Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-07

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 modern era, there is rapidly increasing figures of residents with health issues are trying alternative remedy and possible treatments rather than visiting their ordinary doctor. The essay will discuss both the positive and negative impacts on society in the upcoming paraghraphs before giving my own perspective.

On the one hand, many individuals claim that having cure at home instead of visiting doctors has more benefits. Firstly , this method do not have any side defects unlike other medicines can harm the skin like reacting to their body in the form of rashes and red spots on the body due to the fact that they include the chemical properties where at home the alternatives are organic and have fast results, For instance - the older generation have every type of cure for the health related issues like headache, fewer and pain in the body which have better results instead of spending money on doctors , the older family member treatment can be a solution for them. Secondly, an ordinary person cannot afford huge amount of their income on treatments in hospitals , as they have also family pressure to fulfill other basic needs like food, cloth and most crucial education of their childrens.

On the other the other hand, others argue that it is totally a waste of time and money. As , there is not every cure of health issue at home due to the fact that , there are some serious problems like cancer and covid which can not be treated at home as they need special treatments with experienced doctors. And what is the purpose of having a degree and hospitals in the market if people are moving to take medicines by themselves why the authorities are wasting money on health care sector.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses the prompt by discussing both sides of the issue, but the position is not clearly stated or maintained throughout. While you mention you will discuss both sides, you fail to provide a clear personal opinion in the conclusion, which is a requirement for a high score. The ideas are relevant but remain somewhat under-developed; for instance, the claim that alternative medicines have 'no side defects' is a broad generalization that lacks nuance. To improve, ensure you clearly state your stance in the introduction and maintain it, while providing more balanced and logical support for your arguments.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into paragraphs, but the logical flow is occasionally disrupted by awkward phrasing and mechanical transitions. While you use cohesive devices like 'On the one hand' and 'Firstly', some transitions are repetitive or misused, such as 'On the other the other hand'. The referencing is sometimes unclear, and the progression of ideas within paragraphs feels disjointed. To improve, focus on using a wider variety of linking words and ensure that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence that directly relates to your overall argument.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and range required for higher bands. You rely on basic terms like 'health issues' and 'good results' repeatedly. There are also errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'side defects' (should be 'side effects') and 'fewer' (should be 'fever'). The use of 'modern era' at the start is a cliché. To improve, try to incorporate more topic-specific vocabulary related to medicine and healthcare, and pay closer attention to collocations to ensure your word choices sound natural.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede readability. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('this method do not have'), incorrect pluralization ('childrens'), and awkward sentence construction ('there is rapidly increasing figures of residents'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with comma placement. To improve, focus on mastering basic subject-verb agreement and sentence structure. Reviewing your work for common errors like plural forms and article usage will significantly enhance the clarity of your writing.

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