactions,” and check spelling and natural word combinations during revision.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including conditional structures such as “if they lost the money” and clauses introduced by “when” and “because.” The main ideas are generally understandable, but grammatical errors occur frequently and sometimes make relationships between ideas difficult to follow. Examples include “some people are not use cash,” “if they lost the money then there will be no chance,” and “they are not able to giving up.” There are also problems with articles, agreement, tense consistency and sentence boundaries, as in “there is some issues.” Practise accurate verb patterns after “be able to” and “use,” and check subject–verb agreement and punctuation. Building reliable simple sentences before adding subordinate clauses will improve clarity.

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