Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-12

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)

Nowadays many people are keen on to alternative medicine and natural treatments instead of seeing regular doctor when they are sick. While this trend has some drawbacks, I belive that it is mostly a positive development because it encourages natural healing lifestyles, and reduces pressure on hospitals.

On the other hand, relying completely on alternatives medicines can be dangerous. Unlike conventional medical treatments, which are tested through scirntific research, many alternatives remedis lack scientific proof. If a person chosen herbal remedis instead of going to a qualified doctor for serious illness like cancer or heart disease, they might delay proper medical care and make their condition worse. Furthermore, without a clear research, some natural products can cause unwanted side effects or mix badly with other.

On the other hand, alternatives treatments offer several important benefits. First practice like yoga, therapy and herbal remedis often look at the whole body rather than just hiding symptoms. They also encourage people to eat better and take care of their daily life. Additionally, regular hospitals and clinics are often overcrowded. When people use safe natural remedis for minor health issues, it helps reduce the heavy workload on doctors and nurses, allowing them to focus on patients who need emergency care.

In conclusion, while people should be careful not to completely ignore professional doctors for serious problems, the growing interest in alternatives medicine is beneficial. When used wisely alongside regular healthcare, nit empowers individuals to live healthier lives and supports a more balanced medical systems.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.5

Your position is clear from the introduction: you consider the trend mostly positive, while recognising risks, and the conclusion restates this balanced view. Both sides are relevantly addressed. The paragraph on risks gives a concrete consequence—delaying care for cancer or heart disease—and the benefits paragraph explains lifestyle changes and reduced pressure on hospitals. These points support your answer, though some are asserted rather than fully developed: for example, the claim that natural treatments reduce hospital workloads would be stronger with a specific illustration or explanation of which minor conditions can safely be managed this way. Your qualification that alternatives should complement, not replace, professional care is useful. Develop each main point with a little more precise support to make the argument consistently convincing.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall structure: an introduction, separate paragraphs for drawbacks and benefits, and a conclusion. The progression is easy to follow, and signposting such as “Furthermore” and “Additionally” helps connect supporting points. However, “On the other hand” introduces both the drawbacks paragraph and the benefits paragraph, so the relationship between these sections is not signalled precisely; use a contrast marker such as “Nevertheless” for the second shift. Some links between ideas are also abrupt, particularly the move from whole-body approaches to hospital overcrowding. Referencing in “They also encourage people” is understandable but could be made more explicit. More varied, accurate transitions and clearer links between claims would make cohesion less mechanical.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of topic vocabulary, including “conventional medical treatments,” “scientific research,” “side effects,” “overcrowded,” and “emergency care.” These choices make the argument clear, and phrases such as “whole body” and “heavy workload” show an attempt to express more specific ideas. However, several spelling errors and inaccurate word forms or collocations reduce precision: “scirntific,” “remedis,” “alternatives medicines,” and “keen on to” are examples. Repetition of “alternative” and “natural remedies” also limits flexibility. Aim to check spelling carefully and learn common combinations such as “alternative medicine,” “herbal remedies,” and “be interested in.” This would make your vocabulary more accurate and natural while preserving the clear meaning.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex structures, including a concessive opening (“While this trend has some drawbacks…”) and a conditional sentence about choosing herbal remedies for serious illness. Most sentences communicate their meaning clearly, and the paragraphing supports the argument. Some grammatical errors remain, however. In “many people are keen on to alternative medicine,” the preposition pattern is incorrect; write “keen on alternative medicine.” “If a person chosen herbal remedies” needs a finite verb, such as “chooses,” and “mix badly with other” needs a plural noun after “other.” Articles and number also need attention in “seeing regular doctor” and “a more balanced medical systems.” These are generally understandable, but proofreading sentence patterns and agreement would improve accuracy.

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