Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-02

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 day, a substantial number of individuals with health problems are utilizing alternative medicines and treatments instead of visiting their usual doctor. Although alternative medicines can sometimes be valuable, I personally believe that this is a negative development because certain health problems cannot be cured through medicines alone and alternative treatments can possibly aggravate the medical condition.

Looking at alternative medicines and treatments, these approaches can help cure minor health problems such as fevers and headaches but aren't able to cure major medical conditions such as pneumonia and diabetes. For instance, when a person has diabetes, he may be asked to visit his doctor's office every week for an injection, but when an individual has a fever, he may be asked to take medication instead. As a result, minor health problems can be cured by using alternative medicines and treatments.

Turning to the importance of visiting a doctor, there are plenty of benefits when visiting the doctor's office, such as discovering a medical condition. For example, when a patient usually visits his doctor every month for a checkup, sometimes the doctor, using his expertise, can discover that the patient has a medical condition. Consequently, the patient can receive appropriate treatment before the condition becomes more serious.

In conclusion, although alternative medicines and treatments can sometimes be beneficial, I firmly believe that using them instead of visiting the doctor is a negative development, as the doctor can detect a medical condition and cure it as soon as possible and identify major health problems.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses the prompt clearly and maintains a consistent position throughout. The arguments are relevant, focusing on the limitations of alternative medicine and the diagnostic value of professional medical check-ups. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For example, the paragraph regarding diabetes and fevers is slightly repetitive and lacks depth in explaining why alternative treatments might be dangerous beyond a brief mention. To reach a higher band, you should provide more nuanced examples or explore the potential risks of delaying conventional treatment in more detail. Overall, the task is addressed adequately, but the supporting points could be more thoroughly extended.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central topic, and the progression of ideas is easy to follow. You make good use of cohesive devices such as 'Although', 'For instance', 'Consequently', and 'In conclusion'. However, the referencing is sometimes a bit mechanical, and the flow between sentences could be improved by using a wider variety of linking phrases. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the overall structure supports the argument well, making the text easy to read and understand.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'substantial', 'utilizing', 'expertise', and 'aggravate' correctly. The language is generally precise and appropriate for an academic context. However, there is some repetition of basic phrases such as 'alternative medicines and treatments' and 'visiting the doctor'. To improve, try to use synonyms or paraphrasing to avoid repeating the same phrases multiple times. While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly, it lacks the sophistication and variety required for a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are grammatically accurate, and errors are rare and do not impede communication. For instance, your use of conditional-like structures and complex sentences with 'although' and 'because' shows good control. However, the range of structures is somewhat limited; you rely heavily on similar sentence patterns. To achieve a higher score, incorporate a wider variety of complex grammatical forms, such as passive voice or more varied subordinate clauses, while maintaining the current level of accuracy.

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

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