Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-25

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 4.5)

Yes, i agree that in the future people may no longer be able to pay for things in shops using cash. My reasons for that is because the world is bcoming civilized day-by -day and education is bcoming more important now than in the oden days when people dont value education. In the olden day, people engaged in trade by batter, they dont believe in given cash in exchange of good or service. But today we use cash in exchange of goods and services and i believe that in the future, people might use cards or phones for their transactions. However, i believe that some people might not be happy to give up using cash because some people are not conversant with the use of phones and cards. Also, not everyone is literate. Some people cannot read which might be difficult for them to follow the transaction process due to illiteracy. Also, not everyone has phones and not everyone has cards.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

You give a clear position by agreeing that cash may disappear, and you address both parts of the question: future card or phone payments and reasons some people may resist. The points about limited familiarity with technology, literacy, and access to devices are relevant. However, the prediction is supported mainly by a broad claim about education and a brief comparison with earlier trade, rather than a developed explanation of why cashless payments will become necessary or widespread. The concerns are also listed without examples or elaboration. Most importantly, the response is 133 words, 117 below the 250-word minimum; 28 words copied from the prompt were excluded. Develop each main idea with explanation and a relevant example.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

The response follows a generally understandable order: it first states your view, then gives reasons for expecting cashless payments, and finally explains why some people may object. Linking expressions such as “However” and “Also” help signal these shifts. At this length, though, the essay has no paragraph breaks, and the repeated use of “Also” makes the list of concerns feel mechanical rather than developed. The connection between education becoming more important and shops moving away from cash is not made explicit, so progression is weakened. Use separate paragraphs for your prediction and the objections, and connect each supporting point clearly to the main claim.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use enough topic-related vocabulary to communicate the main ideas, including “transactions,” “illiterate,” “cash,” “cards,” and “phones.” These terms show awareness of the subject, and the reader can generally understand your meaning. However, the range is limited and some wording is inaccurate or awkward, such as “trade by batter” and “give up using cash,” which is repeated from the task. Spelling errors such as “bcoming” and “oden” are noticeable, while “civilized” is too broad to explain the shift to digital payments. Aim for more precise phrases and check spelling; for example, describe people as “unfamiliar with digital payment systems” and refer to “barter” when discussing exchange without money.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You communicate your main position using mostly straightforward sentence patterns, and you attempt to join ideas with clauses, as in “some people might not be happy … because some people are not conversant.” The meaning is usually recoverable, but errors occur in basic structures and reduce accuracy. For example, “My reasons … is” has subject–verb disagreement, and “people engaged in trade … they dont believe” shifts tense and does not form a well-controlled sentence. “In the olden day” also lacks correct plural marking. There is little variety beyond simple statements and basic clauses. Practise accurate agreement, past-tense narration, and sentence boundaries, then add a wider range of complex structures while keeping them controlled.

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