Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-17

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 current era, more and more people with health issues are now choosing alternative medicines and therapies over conventional treatment. I believe this is a negative development because many alternative medicines are fake, are not certified by the government, and some have dangerous side effects.

Many alternative medicines sold online are not certified by the government and may be fake. This is because some unscrupulous businessmen make counterfeit medicines to make money, and these medicines do not have permission to be sold publicly. Therefore, they sell their medicines on online platforms. As a result, people may get scammed after buying this type of medicine. For example, in Bangladesh, a Facebook page called "Alo Medicine" sold a medicine for hair growth, and many people bought this product. However, they received no benefits from it, and after a month, the page disappeared. On online platforms, many scammers sell fake medicines, so people should be alert before purchasing them.

On the other hand, some herbal medicines may have dangerous side effects. This is because some types of herbal medicine can have strong effects on the body and may affect other parts of the body, which can be very detrimental. Moreover, people may take herbal medicines without checking their exact ailment. As a result, this can cause serious harm to their bodies. In contrast, in conventional treatment, doctors suggest medicines after diagnosing the exact ailment. This can reduce the risk of inappropriate treatment and help patients receive suitable medication.

In conclusion, the increased use of alternative medicines and therapies should be viewed as a negative development due to a lack of regulation and the risk of dangerous side effects. Therefore, people should be aware of these risks before taking alternative medicines.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response fully addresses all parts of the task by clearly stating a position that the trend is a negative development. The writer supports this stance with two distinct, well-developed arguments: the proliferation of uncertified, fake alternative medicines sold online, and the physiological risks of herbal medicines causing dangerous side effects without proper diagnosis. The position is maintained consistently throughout the essay, and the ideas are extended with a relevant local example from Bangladesh involving the Facebook page Alo Medicine, which supports the main premise well. The requirements of the prompt are comprehensively met, earning a solid Band 7.0 for this criterion.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay displays clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct central topic, moving from an introductory stance to body paragraphs addressing fake online medications and physical side effects respectively, followed by a clear concluding summary. Cohesive devices such as 'Therefore', 'For example', 'On the other hand', and 'Moreover' are used appropriately to guide the reader through the arguments. Paragraphing is used effectively, ensuring that thoughts are separated logically. Although some linking phrases are slightly basic, the overall structure maintains clear logical flow, supporting a Band 7.0 rating.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for the task, including topic-specific terms such as 'conventional treatment', 'counterfeit medicines', 'unscrupulous businessmen', 'side effects', and 'diagnosing the exact ailment'. There are attempts to use less common vocabulary items with good effect, such as 'detrimental' and 'inappropriate treatment'. While there are occasional minor lexical repetitions, such as frequent use of the word 'medicine', communication is never impeded, and the vocabulary choice shows an appropriate level of precision for a Band 6.5.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The response demonstrates a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures, incorporating subordinate clauses effectively (e.g., 'This is because some unscrupulous businessmen make counterfeit medicines to make money, and these medicines do not have permission to be sold publicly.'). There is good control of basic grammar and punctuation throughout the text. While minor structural clunkiness appears occasionally, such as 'after buying this type of medicine', the majority of sentences are error-free and do not impede communication in any way, comfortably securing a Band 6.5.

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