Writing Task 2:

These days, too many people maintain their health by relying on doctors and medicine, rather than by
following a healthy lifestyle.

To what extent do you agree with this statement?

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

Most people are aware that they need to take some responsibility for their health by eating sensibly and
taking regular exercise, and many succeed in doing this. The reasons why others fail can be complex and
do not necessarily mean that they rely on the medical profession to keep them healthy.

The main reasons people give for being less healthy than others are often economic. People who fail to
eat sensibly argue that they do not have the time or the money to cook nutritious meals. Being busy and
working long hours also affect people’s willingness to give up time to go to the gym or join a sports club.
These may seem valid excuses, but ultimately they can lead to a sedentary lifestyle.

These days, research has shown that there is a direct link between inactivity and illness. Eating large
quantities of fat, for instance, can result in weight gain, which can lead to high blood pressure or
arthritis; heart-related problems are common among people who live stressful, inactive lives. Eventually,
people may end up requiring prescription drugs and hospital appointments in order to treat their
conditions.

It is often only after this has happened that people decide to change their diet and start exercising,
usually on the advice of their doctor. Clearly, if they had always had a healthy lifestyle, they would not
have needed medical treatment. However, once they do become ill, most people take steps to redress
the situation as best they can.

In summary, most people try, with varying degrees of success, to live a healthy lifestyle, even if they take
some time to realise how important this is. Only a small proportion of the population are unable t
change, and thus rely on doctors.

Word count: 290 words

Band: 6.5-7.5

Outline:

Body 1: People rely on medicine and doctors

1. Because of economic reasons

No time or money (too busy, working long hours) to cook meals, go to the gym, join a sports club

2. unhealthy lifestyle
health problems from sedentary lifestyle, stressful lifestyle

Body 2: Healthy lifestyle is the ultimate choice

1. After getting ill, receive advice from doctors, change their lifestyle

2. prolonged use of medicine can have side effects, doctors – temporary solution

Conclusion: most people try to live a healthy lifestyle

1:25 – 1:53

Mental and physical health is one of the core assets that everyone must treasure. I believe that most
people try their best to lead a healthy lifestyle by having a balanced diet and exercising regularly;
however, their attempts often fail due to a complex combination of reasons. Hence, as for these people,
booking health check-up appointments and taking prescription drugs are the last resort.

Recently, the hustle and bustle of modern life mean that more people lead a stressful and sedentary
lifestyle, the root cause of a wide range of health problems. For instance, white-collar workers sitting at
their desks for a prolonged period and burning the midnight oil are more likely to experience burnout
and fatigue due to lack of sleep. Also, inactivity results in high blood pressure and cardiovascular
diseases. There are valid excuses for the prevalence of this sedentary lifestyle. As cogs in the machine,
office employees regard home-cooked, nutritious meals as luxury goods because they binge on
takeaways and fast food or even skip meals, which causes weight gain and digestive problems. In
addition, carving out some time for outdoor activities such as playing sports, going to the gym and taking
a simple walk in nature is almost impossible due to their hectic work schedule. Therefore, visiting
hospitals, consulting with psychologists, and taking over-the-counter drugs and health supplements are
quick and temporary fixes for their situation.

Nevertheless, if people were under the weather or diagnosed with a critical health condition, they
would adjust their way of living. A case in point is that most people who took up jogging and swimming
for the first time report that they did so thanks to doctors’ advice. Working out can boost dopamine
levels naturally and help improve sleep quality without constantly taking drugs. As people are aware of
the side effects of medical interventions in the long term, they reduce their reliance on prescribed
medicine. In addition, people nowadays are taking more responsibility for their health. For example,
people opt for free-range chicken eggs instead of caged ones because they want to pick the freshest,
organic produce for their meals. As a result, given that people manage to lead a healthy lifestyle, they
would not need to use any medicines or rely on doctors, and their overall well-being and productivity
will improve.

In conclusion, I think that most people are trying to live a healthy life despite facing various challenges
from modern society. It is common sense that when they encounter serious health problems, they
should seek help and support from the medical profession to address their health problems immediately
and slowly adopt a better way of living.
Writing Task 2:

These days, too many people maintain their health by relying on doctors and medicine, rather than by
following a healthy lifestyle.

To what extent do you agree with this statement?

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

Sample answer from Complete IELTS 6.5-7.5

Most people are aware that they need to take some responsibility for their health by eating sensibly and
taking regular exercise, and many succeed in doing this. The reasons why others fail can be complex and
do not necessarily mean that they rely on the medical profession to keep them healthy.

The main reasons people give for being less healthy than others are often economic. People who fail to
eat sensibly argue that they do not have the time or the money to cook nutritious meals. Being busy and
working long hours also affect people’s willingness to give up time to go to the gym or join a sports club.
These may seem valid excuses, but ultimately they can lead to a sedentary lifestyle.

These days, research has shown that there is a direct link between inactivity and illness. Eating large
quantities of fat, for instance, can result in weight gain, which can lead to high blood pressure or
arthritis; heart-related problems are common among people who live stressful, inactive lives. Eventually,
people may end up requiring prescription drugs and hospital appointments in order to treat their
conditions.

It is often only after this has happened that people decide to change their diet and start exercising,
usually on the advice of their doctor. Clearly, if they had always had a healthy lifestyle, they would not
have needed medical treatment. However, once they do become ill, most people take steps to redress
the situation as best they can.

In summary, most people try, with varying degrees of success, to live a healthy lifestyle, even if they take
some time to realise how important this is. Only a small proportion of the population are unable t
change, and thus rely on doctors.

Word count: 290 words

Band: 7.5
Sample for the purpose of learning vocabulary and generating ideas:

Mental and physical health is one of the core assets that everyone must treasure. I believe that most
people try their best to lead a healthy lifestyle by having a balanced diet and exercising regularly;
however, their attempts often fail due to a complex combination of reasons. Hence, as for these people,
booking health check-up appointments and taking prescription drugs are the last resort.

Recently, the hustle and bustle of modern life mean that more people lead a stressful and sedentary
lifestyle, the root cause of a wide range of health problems. For instance, white-collar workers sitting at
their desks for a prolonged period and burning the midnight oil are more likely to experience burnout
and fatigue due to lack of sleep. Also, inactivity results in high blood pressure and cardiovascular
diseases. There are valid excuses for the prevalence of this sedentary lifestyle. As cogs in the machine,
office employees regard home-cooked, nutritious meals as luxury goods because they binge on
takeaways and fast food or even skip meals, which causes weight gain and digestive problems. In
addition, carving out some time for outdoor activities such as playing sports, going to the gym and taking
a simple walk in nature is almost impossible due to their hectic work schedule. Therefore, visiting
hospitals, consulting with psychologists, and taking over-the-counter drugs and health supplements are
quick and temporary fixes for their situation.

Nevertheless, if people were under the weather or diagnosed with a critical health condition, they
would adjust their way of living. A case in point is that most people who took up jogging and swimming
for the first time report that they did so thanks to doctors’ advice. Working out can boost dopamine
levels naturally and help improve sleep quality without constantly taking drugs. As people are aware of
the side effects of medical interventions in the long term, they reduce their reliance on prescribed
medicine. In addition, people nowadays are taking more responsibility for their health. For example,
people opt for free-range chicken eggs instead of caged ones because they want to pick the freshest,
organic produce for their meals. As a result, given that people manage to lead a healthy lifestyle, they
would not need to use any medicines or rely on doctors, and their overall well-being and productivity
will improve.

In conclusion, I think that most people are trying to live a healthy life despite facing various challenges
from modern society. It is common sense that when they encounter serious health problems, they
should seek help and support from the medical profession to address their health problems immediately
and slowly adopt a better way of living.