Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-05

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)

Nowadays, many individuals who are facing health issue are shifted to alternative medicines and treatments rather then consulting their usual doctor. I strongly disagree with these upcoming development as health can not be taken as granted.

Many people are taking there health problems as granted, in society there are many alternative medicines and treatments available at cheaper costs which attract them towards it. As people are unaware of there development as these alternative option can make their health condition more critical as can causes more health problems. Using cheaper treatments can not shoots everyone and if it is used daily may causes big medical problem.

The treatments which are provided at low costs are not that much effective as well as the doctors are not well trained which may creates a several problems. Moreover, consulting to your family doctor is much more practical solution from a long term perspective. Additionally family doctors are familiar with your habits and he/she may know your past medical history which may helpful for person to take a optimal solution. For example - many rural area people used home made medicines or some alternative treatments to solve that diseases but later on that problem gets converted into a critical health issues which patients face it later on.

In conclusion, using outside medicines or cheaper treatments makes people feel relief from problem but it is not a practical solution of it because that problem need to get removed from the roots which a good educated doctor can only do and with proper medical treatments.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response addresses the prompt by taking a clear position against the use of alternative medicine. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. While you mention that alternative treatments can be ineffective or dangerous, the arguments are repetitive and lack depth. For instance, the point about rural areas is a good start, but it is not fully explored to explain why these individuals choose such paths or the specific mechanisms of the risks involved. To reach a higher band, ensure that each paragraph introduces a distinct, well-supported point rather than restating the same general concerns about cost and effectiveness.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow your argument. You use some cohesive devices like 'Moreover', 'Additionally', and 'In conclusion' to link ideas. However, the flow within paragraphs is sometimes hindered by awkward phrasing and repetitive sentence structures. Referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the second paragraph where 'there development' is used incorrectly. To improve, focus on using a wider variety of linking words and ensure that pronouns clearly refer back to their intended nouns to create a smoother, more professional progression of ideas.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the precision and range required for higher bands. There are several instances of incorrect word choice and collocation, such as 'shifted to' instead of 'shifting to', 'shoots everyone' instead of 'suits everyone', and 'take a optimal solution' instead of 'make an optimal decision'. These errors occasionally impede the flow of your argument. To improve, focus on learning common collocations and using more precise academic vocabulary rather than relying on simple, sometimes misused, descriptive terms.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that affect readability. Common issues include subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'treatments... is not', 'doctors... creates'), incorrect verb forms (e.g., 'can causes'), and misuse of articles and prepositions. While the meaning is generally clear, these persistent errors prevent the text from reaching a higher band. Focus on proofreading for basic grammatical accuracy, particularly regarding verb tenses and pluralization, and try to incorporate more complex sentence structures with greater precision.

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