Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-13

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)

I believe in the future, cash payments in shops may no longer be available as cards or phones would be used instead. There are various reasons responsible for this change and people might not be happy about this trend. This essay will examine these issues in greater detail.

To begin with, the first key point to consider is convenience. This is primarily because people do not have to carry physical money with them while travelling as payments can be easily made through cards and mobile phones. As a result, chances of money being lost or stolen will significantly drop. Another important factor is new rules and regulations set by government to avoid illegal cash flow in economy. For example, state authorities has digitalized all money handling methods like payments through cards and mobile banking to ensure proper tracking of money flow.

An important factor behind few individuals not being in favour of giving up cash is exclusion of elderly people. To further explain there might be lots of older citizens who do not have bank accounts which would make it hard for them to make purchases digitally. Secondly, they might not be familiar with modern technology and different payment methods. Consequently, this situation would increase their technological dependency leading to difficulty in working things out for making purchases and payments.

In conculsion, I opine that factors like convenience and security will lead to no longer use of the cash paymets. But thi

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address both parts of the question: you predict that cash may disappear and give reasons some people would resist, especially older people’s limited access to bank accounts and unfamiliarity with technology. Your position is clear, and convenience and tracking illegal cash flows are relevant reasons. However, the explanation of why cashless payments may become widespread is more developed than the discussion of public resistance, and the security point is asserted rather than illustrated. The conclusion is cut off (“But thi”), so it does not fully summarise your response. The response is also 8 words below the required minimum. Develop the concerns with a concrete example, and complete the conclusion to address both questions fully.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall structure, with an introduction, separate paragraphs for the two sides of the question, and an attempted conclusion. Sequencing phrases such as “To begin with,” “Secondly,” and “Consequently” help readers follow the main points. However, some linking is mechanical or repetitive: “To begin with, the first key point” combines two signals, while “An important factor” repeats the phrasing used earlier. The relationship between digital payment and reduced theft is understandable, but the paragraph could connect its examples more smoothly. Most importantly, the final sentence stops at “But thi,” leaving the ending incomplete and weakening the overall progression. Use simpler transitions, clearer references, and a complete conclusion.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of topic vocabulary, including “physical money,” “illegal cash flow,” “bank accounts,” and “modern technology,” so the main ideas are communicated. There are also attempts at more formal phrasing, such as “primarily” and “technological dependency.” However, some choices are unnatural or imprecise, including “state authorities has digitalized all money handling methods,” “exclusion of elderly people,” and “working things out for making purchases.” Spelling errors in “conculsion” and “paymets” also reduce accuracy. Aim for natural collocations and precise wording rather than adding formal-sounding phrases; for example, describe older people as being “excluded from digital payment systems” and say that authorities “have digitised payment services.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including a conditional structure in “which would make it hard for them to make purchases digitally” and a result clause beginning “Consequently.” These structures generally make your meaning clear. Some grammatical errors remain, however. In “state authorities has digitalized,” the plural subject requires “have”; “in economy” needs an article or a more natural construction, such as “in the economy”; and “factors … will lead to no longer use” needs a grammatical pattern such as “will lead to cash no longer being used.” The final sentence is incomplete, which also affects accuracy. Check subject–verb agreement, articles, and verb patterns, then proofread the conclusion for a complete sentence.

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.