Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-02
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 the present time an increasing amount of individuals who have health issues are approaching different medicines and treatments, while not visiting their usual doctors. I think that it is a negative development because a person without any medical knowledge cannot determine the main causes that erupts their health problems.
A person who is suffering from a certain disease needs a professional doctor with a degree about that certain criteria who can diagnose the patient and give the patient exact medicine along with treatment plan. A professional doctor knows what he should do or doing when he is suggesting the patient for medication and treatment chart, while a person who has no knowledge about treatment or the limitation of medicine can only harm themselves. For instance, a person who has diabetes cannot treat or take medication himself without a doctor who has studied for years to treat and prescribe medication to the people with that problem or disease.
Moreover, a doctor knows how much of certain drug is needed for the treatment and how many days would it take to effect the disease, whereas, some alternative methods of treating and medicines might not be that effective against the virus or disease that caused the patient health issues. For example, there are so many products are available these days in online platforms and many other places where they promises to cure the problem or disease from the root but in reality there are no actual proof and those product might cause many side effects that would only worsen the persons health, increase the risk of the disease to spread throughout the whole body.
In conclusion, there are various different alternatives available in online platforms for different health problems but most of them are fraud and does not help in actual treatment for health problems. So, the only clever option is to visit a professional doctor and take prescription for the cure.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.5 |
| Overall | 7.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0
The response addresses the prompt clearly, maintaining a consistent position that the trend is negative. The ideas are relevant and supported with examples, such as the mention of diabetes and online health products. However, the development is somewhat repetitive, and the arguments could be more nuanced. For instance, the essay focuses heavily on the dangers of self-diagnosis without acknowledging why people might be turning to alternatives (e.g., cost or dissatisfaction with conventional medicine). To reach a higher band, you should aim to explore the topic with more depth and provide a more balanced view before concluding, ensuring that all aspects of the prompt are fully extended.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5
The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct points. Cohesive devices such as 'Moreover', 'For instance', and 'In conclusion' are used to guide the reader. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and there is occasional repetition of phrasing (e.g., 'health problems' and 'treatment' are used frequently). Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that referencing is more precise would enhance the flow. Overall, the progression of ideas is clear and easy to follow throughout the text.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the writer to express their opinion clearly. There are some attempts at less common vocabulary, such as 'diagnose' and 'professional', but the range is somewhat limited. Some word choices are slightly imprecise or repetitive, such as 'approaching different medicines' instead of 'seeking alternative treatments' or 'erupts their health problems' which is an incorrect collocation. To improve, focus on using more precise collocations and academic terminology related to healthcare to demonstrate a wider and more flexible range of vocabulary.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5
The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('causes that erupts', 'products are available... where they promises') and awkward phrasing ('a degree about that certain criteria'). Punctuation is generally functional, but some sentences are slightly clunky. To achieve a higher band, you need to increase the frequency of error-free complex sentences and pay closer attention to basic grammatical rules like pluralization and verb tense consistency.
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