Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-25

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)

Some individuals spend huge amount of money on supplements, even though doctor advises all the nutrients required can be obtained through a healthy balanced diet.

People spend a lot of money in buying health supplements, they feel that popping a pill is much easier and convenient than having a proper meal. For example, people think to improve haemoglobin levels through supplements, instead of having iron rich foods, such as green leafy vegetables, meat or legumes. They feel they can pop a pill which is easier for them.

People could be persuaded by educating them the importance of nutrients through food and absorption rate of the pills and how it affects our gut health. Many people take supplements without consulting the appropriate specialist and tend to overdose, which cause ill effects. For an example many individuals take Vitamin D3 on a regular basis which is not required for a normal individual, taking too much of vitamin d3 causes toxicity and leads to kidney stone and bone related health issues.

The reason for my answer is that I myself is from a medical background, so I have seen patient overdosing certain supplements by watching ads or getting influenced by social media, friends and family. I had a patient, who mentioned that I am having a very healthy routine I take multivitamins on a regular basis, still I have recently diagnosed with renal stones. I asked him about the diet routine and supplements. His diet was very poor, but he mentioned I completely take care of my nutrients by this vitamin pills. But he was not aware of the effects of overdosing, which led to the formation of kidney stones. He could have followed a healthy balanced diet and regular exercise to keep himself healthy.

In conclusion, it is important to consult with your doctor before taking any vitamin pills or supplements, as they are the right person to guide you on it.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You address both questions and maintain a clear view that people choose pills for convenience and should be guided towards food-based nutrition. The explanation that pills seem easier than preparing meals is relevant, and your patient example gives useful support to the risks of relying on supplements. The advice to educate people about nutrients, absorption and possible harms also responds to the second question. However, the persuasion strategy is less fully developed than the reasons for supplement use: explain more specifically how education could reach people or what practical steps might make healthier eating appealing. The medical example is detailed, but its link to broader public persuasion could be made clearer. This relevant coverage and support are strong, though not yet consistently extended.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a coherent overall arrangement: it introduces the issue, explains why people buy supplements, proposes education, gives a personal example, and concludes with advice to consult a doctor. Paragraphing helps distinguish these stages, and phrases such as “For example” and “In conclusion” guide the reader. At times, however, the progression within paragraphs is less controlled. The second paragraph repeats the idea that taking a pill is easier, while the long patient anecdote contains several steps that could be separated and linked more clearly. Some references, such as “they” in the discussion of consulting a specialist, are not fully precise. Use clearer topic sentences and more varied, accurate links between claims and examples.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

You use an adequate range of topic vocabulary, including “supplements,” “haemoglobin levels,” “absorption rate,” “overdose,” and “toxicity.” These terms help communicate a medical perspective, and the examples are generally understandable. There are also some imprecise or unnatural choices: “spend huge amount” needs a more natural expression, “popping a pill” is informal and repeated, and “kidney stone” should be expressed in the plural or as “kidney stones” in this context. “Appropriate specialist” is also less natural than a more specific phrase such as “qualified healthcare professional.” Greater control of collocations and a little more variety in how you refer to supplements and healthy eating would make the vocabulary more precise and suitably formal.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including the explanation beginning “Many people take supplements without consulting…” and the extended patient example. Meaning is generally recoverable, but some grammatical errors remain and occasionally make sentences awkward. For instance, “even though doctor advises” needs an article and a clearer clause structure; “they feel that popping a pill is much easier” is followed by a comma splice in the next sentence; and “I myself is from a medical background” has incorrect subject–verb agreement. In the anecdote, “I have recently diagnosed” and “I completely take care” also need corrected verb forms. Check articles, agreement, and tense consistency, and divide long sentences where needed to improve accuracy.

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