Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-08-25

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 who is suffering from ahealth issues has become increasingly common. trying different treatments and consuming alternative medicines without doctor consultant In my view, this is largely a negative development, primarily because side-effects and in correct diagnosis which cause long-term consequences.

The first reason why this development should be considered negative is that some alternative treatments may lack reliable scientific evidence. This is because certain therapies are promoted based on personal experiences rather than rigorous medical research. For example, a person suffering from a serious illness may choose an unproven herbal treatment instead of following a doctor recommended treatment. As a result, their condition could worsen because they may not receive timely and appropriate medical attention.

Another important consideration is that relying exclusively on alternative medicine can lead to incorrect diagnosis and ineffective treatment. When people attempt to treat health problems without professional medical advice they may misunderstand the underlying cause of their symptoms. A good example of this is someone experiencing persistent pain who repeatedly uses traditional remedies without consulting a doctor. Therefore, depending heavily on alternative medicines is likely to have harmful long-term consequences for individuals and, potentially for public health.

In conclusion, although some alternative treatments may provide comfort or complement conventional medicine, I believe that replacing regular medical care with them is a negative development because of the lack of reliable evidence surrounding some treatments and the risk of delaying proper diagnosis and treatment.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

You have clearly stated your position that this is a negative development and provided relevant reasons. However, the response is 245 words, which is below the 250-word minimum requirement. This impacts your score as the task is not fully completed. While your ideas are relevant, they could be further extended with more specific examples or deeper analysis to ensure the word count is met and the argument is fully developed. The introduction is also somewhat fragmented, which affects the clarity of your initial position.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is logically organized into clear paragraphs, each focusing on a specific point. You use some cohesive devices like 'The first reason' and 'Another important consideration' to guide the reader. However, the flow is occasionally hindered by awkward phrasing and punctuation errors, particularly in the introduction. The transition between sentences could be smoother to improve the overall progression of ideas. While the paragraphing is appropriate, the mechanical nature of some transitions prevents a higher score.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'rigorous medical research', 'underlying cause', and 'conventional medicine'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'doctor consultant' instead of 'medical consultation' and 'in correct diagnosis' (should be 'incorrect'). These errors do not impede communication, but they limit your ability to convey ideas with precision. To improve, focus on using collocations more accurately and expanding your range of academic vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. For example, 'a growing number of people who is suffering' should be 'who are suffering', and 'a doctor recommended treatment' should be 'a doctor-recommended treatment'. Punctuation is also inconsistent, with missing commas and run-on sentences in the introduction. While the meaning is generally clear, these persistent errors in subject-verb agreement and sentence construction prevent a higher score. Focus on proofreading for basic grammatical accuracy.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.