Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-08-10

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Nowadays, many medical research projects are funded by private companies. In your opinion, do you think that research should be carried by private companies, individuals or government?

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

Student answer (Band 6.0)

these days, an increasing percentage of medical research is financed by private companies. while private organisations and individual researchers can make valuable contributions to medical science, i believe that governments should take the leading role in funding and conducting medical research because they can Prioritise public health and provide substantial financial support.

to begin with, one major benefit of government can allocate public money to investigate widespread diseases, infections illness, and are rare medical conditions that may not be financially attractive to private companies. for example, government-funded institutions can support research into vaccines and treatments for diseases that affect large sections of the population. this ensures that important medical discoveries are not limited to areas with high commercial returns.

however, private companies also play am important role in medical research. they often posses, advanced technology, specialized laboratories, and highly skilled researchers. moreover, competition between pharmaceutical companies can encourage them to develop new medicines and treatments more rapidly. for instance, private pharmaceutical firms invest heavily in clinical trials and the development of innovative drugs. as a result, their research may sometimes focus mainly on profitable treatments, while less commercially attractive diseases receive less attention.

people can also contribute significantly through innovative ideas and specialized knowledge. they may identify new approaches to treating particular diseases or developing medical technologies. however, individuals generally lack the enormous financial resources, equipment, and research teams required for large-scale medical projects.

in conclusion, although private companies and individual researchers can provide valuable expertise, technology, and innovation, i believe that governments should have the primary responsibility for medical research. government leadership can ensure that research serves public health needs, while cooperation with private companies and individuals can further accelerate medical progress.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, clearly stating a position in the introduction and maintaining it throughout. The ideas are relevant and well-supported, particularly the argument regarding government funding for non-profitable diseases. The discussion of private companies and individual contributions provides a balanced view, though the section on individuals is slightly less developed than the others. Overall, the response is well-focused and directly answers the question posed, meeting the requirements for a Band 7.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central topic, and the transition between paragraphs is smooth. Cohesive devices such as 'to begin with', 'however', 'moreover', and 'in conclusion' are used effectively to guide the reader. While the structure is sound, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat standard; a more sophisticated range of linking phrases would elevate the score further. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different viewpoints.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is sufficient and generally appropriate for the task. The student uses topic-specific terms like 'clinical trials', 'pharmaceutical firms', and 'innovative drugs' correctly. There are some minor issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'infections illness' (should be 'infectious illnesses') and 'posses' (spelling error). While the range is adequate to convey ideas with precision, it lacks the consistent use of less common, idiomatic, or sophisticated lexical items required for a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The student demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'one major benefit of government can allocate' (should be 'one major benefit is that the government can allocate') and 'am important role' (typo). Punctuation is generally functional, though some sentences are slightly awkward due to missing articles or incorrect verb forms. The errors present do not impede communication, but they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. A greater variety of error-free complex structures is needed for a Band 7.0.

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