Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-16

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)

If we talk about future, most probably people no longer be able to pay for things in shops using cash and most of them end up using card or phone to pay. In today era, people feel like having money in card or phone is more convenient and scure than having a cash. The main reason behind this is people think that there money could be stole by someone or scared to loss money by not being active all the time. The reason of them being scared is genuine. The rate of robbery incident become so high that now everyone feel scard before having a cash in there pockets. So, everyone feel more safe in doing card payment or through phone. The ratio of using card or phone for payment become this higher even the people from rural area whose don't have much information about it also start doing it. I believed that there is nothing wrong with it but still there is few people who not gonna give up on cash. The people believe on having a cash or paying with cash are the people whose doesn't believe on technology. According to their thoughts, we can't fully rely on technology. They are right too but everyone have there opinion on it and different way of living life. If i talk about myself then i have different thoughts on it. I think we should have both money in cash and money in bank or phone too. I am studing in Punjab university and in my department there is a big issue of network, so everytime you have to pay in canteen make sure have some cash. Otherwise, neither i have problem with having cash nor in my phone or card.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address both parts of the question: you predict that cash use will decline, and explain why some people may resist this change, particularly because they distrust technology. Your position is also clear in the personal example that you would keep both cash and digital payment options. The example about unreliable network access at Punjab University is relevant and helps show why cash may remain useful. However, the prediction that cash will disappear is asserted rather than fully explained, and the point about robbery mainly explains why people prefer digital payments, not why some would be unhappy to give up cash. Develop that second side more directly—for example, by discussing privacy, access for people without bank accounts, or payment failures—and support the ideas with clearer reasoning.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has an overall sequence: it introduces the move towards digital payments, gives reasons for it, then considers people who prefer cash and ends with a personal example. This makes the main line of thought understandable. However, the ideas are presented in one long paragraph, so the shift from the benefits of digital payment to objections to it is not clearly signposted. Several links are repetitive or awkward, including repeated use of “The reason” and “So,” while references such as “they” and “it” are not always immediately clear. Use separate paragraphs for the prediction, reasons for resistance, and your conclusion, and connect each point with precise transitions rather than repeating the same linking patterns.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use enough topic-related vocabulary to communicate the main ideas, including “cash,” “card,” “technology,” “robbery,” and “network.” There are also attempts to express more specific concepts, such as “rely on technology” and “network” problems. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate, which sometimes makes the reader pause: “scure,” “scard,” “loss money,” and “the ratio … become this higher” are examples. Some phrases are also imprecise, such as “having a cash” and “money in card.” Build a more accurate set of expressions for payment and concerns about cash, and check spelling and word forms. More precise vocabulary would make your explanations clearer and less repetitive.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and longer sentence forms, including a contrast with “but” and a conditional example beginning “If I talk about myself.” The overall meaning is generally recoverable, but errors in sentence structure and basic grammar occur across the response. For example, “people no longer be able to pay” needs a future auxiliary, while “there money could be stole” has problems with possessive form and passive construction. Subject–verb agreement is also inconsistent in “everyone feel” and “the rate … become,” and articles and plurals are often missing or misused, as in “having a cash.” Practise forming accurate clauses and checking agreement, articles, and verb forms. Aim to make your longer sentences reliable before adding further complexity.

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