Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-18
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)
Health problems are increasing day by day. A huge number of people are trying to avoid meeting doctors in person, and they are using alternative medicines and treatments. While this development has several advantages, it also brings certain drawbacks. This essay will discuss both the positive and negative aspects.
On the one hand, this trend offers a number of benefits. Firstly, people can save their time by avoiding seeing doctors in person. This means that sometimes we do not need to get an appointment if we have any small health issue. Individuals can search on Google and find remedies for it. For example, if a person is suffering from a headache, they can take a painkiller or search online for home remedies to ease the pain. As a result, we can avoid visiting doctors in person.
On the other hand, there are some disadvantages associated with this trend. One major issue is that people tend to use artificial intelligence or the internet to find their health issues. Consequently, people completely avoid doctors and are forced to believe what they see. For instance, people who have minor health issues such as headaches or stomach pain may search for reasons causing the problem and might get misinformed. Moreover, this creates panic and can lead to mental health issues.
In conclusion, instead of seeking advice from doctors, people use alternative medicines and treatments. This trend has both advantages and disadvantages. I believe that the overall effect depends on how it is managed.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.0 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses the prompt by discussing both the positive and negative aspects of people using alternative medicines and treatments instead of visiting doctors. A clear position is stated in the introduction and maintained throughout the essay. However, the ideas are somewhat generalized; for example, the discussion on internet remedies lacks depth and relies on repetitive examples like headaches and stomach pain. Furthermore, the length requirement has not been met, as the response contains 249 words, which is one word short of the 250-word minimum. This minor under-length constraint slightly impacts the completeness of the development, placing the score at a solid 6.0.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay displays a coherent overall arrangement with a logical progression of ideas. Paragraphing is used appropriately, with a clear introduction, two body paragraphs presenting opposing views, and a brief conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', 'For example', and 'Consequently' are employed to guide the reader through the text, although some referencing is a bit mechanical. For instance, the transition 'Moreover, this creates panic' feels slightly abrupt. Overall, the organizational structure meets the criteria for Band 6.5 comfortably.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, attempting some less common phrases such as 'alternative medicines and treatments', 'misinformed', and 'mental health issues'. However, there is some repetition of basic terms like 'health issues', 'doctors', and 'people'. Word choice is generally appropriate, though phrases like 'forced to believe what they see' lack idiomatic precision. Spelling and word formation are accurate throughout the essay, ensuring that communication is never impeded. This performance aligns well with Band 6.0.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0
The writer demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, incorporating conditional structures ('if a person is suffering...') and relative clauses successfully. There are several error-free sentences, such as 'While this development has several advantages, it also brings certain drawbacks.' Grammatical accuracy is generally good, with appropriate punctuation and tense control. Although the range of structures is somewhat limited and lacks the flexibility required for higher bands, the grammatical errors are minimal and do not interfere with understanding. This warrants a Band 6.5.
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