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)
My perception towards people with Health Issues who are trying upon other alternatives are negative because without proper consultation of the doctor, alternate medicine can lead to immediate health issues. As long as the doctors are properly taught and carefully trained, they can handle even small matters with more precise treatment than other causal treatments. As long as the alternative medicines involves, organic and properly known herbs and medicines, it might be considered somehow good as they are being tested on older generations for quite a long time. In most of the countries of Asia, they are considered great as they have proper benefits, also they are scientifically tested in the lab. Overall, both would be do fine if carefully considered and taken seriously asking for opinions of experienced people or senior citizens.
A long time back, I have quite the same experience of taking the alternative medicine
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 148 words. This significant under-length results in a failure to fully develop the argument. While you state a position that the trend is negative, the ideas are underdeveloped and lack sufficient supporting evidence or examples. The prompt asks for a discussion on whether this is a positive or negative development, but the response lacks the depth required for an academic essay. To improve, you must expand your points with detailed explanations and concrete 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 structure. It consists of only two short paragraphs, one of which is an incomplete sentence fragment at the end. There is a lack of logical progression between ideas, and the use of cohesive devices is limited and sometimes mechanical, such as the repetitive use of 'As long as'. The paragraphing is insufficient, and the transition between the introduction of the topic and the personal anecdote is abrupt and unfinished. To improve, you should use a standard essay structure: an introduction, two body paragraphs with clear topic sentences, and a conclusion.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is basic and repetitive, which limits your ability to express complex ideas. Phrases like 'immediate health issues' and 'causal treatments' are used, but the word choice is often imprecise or unnatural. There is a reliance on simple, everyday language that does not demonstrate the range required for higher bands. To improve, you should focus on learning topic-specific collocations related to medicine and healthcare, and try to incorporate more sophisticated vocabulary to convey your arguments with greater precision and nuance.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response contains several grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'My perception towards... are negative' (subject-verb agreement error) and 'alternative medicines involves' (subject-verb agreement error). The sentence structures are mostly simple or contain errors when attempting complexity. Punctuation is also inconsistent, and the final sentence is an incomplete fragment. To improve, focus on mastering subject-verb agreement, correct tense usage, and ensuring that every sentence is complete with a clear subject and verb. Practicing complex sentence structures will also help improve your range.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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