Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-09-17

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)

In recent years, the medical field has seen a growing proportion of research funded and conducted by private enterprise. While private involvement brings valuable resources, I believe that a balanced, collaborative approach—where governments lead high-risk public health initiatives while private entities and philanthropic individuals drive rapid innovation—is necessary to ensure both progress and ethical access.

Governments must play a central role in funding medical research because their primary duty is public welfare rather than financial profit. State-funded research tends to focus on rare diseases, vaccines, and widespread preventative health measures that may not promise high profit margins for corporations. Furthermore, government control ensures that life-saving treatments remain affordable and accessible to the general population. For example, public research programs often focus on long-term disease prevention and basic scientific discovery, laying the groundwork that commercial industries build upon.

However, private companies bring vast financial resources and speed to the development process. Pharmaceutical and biotechnology firms have the incentive to invest heavily in modern technology, high-end laboratories, and clinical trials due to potential market rewards. Their efficiency can accelerate the discovery and distribution of breakthrough drugs. Additionally, wealthy individuals and charitable foundations contribute crucial independent funding; philanthropists such as Bill Gates have channeled billions into targeted global health initiatives, filling critical gaps left by national budgets.

Because each funder has distinct advantages, the optimal model relies on strong public-private partnerships backed by stringent regulation. Government oversight must ensure that private companies adhere to rigorous clinical trial standards and do not inflate medicine prices unfairly. Meanwhile, private capital should be channeled to accelerate time-sensitive pharmaceutical manufacturing.

In conclusion, medical research should not rely exclusively on any single entity. Instead, governments should prioritize fundamental public health goals, supported by regulated private sector innovation and individual philanthropic funding, to deliver accessible and effective treatments worldwide.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response fully addresses all parts of the prompt by evaluating who should fund and carry out medical research: private companies, individuals, or governments. The student adopts a clear, well-reasoned position in the introduction—arguing for a collaborative model—and maintains this stance consistently throughout the essay. Ideas are thoroughly developed and extended, such as explaining how state-funded research targets basic scientific discovery and rare diseases, while private firms bring financial resources and speed. Relevant examples, including the role of philanthropists like Bill Gates, are skillfully incorporated to support the arguments. The response meets all criteria for a Band 8 by thoroughly covering all parts of the task with well-developed ideas and clear reasoning.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay displays a clear logical organization and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct central topic, moving smoothly from the introduction to government funding, private contributions, public-private partnerships, and a concise conclusion. Cohesive devices are used flexibly and appropriately, such as 'Furthermore', 'However', 'Additionally', and 'Meanwhile', which guide the reader effortlessly through the text. Paragraphing is used skillfully to separate distinct arguments and perspectives. Referencing and substitution are handled with precision, ensuring that the relationships between ideas remain transparent. This performance aligns comfortably with the Band 8 descriptors for Coherence and Cohesion.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

The student demonstrates a wide, fluent, and flexible range of vocabulary appropriate for an academic response. Less common lexical items are used skillfully and naturally, such as 'preventative health measures', 'profit margins', 'breakthrough drugs', and 'philanthropic individuals'. Word choice and collocations are generally precise, with phrases like 'stringent regulation' and 'commercial industries' deployed accurately. There are only occasional minor inaccuracies, but these do not impede communication in any way. The control of vocabulary easily satisfies the requirements for a Band 8 score, showing both breadth and precision.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The writer utilizes a wide variety of complex sentence structures with a high degree of flexibility and grammatical control. Examples include conditional and participial phrases such as 'While private involvement brings valuable resources...' and 'Because each funder has distinct advantages, the optimal model relies on strong public-private partnerships...'. The majority of sentences are error-free, and punctuation is handled securely throughout the text. Only very occasional, non-systematic slips occur, which do not detract from the overall clarity of the communication. This strong control over a diverse range of grammatical structures merits a Band 8.

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