Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-12

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 6.5)

In the modern age of the internet and the information boom, it is evident that people are accessing more and more information online including medical information. However, despite making people more knowledgeable, it might not always bear positive results.

I believe that despite access to abundant information online, one can never substitute it for a trained medical professional specialised in their field as a result of rigorous education followed by medical practice. People seeking to make this choice might end up doing greater harm to themselves than good.

A piece of literature titled "A Man Who was a Hospital" depicts this very problem, wherein, a person sits down with a book containing description of causes and symptoms of various illnesses and in a brief period of time the person becomes convinced that he has most of, if not all the illnesses mentioned in the book.

People do not acknowledge the fact that although they have open access to information regarding medical illnesses, the information being shown to them might not show them the whole picture, and provide the complete information they require to accurately diagnose, let alone treat themselves. Furthermore, diagnosis and identification of the existence and severity of a medical condition becomes tougher due to the fact that many diseases might exhibit similar symptoms and a misdiagnosis might lead to worsening of the patient's condition. In a different situation, a patient might not have ample time to make an educated guess and their choice might cost them their life.

In conclusion, I believe that avoiding to consult a medical professional in favour of alternative medicines & treatments is an unwise choice and poses serious risk to peoples' health and safety.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses the prompt clearly, taking a firm stance that relying on alternative sources over medical professionals is a negative development. The position is consistent throughout. The argument is supported by a relevant literary example and logical reasoning regarding the risks of misdiagnosis. However, the essay could be improved by exploring the 'alternative medicines' aspect more specifically, as the current focus is primarily on the dangers of self-diagnosis via the internet. While the ideas are relevant, they could be further extended to fully explore the implications of the prompt.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'however', 'furthermore', and 'in conclusion' are used effectively to guide the reader. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the introduction of the problem from the analysis of the risks. The progression of ideas is smooth, though the transition between the literary example and the general argument about medical diagnosis could be slightly more seamless to enhance the flow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary is generally appropriate and precise, with phrases like 'information boom', 'rigorous education', and 'exhibit similar symptoms' demonstrating a good range. There is a clear attempt to use academic language. However, there are minor issues with collocation and word choice, such as 'avoiding to consult' (should be 'avoiding consulting' or 'choosing not to consult'). The range is sufficient for the task, but more sophisticated, less common lexical items would be needed to reach the higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The essay demonstrates a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are error-free and clear. There are occasional minor grammatical slips, such as 'avoiding to consult' and the slightly awkward phrasing in 'the person becomes convinced that he has most of, if not all the illnesses'. Punctuation is generally accurate, and the control of complex structures is consistent. The errors present do not impede communication, and the overall grammatical control is strong.

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

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