Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-11-01

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)

With the advancement of technology, the mode of payments will be change in the future. People will be using card or mobile phones rather than cash. I believe this will happen soon. I am pretty sure some people might not like this because of several reasons. I would like to explain them in the upcoming paragraphs.

First of all, people may no longer be able to pay for shopping or other services in shops using cash because we have new modes of payments available in the market. For example, credit cards and apple pay. Some people think that this is more convienent for them because they do not have to carry cash with them. Moreover, People feel this is safer way of payment because you will get a proof of payment in your bank statement.

On the other hand, some people will be happy with this change because they some of them do not know how to use technology. For example, Older people does not have smart phone or iphone, so they do not know how to use apple pay. It will be difficult for them to carry their phones with them all the time.

Secondly, people think that cash is a real money and you know how it works. they do not believe in plastic card and they are scared of frauds. They do not want to put themselve in a fraud situation when they do not know how to use credit cards and apple pay.

In conclusion, I would like to say that there are many shops already in the market they only accept electronic payments. I do not have any problem with this change because using my phone to pay in the store is more convienent for me rather than carrying cash with me. However, I totaly understand others prospective that they do not know how to use card or phones to pay for their shopping.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address both parts of the question and make your position clear: you expect cashless payments to become common, and you explain why some people may resist them. Your points about convenience and older people’s difficulty using phones are relevant. However, the explanation of why cash may disappear is brief, and the paragraph beginning “On the other hand” is confusing because it says people will be happy with the change before describing reasons they may oppose it. The concerns about fraud and trust in cash are useful but need fuller explanation or a specific example. Develop each main idea more evenly and make the contrast between supporters and opponents explicit.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable introduction, body paragraphs and conclusion, and the ideas are generally grouped by topic. However, progression is weakened by the contrast marker “On the other hand,” which introduces opposition after saying people will be happy with the change. The sequence “because they some of them” also makes the relationship between ideas unclear. Some linking phrases, such as “First of all” and “Secondly,” organise points mechanically rather than showing their precise connection. In the conclusion, the shift from your own preference to other people’s concerns is understandable but abrupt. Use clearer topic sentences and refer consistently to supporters or opponents so the reader can follow the argument more smoothly.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant vocabulary for the topic, including “credit cards,” “bank statement,” “frauds,” and “electronic payments,” so the main ideas are understandable. There is some repetition of “use,” “people,” and “cash,” and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate, such as “mode of payments,” “real money,” and “others prospective.” Spelling errors in “convienent” and “totaly” also reduce accuracy. Aim for more precise expressions and check spelling carefully; for example, describe cash as “tangible” and people’s views as their “perspective.” A broader range of terms for payment methods and concerns would help you express the argument with greater flexibility.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more developed sentence forms, including a reason clause in “because they do not have to carry cash” and a relative clause in “shops … that only accept electronic payments.” The overall meaning remains clear, but some grammatical errors occur. Examples include “will be change” instead of “will change,” “Older people does not have” instead of “Older people do not have,” and “they some of them do not know,” which disrupts sentence structure. There are also missing sentence-initial capitals in “People” and “they.” Review verb forms, subject–verb agreement, and sentence boundaries, then proofread for consistent capitalization. More accurate complex sentences would strengthen your control.

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