Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-10
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)
In the upcomming time ,many individuals pay their shopping bills without using paper currency instead they will use card or cell phones as the mode of payments
Yes, I think one day is totally possible because the government starting encouraging the online payment systems and we can see there is the rapid increasing waves of the user who pay by cards for them it is very easy and time saving to use for example the person who is going for the shopping for marriage they have to buy a lot of things that is very expensive and it is very hard to carry money in the bags but if you are use the card it will very easy to carry in wallet or purse you also get cash back by buying items and card limit is very high which has very low emi that should be paid by next month.
the drawbacks of using the cards based system has a lot safety concerns and people thinks that having card mean they might be addicted to buying unwanted things in the shopping markets or store that will make them to loose there precious money in form of emi. they have another reason like we are not much comfortable with the new technology and we like to use old money transfer system in this way we can save our money.
In the end, I have been totally agree that using cards and cell phones have more benefits So one day the world become fully cashless and all transactions are done digitally or virtually
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0
You address both parts of the question: you predict that cashless payments will become widespread and explain why some people may resist, citing security concerns, overspending and discomfort with technology. Your position is clear, especially in the opening and conclusion. The example of a shopper buying many items for a wedding helps illustrate the convenience of cards, but the discussion of government encouragement and growing card use is asserted rather than supported. Some points are also unclear or insufficiently developed, such as the reference to low-cost instalments and how these relate to cash disappearing. To strengthen the response, explain the reasons more precisely and develop the concerns with a relevant example, such as people without smartphones or reliable internet access.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response has a recognisable overall structure: a prediction, a paragraph about the benefits of cashless payments, a paragraph on concerns, and a conclusion. This gives the reader a basic route through your ideas. However, progression within the long second paragraph is difficult to follow because several points are joined together without clear sentence boundaries. The shift from convenience to cashback and then to credit limits and instalments feels abrupt. Linking phrases such as “for example” and “in the end” are present, but connections between ideas are sometimes mechanical or unclear. Use shorter sentences, group each main reason with its explanation, and make references explicit so the reader can follow how each point supports your position.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
You use vocabulary relevant to the topic, including “paper currency,” “online payment systems,” “cash back,” “safety concerns” and “transactions.” These choices show an attempt to discuss both practical benefits and possible disadvantages. However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or awkward, which sometimes makes the meaning less clear: “rapid increasing waves of the user,” “card limit is very high,” and “old money transfer system” are examples. There are also spelling errors such as “upcomming,” “loose” where you mean “lose,” and “there” for “their.” Aim for more precise, natural phrases and check spelling carefully. For instance, describe the “growing number of card users” and refer to “security risks” or “traditional cash payments.”
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
You attempt both simple statements and longer sentences that explain causes and examples, so there is some variety in structure. However, control is uneven, particularly in the extended sentence beginning “because the government starting encouraging,” where verb forms, agreement and sentence boundaries make the argument hard to follow. Other examples include “if you are use the card,” “people thinks,” and “I have been totally agree.” Articles and plurals are also inconsistent, as in “the shopping” and “the user.” These errors sometimes impede clarity, especially when several clauses are joined together. Practise accurate present and future forms, subject–verb agreement, and sentence punctuation; then build complex sentences from shorter, correct clauses.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.