Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-02

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 7.0)

Nowadays, a large amount of medical research is funded by private companies. Although private organisatios can make an important contribution to medical research, I believe that governments should have the main responsibility for conducting and funding such research.

There are several reasons why government involvement is essential. First, medical research is closely connected with public health, so governments can focus on diseases and treatments that may not be profitable for private companies. For example, research into rare diseases may not generate enough money for a company, but it can still be extremely important for patients. Second, governments can ensure that research is conducted ethically and that the results are used for the benefit of society rather than only for commercial purposes.

However, private companies also have an important role to play. They usually have access to large amounts of money, advanced technology and skilled researchers. As a result, they can sometimes develop new medicines and treatments more quickly. For instance, pharmaceutical companies have played a major role in developing vaccines and new drugs. Private investment can therefore reduce the financial pressure on governments and speed up medical progress.

In my opinion, the best approach is cooperation between governments and private organisations. Governments should provide funding, establish regulations and decide important public-health priorities, while private companies can contribute their technology, expertise and investment. Individuals and universities can also participate in research, but they may not have sufficient resources to conduct large-scale medical studies independently.

In conclusion, medical research should primarily be supported by governments, but cooperation with private companies is the most effective way to achieve better medical discoveries and improve public health.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response7.5
Coherence and Cohesion7.5
Lexical Resource6.5
Grammatical Range and Accuracy7.0
Overall7.0

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, clearly stating a position that government should lead while acknowledging the role of private companies. The ideas are well-developed, with logical arguments provided for both government involvement (public health, ethics) and private sector contributions (resources, speed). The conclusion effectively synthesizes these points into a balanced view. The response is well-structured and directly answers the question of who should carry out research, providing relevant examples such as rare disease research and vaccine development. The position is consistent throughout the essay, meeting the requirements for a high band score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the transition between paragraphs is smooth. Cohesive devices such as 'First', 'Second', 'However', and 'In conclusion' are used effectively to guide the reader. The paragraphing is appropriate, with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. The use of referencing is accurate, and the flow of information is natural, making the text easy to follow. There is no evidence of mechanical or repetitive use of cohesive devices.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary is sufficient and appropriate for the task. The student uses a range of topic-specific vocabulary such as 'public health', 'commercial purposes', 'pharmaceutical companies', and 'financial pressure'. There is an attempt to use less common items, and the word choice is generally precise. While the range is not exceptionally sophisticated, it is flexible enough to convey complex ideas clearly. There are no significant spelling errors, and the vocabulary used is natural and fits the academic context well.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The essay demonstrates a good variety of complex structures, such as conditional-like reasoning ('...that may not be profitable') and subordinate clauses ('Although private organisations can make...'). The majority of sentences are error-free, and the control over grammar and punctuation is strong. There is one minor spelling error ('organisatios'), but this is a rare slip that does not impede communication. The sentence structures are varied, and the overall grammatical accuracy is high, supporting the clear expression of the student's arguments.

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