IELTS Writing Task 2 | Using the internet and smartphones to transfer money

• Introduction:
• Paraphrase the overall essay main topic.
• Write a clear opinion.
• 1st Body Paragraph
• Write a topic sentence with a clear main idea.
• Explain your main idea.
• Develop it with specific or hypothetical examples.
• 2nd Body Paragraph
• Write a new topic sentence with a new main idea.
• Explain your new main idea.
• Include specific details and examples.
• Add as much information as you can and make sure it links logically.
• Conclusion:
• Summarise your main ideas.
• Include a final thought.

• An increasing number of individuals today take advantage of online applications to transfer money to friends, family, and various businesses. In my opinion, this is a largely positive development though there is greater potential for fraud, particularly among less internet-savvy segments of the population.
• Those who oppose sending money online point out the potential dangers. When transferring money online, there is a chance that one’s password could be exposed to hackers, the transaction may be fraudulent, or the senders themselves might make a mistake in how much money is transferred. Most younger people are able to avoid these complications but older users are particularly vulnerable to fraud. For instance, every year thousands of retired citizens fall victim to identity theft after opening phishing emails and naively clicking on the links inside. Many of these individuals are unable to recover their money afterwards as cybercrime is a complex, international problem.
• However, online transfers are tremendously convenient for the vast majority. In the past, a person who wanted to make a transfer to a family member, friend, or business would have to make a trip to the bank, wait in line, and fill in various forms. Not only do online transfers save time but they also allow for greater flexibility. Users can transfer sums to multiple parties, monitor their transactions, cancel them or ask for refunds, and keep their own records with ease. All these features would previously require additional trips and phone calls with a physical bank. In the aggregate, the time saved is a significant factor for individuals and business and the main reason online banking has become the de facto norm in recent years.
• In conclusion, individuals must be mindful of potential fraud; however, transferring money online is a clearly beneficial technological advancement. There is little doubt that it will only become more pervasive in the future.

Vocabulary and Useful Expressions

• increasing number of individuals today take advantage of online applications: more people now pay online
• transfer: send money
• various businesses: different companies
• largely positive development: mostly good
• greater potential for fraud: more of a chance of tricking people
• particularly among less internet-savvy segments of the population: especially with groups that don’t understand technology that well
• oppose: are against
• point out: argue
• potential dangers: possible risks
• chance: possibility of
• password: what you input to get into your account
• exposed to hackers: vulnerable to online criminals
• transaction: exchanging money
• fraudulent: criminal, fake
• senders: people who are transferring the money
• make a mistake in how much money is transferred: make errors when sending money
• avoid: not deal with
• complications: intricacies
• older users: people who are older
• particularly vulnerable to fraud: especially likely to be cheated
• retired citizens: fall victim: people who don’t work any more taken advantage of
• identity theft: stealing someone’s private information
• opening phishing emails: clicking open emails that try to trick you
• naively clicking on the links inside: innocently opening the sites inside
• unable to recover their money afterwards: can’t get their money back
• cybercrime: online illegal acts
• complex: complicated
• international problem: global issue
• tremendously convenient for the vast majority: very easy for most people
• In the past: in the years before
• make a trip to the bank: go to the bank
• wait in line: stand around waiting to talk to a teller
• fill in various forms: write documents
• allow for greater flexibility: make it possible to do more
• transfer sums to multiple parties: send money to different people
• monitor their transactions: watch how their money is being sent
• cancel them or ask for refunds: void or ask for your money back
• keep their own records with ease: keep track of their own transfers
• features: benefits, applications
• previously: require additional trips: in the past need to go there in person
• with a physical bank: actual location
• In the aggregate: combined
• a significant factor for: big element
• the main reason online banking has become the de facto norm in recent years: primary cause of the advent of online transfers is now what is normally done
• mindful of: aware of
• clearly beneficial technological advancement: definitely good innovations
• There is little doubt that: not much chance that
• pervasive: very common