Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-14

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)

The question of whether people should opt for alternative medicines and health treatments or sticking to their old doctor advise is a contentious one. However, I strongly believe that changing your references can have detrimental impacts and it is definitely not a positive development. This essay will discuss both the viewpoints before explaining my opinion.

It is usually observed that lucrative medical advertisements on social media or newspapers make people believe that a new technique will work for them but when they actually go through the process then it does not seem to have any positive impact on their health. Hence, 'one for all' philosophy does not apply here as all individuals have different biology and their body reacts accordingly. Moreover, they regret later for spending huge amount of money as well as time.

In contrast, despite of few drawbacks, there are some advantages of trying out new treatments. For instance, if the usual doctor is outdated with new upcoming advancement of medical sector and not able to solve health issue then choosing new methods can prove to be a miracle for ones body. Furthermore, it happens that a particular bacteria or virus become highly resistant towards the medicine and does not get impacted by it. In such cases, it is better to try for alternatives.

To conclude, I would say that a doctor from whom a person is taking prescriptions for many years, understands and knows better about health history of patient and guides better for the overall well-being. Therefore, switching to different treatments may lead to better results in few cases but that is very rare.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses the prompt by discussing both sides of the issue and providing a clear personal opinion. However, the development of ideas is somewhat uneven. The argument against alternative medicine is well-supported by the point about biological individuality. Conversely, the counter-argument regarding medical advancements is slightly underdeveloped and relies on generalizations. While the position is consistent, the essay structure is slightly contradictory; the introduction states the development is 'definitely not a positive development,' yet the body paragraphs spend significant space discussing the benefits of alternative treatments. A more balanced approach or a clearer transition would strengthen the argument.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized into four paragraphs, with a clear introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'However,' 'Moreover,' 'In contrast,' and 'Therefore' are used to guide the reader through the argument. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the flow between the counter-argument and the final conclusion could be smoother. Referencing is generally clear, though the connection between the 'bacteria/virus' example and the broader topic of alternative medicine is a bit tenuous. Overall, the paragraphing is appropriate and the progression of ideas is easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the student to express ideas clearly. There are some good collocations like 'contentious one,' 'detrimental impacts,' and 'overall well-being.' However, there are instances of imprecise word choice, such as 'changing your references' (likely meaning 'preferences' or 'practitioners') and 'outdated with new upcoming advancement.' The phrase 'one for all philosophy' is a bit informal. While the range is sufficient to convey meaning, it lacks the sophistication and precision required for a higher band score. Spelling is generally accurate throughout the text.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text, such as 'sticking to their old doctor advise' (should be 'advice'), 'despite of few drawbacks' (should be 'despite a few'), and 'miracle for ones body' (should be 'one's body'). Additionally, there are missing articles, such as 'knows better about health history of patient' (should be 'the health history of the patient'). While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. The control of punctuation is generally acceptable.

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

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