Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-20

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)

Being healthy is important for everyone. Nowadays, a greater number of people with health issues are trying alternative remedies and treatments at home rather than consulting a doctor. This essay will discuss why I believe it is a negative development because it will lead to several serious consequences.

To begin with, relying on home remedies or alternative medicines will result in various health problems. A greater number of people are trying to cure their diseases by experimenting with different remedies at home. Moreover, these alternative treatments cannot cure their illness completely, while sometimes they might be helpful but not in all cases. In addition, these can be very dangerous because trying treatments at home can sometimes result in various side effects. Without proper consultation from a doctor, we cannot rely on home remedies as permanent treatment for health problems. For instance, a person suffering from a high fever may rely on home remedies instead of visiting a doctor. If these methods are ineffective, the person's condition may worsen, and the fever may become more severe. Hence, trying alternative treatments or medicine at home leads to several side effects, and there will be no proper treatment.

Furthermore, these alternative treatments make people unable to identify their symptoms at an early stage. However, the disease will be diagnosed very late, and the correct treatment sometimes won't be helpful if this happens. On top of that, identifying their symptoms earlier may prevent people from developing dangerous diseases. For example, a person with early symptoms of cancer may assume that they are caused by a minor illness and use home remedies instead of undergoing proper medical tests. Consequently, the disease could remain undiagnosed until a later stage.

In conclusion, I strongly believe that the growing tendency to rely on alternative medicine and treatments instead of consulting doctors is a negative development, as it can result in ineffective treatment, health complications and delayed diagnosis of serious illness.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response clearly addresses the prompt and maintains a consistent position throughout. The arguments regarding health risks and delayed diagnosis are relevant and logically extended. However, the development is somewhat repetitive; for instance, the points about 'side effects' and 'ineffective treatment' in the second paragraph overlap significantly. To reach a higher band, you should aim to provide more distinct, nuanced arguments or perhaps acknowledge the counter-argument (why people choose alternative medicine) before refuting it, which would provide a more balanced and comprehensive discussion.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is organized into clear paragraphs with a logical progression of ideas. You use cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'Moreover', 'In addition', and 'Furthermore' to link sentences. However, some of these transitions feel slightly mechanical or repetitive. The referencing is generally clear, though the flow between sentences could be improved by varying the structure of your cohesive links rather than relying on standard signposting words at the start of every sentence. Overall, the paragraphing is appropriate and contributes to a coherent response.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'consulting', 'ineffective', and 'diagnosed' correctly. However, the vocabulary is somewhat limited and repetitive, particularly the frequent use of 'alternative treatments' and 'home remedies'. To improve, try to incorporate more precise synonyms or collocations related to medical contexts, such as 'conventional medicine', 'clinical intervention', or 'symptomatic relief'. While your word choice is accurate and does not impede communication, it lacks the sophistication and flexibility required for a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are grammatically accurate, and errors are rare and do not impede meaning. You successfully use conditional structures, such as 'If these methods are ineffective, the person's condition may worsen'. However, the range of complex structures is somewhat limited. To achieve a higher score, try to incorporate a wider variety of subordinate clauses, passive voice constructions, or more advanced linking structures to demonstrate greater control over complex grammar.

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

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