Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-19

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)

These days, the number of people with heath issues is growing. Many individuals with health issues are trying alternative medicines and treatments rather than visiting their regular doctor. In my opinion, this trend is a positive progress because people are becoming more responsible towards their well being.

Firstly, people are becoming more aware regarding to their healthy lifestyle. As a result, they adapt more nutritious diet and exercising regularly. these habit overall improve our well being and reduce risk of various illness. For example, a person who follow balanced diet and regular exercise obesity and diabetes can be reduce in sufficient volume.

In addition, using alternative treatments for minor health conditions can save people both time and money. Some alternative treatments are less expensive and more accessible than conventional medical care, making them an attractive option for people with minor health problems. For example, instead of repeatedly visiting a doctor for minor problems, people may use home remedies or make simple lifestyle changes. Thus, alternative treatments can provide a convenient and affordable option for managing minor health conditions.

In conclusion, I believe that the growing use of alternative medicines is a positive development, as it encourages people to become more health-conscious and can save them both time and money when dealing with minor health problems.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response addresses the prompt by taking a clear position that the trend is positive. However, the essay is significantly under the 250-word minimum, which limits the depth of the argument. While the ideas regarding health consciousness and cost-effectiveness are relevant, they are not fully developed. The example regarding obesity and diabetes is grammatically fragmented and lacks clarity, failing to provide a strong, logical illustration of the point. To reach a higher band, you must expand your arguments with more detailed explanations and ensure the word count requirement is met to allow for a more comprehensive discussion of the topic.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'In addition', and 'In conclusion' are used to signal the structure. However, the flow within paragraphs is sometimes hindered by awkward phrasing, such as 'these habit overall improve our well being'. While the progression of ideas is generally easy to follow, the lack of sufficient length makes the overall structure feel somewhat thin. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring smoother transitions between sentences would enhance the coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. You rely on basic terms like 'health issues' and 'minor problems' repeatedly. There are also some minor collocation errors, such as 'positive progress' (which is redundant; 'positive development' is more natural) and 'adapt more nutritious diet' (should be 'adopt'). To improve, try to incorporate more sophisticated vocabulary related to medicine and lifestyle, and pay closer attention to word choice and collocations to ensure your writing sounds more natural and precise.

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 occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'aware regarding to their healthy lifestyle' (should be 'aware of'), 'these habit' (should be 'these habits'), and 'obesity and diabetes can be reduce' (should be 'reduced'). Additionally, there are issues with subject-verb agreement and article usage. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. Focusing on proofreading for basic grammatical accuracy and diversifying your sentence structures will be key to improvement.

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