Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · 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 5.0)

The people have different opinions some stick to their usual doctors whereas others start to try different remedies and medicines to cure. In my opinion, the people should keep visiting their doctors obviously doctors know better as they have studied all about human health and diseases whereas people dont have that level of knowledge.

The treatment and cure all are based on luck if a person starts using other remedies, medicines and treatments and they finally defeat the disease. Obviously there belief on remedies will increase more than doctors because without going to doctors and paying fee to book an appointment with a doctor they got a cure, just by mixing som herbal products from their kitchen.

On contrast, the ones who go to doctors for monthly checkup for their disease even though theu dont get healthy as fast as the ones doing remedies but the medicines do make sure that a person dont again through the same disease. If they are able to defeat the disrase by medicine their belief in doctors would get more high and they will trust doctors more with their diseases and health.

For me, it depends on luck the ones getting cured from remedies would believe more on remedies and their belief on doctors would be less, Whereas the ones getting cure from doctors woulf have more belief on doctors than on using other medicines or treatments.

To conclude, every opinion varies from person to person. Everyone has different experiences, so from those experiences their beliefs and opinions all changes.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You give a position in the opening: people should continue visiting doctors, and you return to the contrast between doctors and remedies in the conclusion. However, the response does not fully answer whether this is a positive or negative development. Much of the discussion describes how people’s beliefs may change depending on whether they recover, rather than explaining the consequences of choosing alternative treatment instead of medical care. The claim that treatment is “based on luck” is not supported with a relevant example or explanation, and the possible risks of delaying diagnosis or using unproven remedies are not explored. To strengthen the response, state clearly that the trend is negative (or positive) and develop two relevant reasons with specific support.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

The response has separate paragraphs and a recognisable opening, body, and conclusion, so the reader can identify its general topic and position. However, the ideas do not progress clearly: the second and third paragraphs repeat the contrast between people who recover through remedies and those who visit doctors, while the final paragraph again presents this as a matter of personal belief. Linking expressions such as “On contrast” and “Whereas” are used, but they do not establish a clear line of reasoning, and some references, including “the ones,” are vague. Organise the body around distinct reasons for your view, then use each paragraph to explain and support one reason rather than restating the same comparison.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use enough topic-related vocabulary to communicate the general subject, including “remedies,” “disease,” “medicines,” and “checkup.” However, the range is limited and several expressions are repetitive or imprecise, such as repeated references to “belief” and “doctors,” and “different remedies and medicines to cure.” Some word choices and spelling errors make parts less clear, for example “som herbal products” and “disrase.” Aim for more precise language to describe the issue and its effects, such as “alternative treatments,” “medical advice,” and “delay seeking professional care.” Vary repeated terms and check spelling carefully so that errors do not distract from your argument.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt longer sentences and use contrast clauses, for example “whereas others start to try different remedies” and “even though they don’t get healthy as fast.” This shows some effort to combine ideas, but the range is limited and complex sentences are often difficult to control. Errors in agreement and verb forms occur in phrases such as “the medicines do make sure that a person don’t” and “the ones getting cure.” Sentence boundaries and punctuation are also inconsistent, particularly in the opening, where several ideas run together. Practise building clear sentences with one main idea, checking subject–verb agreement, articles, and verb forms, and using full stops to separate complete thoughts.

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