Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-03
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)
In recent years, an increasing number of people chosen the alternative remedies instead of visiting their regular doctor. Although this view has some benefits, like it is a cheaper and natural solution of the minor diseases I believe that ignoring advice of a professional doctor is a negative development.
There are some advantages of relying on alternative treatments. These are relatively inexpensive than the prescribe advices of the specialists. Furthermore these shortcuts are made from natural ingredients. In response they have almost no side effects. For example, in case of headache or normal stress an immediate possible solution is herbal tea which is often used by large number of individuals. Moreover considering traditional medicines for suddenly caused problems is the most effective way of treating a disease. For instance
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 is significantly under the required 250-word minimum, which severely limits the development of ideas. While you state a clear position in the introduction, the body paragraphs are underdeveloped and the essay ends abruptly mid-sentence. You have addressed the prompt by discussing both the advantages and your own stance, but the lack of length prevents a full exploration of the topic. To improve, you must expand your arguments with more detailed explanations and examples, ensuring you complete the essay structure. Because the response is less than 150 words, it fails to meet the basic requirements of the task, resulting in a low score for task achievement.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The essay shows some attempt at logical organization, with an introduction and a body paragraph. However, the abrupt ending and the lack of a conclusion make the overall progression unclear. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Furthermore' and 'Moreover', but their effectiveness is undermined by the incomplete nature of the text. Paragraphing is present, but the second paragraph is left unfinished, which disrupts the flow of ideas. To reach a higher band, ensure that each paragraph is fully developed and that the essay concludes with a summary of your main points, using a wider range of linking words to connect ideas more fluidly.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is generally adequate for the task but remains quite basic. Phrases like 'minor diseases' and 'natural ingredients' are appropriate, but there is little attempt to use more sophisticated or academic vocabulary. There are some minor errors in word choice, such as 'prescribe advices' (advice is uncountable) and 'suddenly caused problems'. To improve, focus on using more precise collocations and academic terminology related to health and medicine. Expanding your range of vocabulary will help you express your ideas with greater clarity and precision, moving beyond simple descriptive language.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The essay contains several grammatical errors that affect the accuracy of your writing. For instance, 'people chosen' should be 'people have chosen', and 'solution of the minor diseases' should be 'solution for minor diseases'. There is a limited range of sentence structures, and the errors in verb tense and preposition usage are frequent. While the meaning is generally understandable, the grammatical control is inconsistent. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, particularly subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles and prepositions. Practicing complex sentence structures will also help you demonstrate a wider grammatical range.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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