Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-11-13

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Nowadays, a growing number of people with health problems are trying alternative medicines and treatments instead of visiting their usual doctor.

Do you think this is a positive or a negative development?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Student answer (Band 6.0)

Some argue that number of people avoid visiting a doctor and tend to try alternative medications and treatments. I strongly believe this is a positive development because of the side effects and affordability.

Western medication and treatments are more common in the world. However, people are suffering number of side effects from the medicines and treatments. Although the medicine cure the intended illness, side effects bring alternative consequences. For instance, the medication for headaches are leading cause of kidney problems. Although this is not the prime reason, it helps indirectly. However, on the other hand, using traditional methods, such as using an herbal oil, could cure the headache without any consequences. Nonetheless, there are several medicines and treatments in the modern medicine have no side effects.

Comparing with alternative medicines, modern medications and treatments are expensive. Introduction of a new medicine could takes years of testing and consume large amount of resources. Therefore, final product is relatively expensive. Even though it is an important and necessary medication, due to living situation and poverty, people turning to alternatives. For example, in Sri Lanka, traditional herbal medicines have proven that diabetes could be controlled just as western medicines. Therefore, people are turning their attention toward traditional ways due to the price tag is cheaper than modern medications for diabetes. However, several governments are initiating tax relaxations for medications which ultimately reduce the price.

In conclusion, I firmly believe that using alternative medications is a positive development because a number of side effects that are common with modern medicines and it is relatively cheaper as well.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

Your position is clear from the introduction and conclusion: you consider the shift towards alternative treatments positive. You address the question with two relevant reasons—possible side effects of modern medicines and lower costs—and support them with examples, including headache medication and herbal treatments in Sri Lanka. This covers the task well and shows some development beyond simply stating an opinion. However, the discussion of safety is not fully balanced: you briefly acknowledge that some modern medicines have no side effects, but do not explain how this qualifies your argument. The diabetes example also asserts that traditional remedies work as well as Western medicines without explaining the basis for that claim. Clarifying these points and developing the examples more carefully would make the response more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall structure: an introduction, two body paragraphs presenting separate reasons, and a conclusion that restates your view. The reader can follow the main progression from safety concerns to affordability. However, cohesion is sometimes mechanical or confusing. In the first body paragraph, “Although” and “However, on the other hand” create overlapping contrasts, and the repeated “However” and “Therefore” make links feel formulaic. The sentence beginning “Although the medicine cure…” is also difficult to follow because the relationship between the illness and the “alternative consequences” is unclear. Use fewer linking expressions and make the logical connection between each claim and example explicit. This would improve flow while preserving your effective paragraph structure.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of topic vocabulary, including “side effects,” “alternative consequences,” “herbal medicines,” “tax relaxations,” and “living situation and poverty.” These choices help you discuss health and cost, and the meaning is generally clear. There are also attempts at more specific phrasing, such as “prime reason” and “price tag,” though some expressions are imprecise or unnatural in context. For example, “alternative consequences” does not clearly convey the intended meaning, and “the price tag is cheaper” is an awkward way to describe lower costs. Some repetition of “medications and treatments” also limits flexibility. Aim for more precise collocations and vary repeated topic terms; this will make your argument sound more natural and exact.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including concessive clauses with “Although” and cause-and-effect structures with “Therefore.” Most sentences remain understandable, but some grammatical errors recur. For example, “the medicine cure” needs subject–verb agreement, “the medication for headaches are” has a singular–plural mismatch, and “a new medicine could takes years” uses the wrong verb form after a modal. Articles and sentence construction also need attention in phrases such as “number of people” and “due to living situation and poverty, people turning to alternatives.” These errors do not generally prevent understanding, but they reduce accuracy. Review agreement, articles, and modal verb patterns, then proofread each sentence for a complete and correctly formed clause.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.