Back to Writing Hub

User-written IELTS example

Writing Academic Task 2 Band 5.0 Example

Original task prompt, user essay, band score, and related examples in the same report workspace.

272 words AcademicTask 2
Task 2

Illustrative target band for this original model answer.

Plan your answer

Try your own response before reading the samples.

Ideas to explore

  • Link medical research to prevention, diagnosis and treatment, explaining how each can affect people’s health.
  • Use clean-energy research as an example of science improving daily life while addressing pollution and sustainability.
  • Acknowledge that basic research may have delayed applications, then connect its support to responsible long-term benefits.

Suggested structure

  1. Introduce a clear degree of agreement and state the main reasons.
  2. Develop one paragraph on direct improvements to health and living conditions.
  3. Develop a second paragraph on science’s role in long-term social challenges and accessible benefits.
  4. Concede the value of basic research, explain how it fits your position, and conclude with a concise summary.
Useful vocabulary & examples
quality of life
A person’s or community’s general well-being and living conditions.

Medical research can improve quality of life by helping people manage illness.

clean energy
Energy produced with less pollution or environmental harm than conventional sources.

Research into clean energy can support more sustainable transport and homes.

evidence-based decisions
Choices informed by reliable findings rather than guesswork alone.

Scientific research can help communities make evidence-based decisions about food and health.

basic research
Investigation intended to expand knowledge, without necessarily having an immediate practical use.

Basic research may lead to applications that were not obvious when the work began.

Task Prompt

The most important aim of science should be to improve people’s lives. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

User Essay Analysis

Review the public answer with report-style highlights.

Band 5.0

In recent years, it is undeniable that technology stands as a pivotal role to shaping our society, as well as propelling human process. However, it is often contented that the primary goal of scientific research be the promotion of human welfare, a viewpoint that I strongly support. In this essay, I will reaffirm about the importance of science serving people. I support this priority because research can prevent illness and make ordinary life safer and easier. For example, medical studies help doctors understand diseases and develop better treatments. Research into clean energy can also reduce pollution and provide more reliable power. These outcomes show that science is most valuable when its discoveries address real needs.

However, not every useful discovery produces an immediate benefit. Basic research often explores questions without a clear practical purpose, yet it may later lead to important technologies or medical advances. If scientists were required to prove instant social value before receiving support, some promising ideas might never be investigated. Therefore, governments and institutions should support both applied science and carefully chosen fundamental research.

There are also ethical concerns. For instance, a new technology may be powerful but harmful if it is used carelessly. Scientists should communicate possible risks clearly, while decision-makers should involve the public in choices that affect health and the environment. This helps ensure that scientific progress benefits people rather than serving only commercial or political interests.

In conclusion, I strongly agree that improving people's lives should be science's most important aim. This does not mean that all research must have immediate applications; rather, long-term discovery should be balanced with practical work and responsible oversight.

Targeted Improvement Tips

1
Replace the introduction’s inaccurate collocations with standard forms such as “plays a pivotal role” and “human progress,” then read the opening aloud to check that each phrase conveys your intended meaning.
2
Develop one example beyond naming its benefit: explain how a scientific discovery could affect people’s health, safety or access to energy in daily life.
3
Keep the useful qualification about basic research, but distinguish it clearly from your main position: explain that long-term research can still serve human welfare even without an immediate application.

Related examples for this topic

Compare different bands on the same IELTS prompt.

Browse all