Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-27

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)

Is it true that cash became an old methods of payment, This mainly caused by the devolepment where are living in, a new ways of payments appear, such as, using cards or even phone to purchase stuff. And one day maybe cash will no longer exist.

Regarding the reasons for this trend, the main factor is the facility of paying by card or phone. You do not have to carry your wallet with you everywhere, or even worried about having enough cash each time you like an item. All what you have to do is swip your card or confirm in your phone and tada! you just paid. As all the indicators shows it is very possible that cash will disppear.

Turning to whether people will accept this and be happy or will they refuse and continue using cash, I suppose it is hard to predict. But sure a part will not be pleased because the vulnerability of the technologie tools. The main consern is security, if you pay by card are you sure that your personnel information such as phone number or adress are safe or they become puplic. Or even worse what if a virus attack your phone and all of sudden all your savings stoled.

In addition a lot of people are used to the idea of touching cash, it gives him the satisfaction of owning money but if there is no more cash they will be dispointed.

In conclusion, this trend accurs due to the technologie, and may people see it as a negative development because it a major change in a basic life habit, and a simple operation as payment may become more complicated.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address both parts of the question: you predict that cash may disappear and explain why some people would resist, especially because of security concerns and their attachment to handling money. Your position is clear in the opening and conclusion, and the examples of stolen savings and personal information make the concerns relevant. However, the prediction that cash will disappear is asserted rather than fully explained; the convenience of cards and phones is described, but you could show how this might lead shops or governments to stop accepting cash. The point about the satisfaction of touching money is also introduced but not developed. Extending these ideas with a specific example or consequence would make the response more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear overall structure: an introduction, a paragraph on the move towards cashless payments, a paragraph on objections, and a conclusion. Signposts such as “Regarding the reasons for this trend” and “Turning to whether people will accept this” help readers follow the shift between points. This coherent arrangement is a strength. Some links are less smooth or precise, however: “As all the indicators shows” does not clearly identify which indicators are meant, and the transition from security risks to people’s emotional attachment to cash is abrupt. The conclusion repeats the main ideas rather than drawing them together. Use clearer references and connect each supporting point to the paragraph’s central idea to make progression more natural.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use relevant vocabulary for the topic, including “security,” “personal information,” “savings,” and “cash,” and you attempt some informal expression with “tada!” This gives the response enough topic-related language to communicate its main points. However, the range and control are limited by repeated general words such as “people,” “cash,” and “payment,” as well as inaccurate or misspelled forms such as “devolepment,” “swip,” “disppear,” “consern,” and “technologie.” Some phrases are also unnatural, for example “the facility of paying” and “the vulnerability of the technologie tools.” Choose more precise collocations, such as “convenience of cashless payments” and “security risks associated with digital payment systems,” and proofread spelling carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt a mix of simple and complex structures, including conditional questions such as “what if a virus attack your phone” and a contrast introduced by “but if there is no more cash.” These attempts show some range, and the overall meaning is generally recoverable. However, errors occur across sentence forms and often make the reader pause. The opening is a run-on sentence with a comma splice, while “All what you have to do” and “As all the indicators shows” show problems with clause structure and subject–verb agreement. Other examples include “a lot of people … it gives him” and “all your savings stoled,” where pronoun agreement and verb forms are inaccurate. Practise accurate sentence boundaries, agreement, and past participles, then check each sentence aloud.

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