Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-11-08

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Nowadays, a growing number of people with health problems are trying alternative medicines and treatments instead of visiting their usual doctor.

Do you think this is a positive or a negative development?

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

Student answer (Band 5.5)

A growing number of people with health problems are trying alternative medicines and treatments instead of visiting their usual doctor.

This is an issue that should be given attention to as there are few people who are not aware about alot of things that can harm peoples health and can cause major issues in the future

For example if a person is suffering from something very serious then he should visit a doctor rather than trying to solve themselves as it could effect there health is a very bad way can cannot be reversed or treated if something that even doctors cannot do so it is very important that people should be aware of these things and vist a doctor.

But there are few people who have some knowledge about the thing that is happening to them or they know what they are suffering from or they even know about what is happening to them so they even have knowledge about it and also know whatbto do if the situation can be handled by themselves in a positive way and can treat themselves and bring improvement in there health conditions in a better way.

As a result I would choose that is a person is aware about those problems they can try those treatments at home if they are just using some home remedies or and other unani or herbal things and nothing other than this but if any person does not know anything about what had happened to them then should definitely visit the doctor and just listen to whatever the doctor is saying and try to follow the things said by the doctor and make sure they don't just listen to other peoples opinion or solutions if they are not any professionals.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You take a broadly conditional position: people with some knowledge may use home remedies, while those unsure about their condition should consult a doctor. This responds to the question, and the warning that serious problems may worsen without professional care is relevant. However, the task asks whether this trend is positive or negative, and your overall judgement remains unclear: the conclusion gives conditions rather than stating which side you consider more positive overall. The supporting ideas are also limited and repeated, with little explanation or a specific example to show when alternative treatment is safe or risky. To strengthen the response, state your overall view directly and develop two distinct reasons with relevant examples. The 20 words copied from the task prompt were not counted.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic overall shape: it introduces the issue, discusses risks and possible benefits, and ends with advice. Connectors such as “For example” and “As a result” signal relationships between ideas. However, progression is difficult to follow because several sentences are extremely long and contain multiple points joined together. The second body paragraph repeats the idea that people may know what is happening to them, while the final paragraph shifts between home remedies, professional advice, and other people’s opinions without clear sequencing. Use separate paragraphs for the risks, the possible benefits, and your final judgement. Shorter sentences and clearer links between each claim and its explanation would make the argument easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant vocabulary for the topic, including “alternative medicines,” “home remedies,” “herbal,” “health conditions,” and “professionals.” These terms help communicate the general subject. However, the range is limited and several expressions are vague or repeated, such as “something,” “things,” and “what is happening to them,” which makes the discussion imprecise. There are also noticeable spelling and word-choice errors, including “alot,” “vist,” and “effect” where “affect” is intended. Some phrases are awkward, for example “aware about those problems” and “bring improvement in there health conditions.” Build a more precise set of health-related terms and check spelling and collocations during revision.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt to express conditions and reasons using structures such as “if a person is suffering from something very serious” and “if any person does not know anything,” so there is some effort to form complex sentences. However, the range is limited, and these longer structures are often faulty or difficult to follow. For example, “then he should visit a doctor rather than trying to solve themselves” shifts from singular “he” to plural “themselves,” and “if a person is aware … they can try” has inconsistent agreement. Sentence boundaries and punctuation are also frequently unclear, especially in the long sentence beginning “For example.” Practise building shorter, complete sentences first, then combine ideas with accurate clauses and consistent pronouns.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

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