Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-12

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)

Today most of people with health problems are trying alternative medicines and treatments instead of visiting their usual doctor because nowdays people have more awareness . Some people have no time to visit doctor instead of waiting they use alternative methods such as drinking more water ,medication and walk to reduce headache . Although if its not work they start searching medicine on google and try different remedies and use alternative medicine by searching if their regular one not work .

In my opinion it is positive development people treat their own self at home using limited resources they do not need to wait for weeks to get appointment

from doctor .alternatively some people visits doctor to get medicine if it not works they use alternative medicine of same disease by finding it on internet.

Further more I think that their negative consequences remains if someone took medicine from internet which is not suitable for their body type it may cause to life threatening problem and lead to serious health issues.

Few days ago i was in my college where a student felt on ground during break

all of us students where start shaking with fear then suddenly a student from our class come close to unconscious student he gave him water and then bring him inside the ac room which maintains his body temperature ,

Then after a few while student awoke and when we tell from our colleague student who helped that guy how you learnt about that he said he learnt it from internet and this condition happened due to heat and it is called heat stroke .

This incident gives us motivation that why I think it is positive development.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses the prompt by discussing both positive and negative aspects of alternative medicine. However, the development of ideas is inconsistent. While you provide a personal anecdote to support your position, the argument remains somewhat superficial. The discussion regarding the risks of internet-based medical advice is relevant but lacks depth. To improve, ensure that your position is clearly stated in the introduction and consistently maintained throughout the essay. Additionally, try to expand on your points with more analytical reasoning rather than relying solely on personal examples, as this will help you move into higher band descriptors for task development.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The essay is organised into paragraphs, but the logical flow is often disrupted by awkward phrasing and a lack of effective cohesive devices. Transitions between sentences are frequently missing or mechanical, such as the abrupt shift in the second paragraph. The use of referencing is sometimes unclear, making it difficult for the reader to follow your train of thought. To improve, focus on using a wider variety of linking words (e.g., 'consequently', 'furthermore', 'in contrast') to connect your ideas more fluidly and ensure that each paragraph has a clear, singular focus that supports your overall argument.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and range required for a higher score. There is a reliance on basic terminology, and some word choices are inaccurate, such as 'felt on ground' instead of 'collapsed' or 'fainted'. You also struggle with collocations, for example, 'searching medicine on google' instead of 'searching for medical advice online'. To improve, focus on learning topic-specific vocabulary related to health and medicine and practice using these words in context. Avoid repeating simple words and try to incorporate more sophisticated synonyms to express your ideas more clearly.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The essay contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede communication. Issues include subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'some people visits'), missing articles, and incorrect sentence structure (e.g., 'Although if its not work'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with several run-on sentences and missing commas. While you attempt some complex structures, they are often faulty, which limits your score. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, specifically subject-verb agreement and the correct use of tenses. Proofreading your work for simple errors like 'its' versus 'it's' and ensuring each sentence has a clear subject and verb will significantly improve your accuracy.

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

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