Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-10
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)
In recent years,a growing number of people with health problems are trying alternative medicines and treatments instead of visiting their usual doctor has become increasingly common in many parts of the world.This essay will discuss the main reasons behind this trend and explain why I believe it is a negative development.
On the primary reasons behind this trend is that alternatives treatment are often considerable cheaper and more accessible.This is because some people cannot afford expensive medical treatment or do not want to wait for an appointment with a doctor.For instance,people may be use herbal medicines because they are easily available.Another contributing factor,is that the influence of social media,as many people see positive effects on alternative treatments.Consequently they mey believe these treatments are safer and more affected then normal medical care.
In my opinion,this development is largely negative because alternative medicines may not properly treat serious health problems.One significant example is that people delay to visiting their usual or nearest doctor,which can make their illness more.Furthermore,some alternatives treatment may have harmful side effect,which may reault in their health problems.For example,a person with a serious infection he should visit doctor rather then using alternative treatments,Therefore,relying on alternatives treatments can put people's health at risks.
In conclusion,the growing use of alternative medicines and treatment is mainly cause by high cost doctors fees and the influence of social media.Although these treatments may have some benefits,I believe that this trend is largely negative because it can delay proper medical treatment and harm people health problems.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses all parts of the prompt, clearly stating a position that the trend is negative. The ideas are relevant, covering cost, accessibility, and the influence of social media as reasons for the trend, and the risks of delayed medical treatment as the primary argument against it. However, the development of these ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the argument regarding 'harmful side effects' is mentioned but not sufficiently supported with specific, logical detail. While the position is clear throughout, the essay would benefit from more depth in the explanation of why alternative treatments are perceived as 'safer' versus the reality of their limitations.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is logically organized into clear paragraphs, with an introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'On the primary reasons', 'Consequently', and 'Furthermore' are used to link ideas. However, there are some mechanical issues with cohesion; for example, the opening sentence is a run-on, and some transitions feel slightly forced or repetitive. The use of referencing is generally clear, but the flow between sentences could be improved to create a more natural progression of thought. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the reasons for the trend from the evaluation of its impact.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is generally adequate for the task, allowing the writer to convey their meaning clearly. There are attempts to use less common vocabulary, such as 'contributing factor' and 'accessible'. However, there are several instances of inaccurate word choice and collocation, such as 'affected' instead of 'effective', 'reault' (spelling error), and 'make their illness more' (incomplete phrase). These errors do not impede communication, but they do limit the precision of the argument. To reach a higher band, the student should focus on using more precise collocations and ensuring accurate word forms.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are frequent grammatical errors, including subject-verb agreement issues ('alternatives treatment are'), missing articles, and incorrect preposition usage ('delay to visiting'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with spacing after commas. While the meaning remains clear, these errors are persistent and occur throughout the text. The student attempts complex structures, but they are often marred by these inaccuracies. To improve, the student needs to focus on basic sentence construction, subject-verb agreement, and proofreading for minor mechanical errors.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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