Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-14

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)

To begin with, there are several reasons why this topic is important in our daily life. The main reason is that Health problem can have a direct effect on people and society. Many people face this issue in their daily lives, and it can influence their lifestyle in different ways. For example, it may affect people’s work, education, health, or relationships. In addition, young people and families can also be influenced by this situation. Another important point is that Health problem can have both positive and negative effects. It mainly depends on how people use it and how they deal with the situation.

Moreover, there are some possible ways to improve the situation. People should have proper knowledge and should make responsible decisions. The government, schools, and families can also play an important role by providing guidance and support. For instance, simple rules and better awareness can help people make better choices.

In conclusion, Doctor is an important issue that should not be ignored. If people and society work together, the negative effects can be reduced and the situation can be improved.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0

The response fails to meet the minimum length requirement of 250 words, containing only 182 words. This significantly impacts task achievement because the ideas are undifferentiated and repetitive. Furthermore, the content struggles to engage directly with the prompt regarding alternative medicines, instead using vague placeholders such as 'Health problem can have a direct effect on people' and 'Doctor is an important issue that should not be ignored.' Because the core prompt regarding whether choosing alternative treatments over conventional doctors is positive or negative is largely ignored or misunderstood, the response falls into Band 4.0. To improve, the writer must ensure they read the prompt carefully, address both sides of the issue, and expand their arguments to exceed the 250-word threshold.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The essay is divided into three brief paragraphs, including an introduction and a conclusion. Although basic cohesive devices are used, such as 'To begin with', 'Moreover', and 'In conclusion', the overall progression lacks logical continuity due to the vague and abstract nature of the content. For instance, stating 'Another important point is that Health problem can have both positive and negative effects' does not logically follow or relate meaningfully to the previous sentences about lifestyle. Paragraphing is attempted, but the extreme brevity of the text limits the demonstration of sophisticated organizational skills. The referencing is frequently unclear, leading to a Band 5.0 score. Clearer logical links and a more structured development of specific ideas are needed to achieve a higher band.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary used throughout the essay is basic, repetitive, and insufficiently developed for an academic task. The student repeatedly relies on high-frequency words and phrases like 'daily life', 'different ways', and 'important role'. There is a lack of precision, highlighted by awkward phrasing such as 'Health problem can have a direct effect' (using singular for a plural/general concept) and referring to a medical issue simply as 'Doctor is an important issue'. The lexical range is limited and minimally adequate for conveying very simple meaning, aligning with Band 5.0. To enhance lexical resource, the student should incorporate more precise, topic-specific terminology related to healthcare, alternative medicine, and societal impacts.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The writer demonstrates control over some simple sentence structures, such as 'People should have proper knowledge and should make responsible decisions.' However, the grammatical range is severely limited, and there are noticeable errors in article usage, capitalization, and singular/plural agreement, such as 'Health problem can have a direct effect' and 'Doctor is an important issue'. Complex structures are rarely attempted and where tried, they remain simplistic. While the grammatical errors rarely impede basic communication entirely, the lack of a wider variety of complex structures and frequent basic errors cap the score at Band 5.0. Practicing more complex sentence patterns and ensuring grammatical accuracy will help elevate this score.

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.