Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-21
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)
It has been stated that instead of consulting their usual doctor, an increasing number of people find alternative medicines and treatments for their health issues in the concurrent time. In my perception, this is an affirmative trend; however, there are several reasons behind this. Both the questions are well explained in the ensuing paragraph.
Discussing the first question, due to alternative options, sometimes various method are opened for patient. To state that alternative options may be assists without any cost or any side affects. Moreover, conventional practices can promote a healthy lifestyle and prevention. For instance, good diet, ayurvedic treatments and many more. Furthermore, some conventional therapies may help with stress, pain and relaxation.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 4.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words, reaching only 114 words. Consequently, the development of ideas is severely limited. While you state your position that the trend is 'affirmative,' the arguments provided are underdeveloped and lack the necessary depth or specific examples to fully address the prompt. The response reads more like an introduction than a complete essay, failing to provide a balanced discussion or a coherent conclusion. To improve, you must expand your arguments with detailed explanations and relevant examples, ensuring you meet the length requirement to allow for a full exploration of the topic.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The essay lacks a clear logical progression due to its brevity. While there are some attempts at cohesive devices such as 'Moreover' and 'Furthermore,' the paragraphing is ineffective, with a very short, disjointed second paragraph. The transition between ideas is abrupt, and the overall structure is insufficient to demonstrate a clear flow of thought. To improve, you should focus on developing distinct paragraphs for each main idea, ensuring that each sentence logically follows the previous one and that you use a wider variety of linking words to connect your arguments more fluidly.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is generally basic and repetitive. There are instances of awkward phrasing, such as 'in the concurrent time' and 'alternative options may be assists,' which hinder clarity. While you attempt to use some topic-related vocabulary like 'conventional practices' and 'ayurvedic treatments,' the range is limited and does not allow for a sophisticated discussion of the topic. To improve, focus on learning collocations related to health and medicine and avoid using overly simplistic or non-standard phrases. Expanding your vocabulary will help you express your ideas with greater precision and nuance.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede communication. Examples include 'various method are opened' (subject-verb agreement), 'alternative options may be assists' (incorrect word form), and 'any side affects' (confusing 'affect' with 'effect'). The sentence structures are relatively simple, and there is a lack of complex sentence forms. To improve, you should practice subject-verb agreement, correct word forms, and the proper use of articles. Additionally, try to incorporate a wider range of complex sentence structures, such as conditional sentences or relative clauses, while ensuring they are grammatically accurate.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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