Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · 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 7.5)

Nowadays, a significant amount of medical research is funded by private companies. While private organisations and individuals can make valuable contributions to medical science, I believe that governments should play the leading role in funding and conducting medical research because public health should not be driven primarily by profit.

There are several advantages to private companies being involved in medical research. Firstly, they often have substantial financial resources and can invest heavily in developing new medicines and technologies. In addition, competition between pharmaceutical companies can encourage innovation and allow new treatments to be developed more quickly. For example, many private pharmaceutical companies have invested billions of dollars in developing vaccines, cancer treatments and other advanced medicines. Individuals can also contribute through donations and charitable organisations, particularly in areas that may receive less attention from governments.

However, government involvement is more important because medical research often focuses on issues that are not necessarily profitable. Private companies naturally tend to invest in treatments that are likely to generate financial returns, whereas governments can fund research into rare diseases, preventive healthcare and diseases that mainly affect poorer communities. Furthermore, government-funded research is generally intended to benefit society as a whole rather than a particular company or group of shareholders. For instance, governments can support research into public health problems such as infectious diseases and environmental health, even when there is little commercial incentive for companies to do so.

In my view, the most effective approach is cooperation between governments, private companies and individuals, but governments should remain responsible for setting priorities and ensuring that research serves the public interest. Private companies can provide expertise, technology and investment, while governments can provide oversight and funding for areas that might otherwise be neglected.

In conclusion, although private companies and individuals have an important role in advancing medical research, I believe that governments should take primary responsibility. This would help ensure that medical research focuses not only on profitable treatments but also on the wider health needs of society.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response fully addresses all parts of the task. You have clearly stated your position in the introduction and maintained it throughout the essay. The arguments are well-developed, particularly the contrast between profit-driven private research and the societal benefits of government-funded initiatives. You have provided relevant examples, such as the mention of vaccines and rare diseases, which effectively support your claims. The conclusion synthesizes your points well, and the suggestion of a cooperative model adds depth to your argument, demonstrating a sophisticated understanding of the topic. The response is balanced and directly answers the prompt's question regarding who should be responsible for medical research.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a distinct focus, starting with the benefits of private funding, moving to the necessity of government involvement, and concluding with a balanced view. Cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'In addition', 'However', and 'Furthermore' are used effectively to guide the reader through your arguments. Paragraphing is used appropriately, and the transition between the body paragraphs is smooth. The referencing is clear throughout, and the overall structure is coherent, making the essay easy to follow and professional in its presentation.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary that is appropriate for an academic essay. Phrases such as 'substantial financial resources', 'generate financial returns', and 'serves the public interest' show a strong command of topic-specific language. You use less common lexical items with awareness of style and collocation. While the vocabulary is precise and effective, it could be elevated further by incorporating more sophisticated synonyms or idiomatic academic expressions to reach the highest band. Nevertheless, the current range is more than sufficient to convey your ideas with precision and clarity, and there are no significant errors in word choice.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The essay displays a high level of grammatical accuracy. You use a variety of complex sentence structures, such as conditional clauses and contrastive structures (e.g., 'while governments can fund research into...'), with consistent control. Punctuation is accurate, and the majority of your sentences are error-free. The flow of the text is natural, and there are no grammatical slips that impede communication. Your control over complex structures is consistent, and the essay demonstrates a high level of proficiency in English grammar, which is well-suited for an academic task of this nature.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.