Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-07-25

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 7.0)

In current times, people has become increasingly inclined towards alternative medicines and treatment options instead of consultation with their physician. Here we will argue that how this practice may adversely affect the people's health outcomes.

Although many types of alternative medicines are proven effective by research such as acupuncture or water therapy, there are many popular alternative medicines with no proven health effects. People now a days are highly influenced by social media campaigns and various other digital marketing strategies so they decide to choose alternative medicines over treatment by a qualified doctor. Besides that people are inquisitive by nature so they prefer to experiment new therapies instead of traditional treatment options. Moreover, increased to information through internet have raised many misconceptions about hazards of pharmacotherapy which has resulted in a lack of trust on traditional treatment options including allopathic as well as homeopathic medicines. This has created a good market for alternative medicines.

The use of under research therapies offered as alternative medicines may cause progression of disease or unexpected side effects which may worsen the health overtime. In addition, many alternative medicines don't employ modern diagnostics techniques therefore there is a high potential to miss a crucial diagnosis. These modern and fancy therapies or alternative medicine come at a relatively much higher price than traditional medicine. It is also observed that many patients end-up with complications and ultimately see a doctor for further treatment.

Hence, considering the overall risks associated with relying on alternative medicines alone is not advisable and sometimes it can be very harmful. People should always see a doctor and should take a complementary treatment always in consultation with their doctor.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response addresses the prompt by taking a clear negative stance on the trend of using alternative medicine. The ideas are relevant, focusing on the lack of scientific evidence, the influence of social media, and the potential health risks. However, the development of these points is somewhat limited. For instance, the argument regarding 'water therapy' is mentioned but not fully explored in relation to the risks. To reach a higher band, you should provide more specific examples or elaborate further on the consequences of delaying traditional medical intervention. The conclusion is clear and reinforces your position, ensuring the task requirements are met.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organized into clear paragraphs, each with a distinct focus. You use cohesive devices such as 'Although', 'Besides that', 'Moreover', and 'Hence' to link ideas. While the flow is generally good, some transitions feel slightly mechanical or repetitive. For example, the start of the second paragraph could be smoother. Additionally, the referencing is occasionally slightly unclear, such as in the phrase 'increased to information', which disrupts the flow. Overall, the paragraphing is appropriate and the progression of ideas is easy to follow throughout the response.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, including terms like 'pharmacotherapy', 'inquisitive', and 'complementary treatment'. There are some minor inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'lack of trust on' (should be 'in') and 'under research therapies' (should be 'under-researched'). While you attempt to use more sophisticated language, these small errors occasionally affect precision. To improve, focus on using collocations more naturally and ensuring that technical terms are used in the correct grammatical context. The vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are several grammatical errors that persist throughout the text. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('people has become'), missing articles ('the internet'), and awkward phrasing ('increased to information'). While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. You should pay closer attention to basic grammar rules, particularly pluralization and preposition usage. Increasing the variety of complex structures while ensuring accuracy will help you achieve a higher band in this criterion.

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