Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-15

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Doctors tell us that we can get all the vitamins we need from having a healthy diet. Despite this advice, some people continue to spend large sums of money on vitamin pills.

Why do you think some people spend a lot of money on vitamin pills?

How could people be persuaded to improve their diet instead of buying vitamin pills?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Student answer (Band 6.0)

The consumption of vitamin pills has increased in recent years instead of improving their diet. This trend is mainly because they are widely available in the market although some of the medicines are indeed expensive. However, I believe that consumers can reduce their reliance by knowing the potential side effects and taking personalized guidance from nutritionists.

The most significant point is that, the increased production of medications. Compared to the past, the advancement in the medical field has enhanced the way of discovering sources of getting vitamins making them easier than ever. As a result, instead of spending time in the kitchen preparing food, people prefer to buy vitamin pills from a nearby drugstore. Additionally, taking an Omega-3 supplement can be a viable alternative for people who do not consume fish or seafood. Moreover, they also contain other essential nutrients like protein and minerals. Thus, people are influenced towards spending more money on supplements.

There are various ways to stay healthy by consuming green vegetables and plant-based products. For instance, for those who can eat seafood, adding flaxseeds, chia seeds, mustard oil and soybean oil can be beneficial. Furthermore, having control over a diet is most important in the process of being healthy. Thus, reducing consumption of sweets and oily food is essential. Finally, consulting a professional nutritionist can be a huge help as they tend to create personalized diet plans for people after their various medical tests.

In conclusion, using vitamin pills to some extent is necessary for some people based on their diet, but finding a better and safer way before spending a large amount of money is more reliable. By consuming plant-based food and supplements that are available in the market.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, exploring reasons why people spend money on vitamin pills (such as availability and convenience) and suggesting solutions to improve diet instead (such as consuming vegetables, seeds, and consulting nutritionists). However, the development of ideas is sometimes uneven. For example, the explanation regarding the increased production of medications in the second paragraph is a bit convoluted and drifts into discussing Omega-3 benefits rather than directly answering why people spend large sums. The introduction also contains a slight misunderstanding of the prompt, claiming consumption has increased 'instead of improving their diet'. Nonetheless, a clear position is maintained throughout, earning a solid Band 6.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is divided into four paragraphs, showing a clear overall structure with an introduction, two body paragraphs covering the prompt's two questions, and a brief conclusion. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Additionally', 'Moreover', and 'Furthermore', but some transitions feel mechanical or slightly mismanaged, as seen with the abrupt shift in the second paragraph regarding Omega-3. Referencing is occasionally unclear, particularly with pronoun usage like 'they' in 'Thus, people are influenced towards spending more money on supplements.' Paragraphing is generally appropriate, but the concluding sentence is a fragment. Overall, the organization is coherent, fitting the Band 6 descriptor well.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully attempting less common items such as 'personalized guidance', 'viable alternative', and 'professional nutritionist'. However, there are notable lexical inaccuracies and awkward word choices, such as 'taking personalized guidance' instead of 'seeking', and 'having control over a diet is most important'. There are also minor awkward phrasings like 'discovering sources of getting vitamins'. While these errors do not impede communication, they restrict the score to a Band 6.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The writer employs a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating attempts at subordination and relative clauses ('people who do not consume fish'). There are several grammatical errors and punctuation flaws throughout the text. For instance, the opening sentence contains a dangling modifier ('instead of improving their diet'), and the second paragraph features an incorrect comma splice ('The most significant point is that, the increased production of medications.'). Additionally, the final sentence is an incomplete fragment ('By consuming plant-based food and supplements that are available in the market.'). Although these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding the message, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher band.

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

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