2025-08-20

IELTS Writing Task 2 Discussion — Health: 15 Common Mistakes and Fixes

Master IELTS Writing Task 2 health discussion essays with advanced vocabulary, Band 9 samples, and expert strategies. Fix common mistakes that cost Band 7+ scores.

This comprehensive guide addresses the 15 most common mistakes students make in IELTS Writing Task 2 health discussion essays and provides expert fixes for achieving Band 7-9 scores. Master sophisticated health vocabulary, proven essay structures, and advanced argumentation techniques while learning from detailed Band 9 sample analysis and examiner insights.

Health discussion essays appear frequently in IELTS Writing Task 2, challenging candidates to explore complex topics like public health policy, healthcare accessibility, preventive medicine, and wellness trends. Success requires mastering sophisticated vocabulary, balanced argumentation, and clear essay organization while avoiding critical mistakes that limit band scores.

Health-related discussion questions in IELTS Task 2 typically present two contrasting viewpoints about healthcare systems, medical treatments, public health policies, or lifestyle choices. Your task is to present both perspectives fairly, support each with relevant examples, and often provide your own balanced conclusion.

Common health discussion topics include:

  • Public healthcare vs. private healthcare systems
  • Traditional medicine vs. modern medical treatments
  • Preventive healthcare vs. treatment-focused approaches
  • Individual health responsibility vs. government intervention
  • Mental health awareness vs. privacy concerns
  • Alternative medicine vs. conventional medical practice

The key to success lies in demonstrating sophisticated understanding of healthcare complexities while maintaining balanced argumentation throughout your response.

Mistake 1: Oversimplified Health Arguments

Common Error: "Public healthcare is good because it's free."

Why It's Wrong: This lacks the nuanced understanding expected at higher band levels. Health economics involves complex trade-offs between accessibility, quality, funding mechanisms, and resource allocation.

Expert Fix: "While publicly-funded healthcare systems enhance accessibility by removing financial barriers, they often face challenges including extended waiting periods, resource constraints, and potential inefficiencies in service delivery, requiring careful policy balancing."

Advanced Vocabulary: healthcare accessibility, resource allocation, service delivery efficiency, policy optimization, systemic constraints

Mistake 2: Mixing Discussion with Opinion Structure

Common Error: Starting with "I believe that..." in a discussion essay.

Why It's Wrong: Discussion essays require objective presentation of both viewpoints before any personal stance.

Expert Fix: Begin with neutral presentation: "Healthcare professionals and policymakers have long debated whether preventive medicine or treatment-focused approaches yield superior health outcomes for populations."

Mistake 3: Inadequate Healthcare Vocabulary Range

Common Error: Repeating basic terms like "healthy," "sick," "doctor."

Why It's Wrong: Limited vocabulary restricts your band score potential and fails to demonstrate academic writing proficiency.

Expert Fix: Employ sophisticated alternatives:

  • Healthcare → medical services, healthcare provision, clinical care
  • Healthy → robust health, optimal wellness, physiological well-being
  • Treatment → therapeutic intervention, clinical management, medical protocol

Mistake 4: Weak Health Policy Examples

Common Error: "In my country, hospitals are free."

Why It's Wrong: Vague, unspecific examples that don't demonstrate global awareness or analytical thinking.

Expert Fix: "Nordic healthcare models, exemplified by Denmark's comprehensive public system, demonstrate how universal coverage can achieve both high patient satisfaction rates and effective cost management through integrated care pathways and preventive focus."

At BabyCode, we've helped 500,000+ students master health discussion essays through targeted practice. Our advanced writing modules focus specifically on healthcare vocabulary development and balanced argumentation techniques. Students consistently report improved confidence when tackling complex health policy topics after completing our specialized health writing workshops.

Mistake 5: Unbalanced Argument Development

Common Error: Writing 150 words supporting one view, 50 words for the other.

Why It's Wrong: Discussion essays require roughly equal development of both perspectives to demonstrate comprehensive understanding.

Expert Fix: Allocate approximately 100-120 words each to both viewpoints, ensuring each receives thorough analysis with specific examples and supporting evidence.

Mistake 6: Ignoring Healthcare System Complexities

Common Error: "Traditional medicine is always better because it's natural."

Why It's Wrong: This oversimplifies complex interactions between traditional and modern medical approaches.

Expert Fix: "While traditional medical practices offer valuable insights into holistic patient care and time-tested remedies, integration with evidence-based modern medicine provides optimal therapeutic outcomes through combining traditional wisdom with scientific validation."

Mistake 7: Poor Health Statistics Integration

Common Error: "Many people die from diseases."

Why It's Wrong: Vague statistics that don't support specific arguments or demonstrate research awareness.

Expert Fix: "According to WHO data, preventive healthcare interventions reduce cardiovascular disease mortality by approximately 25%, highlighting the economic and humanitarian benefits of proactive health management strategies over reactive treatment approaches."

Mistake 8: Inadequate Mental Health Consideration

Common Error: Focusing only on physical health aspects in broad health discussions.

Why It's Wrong: Modern healthcare discussions require acknowledgment of mental health integration and holistic wellness approaches.

Expert Fix: "Contemporary healthcare frameworks recognize the interconnectedness of physical and mental well-being, with integrated treatment models demonstrating superior patient outcomes compared to fragmented care approaches."

Our specialized health vocabulary modules teach 200+ advanced medical and wellness terms with contextual usage examples. Students master sophisticated healthcare terminology through interactive exercises, achieving significant improvements in Task 2 health essay band scores. The platform's adaptive learning system ensures vocabulary retention through spaced repetition and contextual application.

Mistake 9: Weak Transition Between Health Arguments

Common Error: "Also, another thing about healthcare is..."

Why It's Wrong: Poor transitions disrupt essay flow and fail to demonstrate advanced writing skills.

Expert Fix: "Conversely, proponents of treatment-focused healthcare emphasize..." or "While preventive approaches offer long-term benefits, emergency medical interventions remain crucial for..."

Mistake 10: Insufficient Healthcare Policy Analysis

Common Error: "Government should control health."

Why It's Wrong: Lacks nuanced understanding of healthcare governance, regulation, and policy implementation.

Expert Fix: "Healthcare governance requires balancing regulatory oversight with professional autonomy, ensuring quality standards while maintaining clinical independence and innovation capacity within medical practice."

Mistake 11: Generic Health Conclusions

Common Error: "Both sides have good points about health."

Why It's Wrong: Fails to synthesize arguments or demonstrate sophisticated analysis.

Expert Fix: "While both preventive and treatment-focused healthcare approaches offer distinct advantages, optimal health outcomes likely emerge from integrated models that emphasize early intervention while maintaining robust emergency care capabilities."

Mistake 12: Misunderstanding Healthcare Accessibility

Common Error: "Rich people get better healthcare."

Why It's Wrong: Oversimplifies complex healthcare equity issues without addressing systemic factors or potential solutions.

Expert Fix: "Healthcare disparities often reflect broader socioeconomic inequalities, requiring comprehensive policy responses including insurance reform, provider distribution optimization, and community health program expansion to ensure equitable access."

Mistake 13: Poor Health Technology Integration

Common Error: "Technology makes healthcare better."

Why It's Wrong: Lacks specific analysis of how technology impacts different aspects of healthcare delivery and patient outcomes.

Expert Fix: "Digital health technologies, including telemedicine platforms and AI-assisted diagnostics, enhance healthcare accessibility and efficiency while raising important considerations regarding data privacy, provider-patient relationships, and technology equity."

Mistake 14: Inadequate Global Health Perspective

Common Error: Focusing only on wealthy country healthcare systems.

Why It's Wrong: Demonstrates limited global awareness and fails to acknowledge diverse healthcare contexts worldwide.

Expert Fix: "Healthcare solutions must address diverse global contexts, from resource-constrained settings requiring cost-effective interventions to developed nations managing aging populations and chronic disease burdens through sophisticated care coordination."

Our proven 5-paragraph discussion essay template has helped thousands of students achieve Band 7+ scores in health topics. The structure guides students through balanced argument presentation, sophisticated vocabulary integration, and compelling conclusion development. Practice exercises focus specifically on health policy analysis and medical ethics discussions.

Mistake 15: Weak Healthcare Economics Understanding

Common Error: "Free healthcare is always best."

Why It's Wrong: Ignores complex healthcare financing models, sustainability concerns, and quality implications.

Expert Fix: "Healthcare financing models require careful consideration of sustainability, quality maintenance, and accessibility optimization, with successful systems often employing mixed funding approaches that balance public investment with private sector efficiency."

Question: Some people believe that governments should focus primarily on preventive healthcare measures, while others argue that treating diseases after they occur is more important. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

Sample Response:

Healthcare policy debates increasingly center on whether governments should prioritize disease prevention or treatment provision, with compelling arguments supporting both approaches. This fundamental question influences resource allocation, healthcare accessibility, and population health outcomes across diverse global contexts.

Advocates of preventive healthcare emphasis argue that proactive measures generate superior long-term health outcomes while reducing overall healthcare expenditure. Preventive interventions, including vaccination programs, health education campaigns, and environmental health improvements, address disease root causes rather than symptoms. For instance, Finland's comprehensive cardiovascular disease prevention program reduced heart disease mortality by 35% over two decades through population-wide dietary modifications, smoking cessation support, and blood pressure management. Furthermore, preventive approaches demonstrate exceptional cost-effectiveness, with every dollar invested in prevention potentially saving three to four dollars in treatment costs according to Centers for Disease Control analysis. This economic efficiency enables healthcare systems to serve larger populations while maintaining quality standards.

Conversely, treatment-focused healthcare proponents emphasize the critical importance of robust emergency care and therapeutic intervention capabilities. Complex medical conditions, genetic disorders, and acute health crises require immediate, sophisticated treatment interventions that preventive measures cannot address. Modern medical breakthroughs, including precision medicine, organ transplantation, and advanced surgical techniques, have dramatically extended life expectancy and improved quality of life for millions of patients. Emergency medical services represent society's safety net, ensuring that unexpected health crises receive prompt, effective intervention regardless of previous preventive measure compliance. Additionally, treatment-focused systems provide essential support for aging populations managing chronic conditions requiring ongoing medical management.

In my opinion, optimal healthcare systems integrate both preventive and treatment approaches through coordinated care models that emphasize early intervention while maintaining comprehensive emergency capabilities. The most successful healthcare systems, exemplified by countries like Switzerland and Japan, combine robust preventive programs with world-class treatment facilities, achieving superior health outcomes across diverse population groups. This balanced approach recognizes that healthcare effectiveness requires both population-level wellness promotion and individual-level therapeutic excellence.

Analysis:

  • Task Response: Addresses both viewpoints comprehensively with clear personal opinion
  • Vocabulary: Sophisticated healthcare terminology (proactive measures, therapeutic intervention, precision medicine)
  • Grammar: Complex sentence structures with accurate usage
  • Coherence: Clear progression with effective transitions between ideas
  • Examples: Specific, relevant examples (Finland's program, CDC analysis)

Healthcare Systems

  • Universal healthcare coverage
  • Healthcare accessibility optimization
  • Medical service delivery efficiency
  • Healthcare infrastructure development
  • Clinical care coordination
  • Patient-centered care approaches

Public Health

  • Disease prevention strategies
  • Population health management
  • Epidemiological surveillance
  • Health promotion campaigns
  • Community health interventions
  • Environmental health protection

Medical Treatment

  • Therapeutic intervention protocols
  • Clinical management guidelines
  • Evidence-based medical practice
  • Precision medicine approaches
  • Multidisciplinary treatment teams
  • Patient care continuity

Healthcare Policy

  • Healthcare governance frameworks
  • Medical regulation standards
  • Healthcare financing models
  • Insurance coverage optimization
  • Healthcare equity initiatives
  • Policy implementation strategies

Our intelligent vocabulary system teaches healthcare terms through contextual application, ensuring students understand nuanced usage in academic writing contexts. The platform tracks vocabulary development progress and provides personalized recommendations for expanding medical terminology knowledge effectively.

  1. Some people believe mental health education should be mandatory in schools, while others argue it should remain optional. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

  2. Traditional medicine and modern medical treatments each have their supporters. Discuss both approaches and provide your perspective on their integration.

  3. Some argue that individuals are primarily responsible for their health, while others believe governments should take the lead role. Discuss both views and state your opinion.

  4. Private healthcare systems versus public healthcare systems continue to generate debate. Discuss both approaches and give your own view.

  5. Some people think alternative medicine should be more widely accepted, while others believe only scientifically proven treatments should be used. Discuss both perspectives and provide your opinion.

Structure Optimization

  • Introduction: Present both viewpoints neutrally
  • Body Paragraph 1: Develop first perspective with examples
  • Body Paragraph 2: Analyze second viewpoint thoroughly
  • Conclusion: Synthesize arguments and state balanced opinion

Vocabulary Enhancement

  • Replace basic health terms with sophisticated alternatives
  • Integrate healthcare policy terminology naturally
  • Use medical and wellness collocations accurately
  • Demonstrate understanding of healthcare complexities

Example Development

  • Reference specific healthcare systems or policies
  • Include relevant health statistics and research
  • Compare different global health approaches
  • Analyze real-world healthcare implementation

Our comprehensive health essay course combines vocabulary development, structure optimization, and practice question analysis to ensure consistent Band 7+ performance. Students receive personalized feedback on essay development, vocabulary usage, and argument sophistication through our expert marking system.

Q: How can I quickly improve my healthcare vocabulary for IELTS Writing? A: Focus on learning healthcare collocations in context rather than isolated words. Practice using terms like "preventive healthcare," "therapeutic intervention," and "clinical management" in complete sentences. Read healthcare policy articles from reputable sources to understand sophisticated terminology usage.

Q: What's the ideal essay structure for health discussion questions? A: Use a 4-paragraph structure: introduction presenting both views, two body paragraphs (one for each perspective with equal development), and conclusion synthesizing arguments with your balanced opinion. Aim for 250-280 words total.

Q: How do I avoid oversimplifying complex health topics? A: Acknowledge multiple factors influencing healthcare outcomes. Instead of stating "exercise is good," discuss "regular physical activity contributes to cardiovascular health while reducing chronic disease risks and improving mental wellness outcomes."

Q: Should I include personal health experiences in my essay? A: Avoid personal anecdotes. Instead, use general examples, policy references, or research findings. Focus on population-level health considerations rather than individual experiences.

Q: How can I make my health arguments more sophisticated? A: Integrate healthcare economics, policy considerations, and global health perspectives. Discuss trade-offs between different approaches and acknowledge complexity in healthcare system design and implementation.

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