Sample response & feedback

Paying for Goods Using Mobile Phone Apps

Question

In many countries, paying for things using mobile phone (cellphone) apps is becoming increasingly common. Does this development have more advantages or more disadvantages? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Annotated response

12 correction notes

Showing 12 correction notes.

Payment apps are getting more and more common in many nations across the world. This essay explains why people’s occasional technical troubles are not as detrimental as they may be given the benefits of this occurrence, which include convenience and safety.

To begin with, people find it more convenient to use rather than actual cash. For instance, a lot of people no longer carry cash because they might require more than they have on hand. Therefore, they have more freedom to spend the money they need or want when they choose to use . Additionally, using phone apps is safer. This is because cash or cards can be lost or stolen, but these applications have . For example, Apple Pay uses biometric authentication, adding an extra layer of security to transactions, thereby reducing the risk of fraud.

Nevertheless, there is a drawback to making mobile applications your primary mode of payment, which is . Officers typically advise travelers to bring some cash in case their phones’ batteries die or their mobile data runs out. On such occasions, people would find themselves in a foreign nation , which could lead to significant problems and a waste of time.

In conclusion, the benefits of utilising bank applications for payments, such as their practicality and security, far exceed the drawbacks of occasionally experiencing technical issues with internet connections or running out of battery life. These problems can also be resolved by searching for locations with free wifi and portable chargers.

Overall assessment

Why this response received Band 7.0

The response directly answers the question with a clear position, well-developed advantages and disadvantages, and relevant examples such as Apple Pay and travel scenarios. Its main limitation is occasional imprecise or awkward word choice, alongside ideas that, while logical, remain somewhat briefly developed.

IELTS criteria

How each score was decided

TR Task Response

7.0

The response addresses all parts of the task with a clear, consistent position that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, supported by relevant explanation and examples, though some ideas are developed in a limited or slightly generic way.

CC Coherence and Cohesion

7.0

The essay is logically organised with clear paragraphing and a range of cohesive devices used naturally, although progression within paragraphs is occasionally loose and the final remedy in the conclusion feels appended.

LR Lexical Resource

7.0

There is a sufficient range of vocabulary for the topic, including “biometric authentication” and “fraud”, but imprecise wording such as “paid apps” for payment apps and “without any financial means” for an inability to pay by phone reduces precision.

GRA Grammatical Range and Accuracy

7.0

A variety of complex structures is used with good flexibility, including relative clauses and conditionals, and errors are minor and infrequent, generally not impeding communication.