Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-09-20
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)
Recently, an incline has been seen in people trying alternative medicines rather than going to their usual doctor. This is mainly due to the rise in prices for medication services all around the world. I think it is largely a negative development because wrong medicine can lead to more serious problems and the efectiveness of alternative medicines are not even confirmed.
First and foremost, usage of medicine without proper checkup can escalate the health problems even more. It can lead to various side effects such as vomiting, headache and so on. Although, going to the doctor may not be the cheapest option, but it can definitely minimize the health problems related to the patients. For instance, going to doctor in case of fever is more appropriate then consuming medicine on your own accord.
In addition to this, alternative medicines cannot even ensure the success of treatments. Individuals' think they are saving quite a lot of money during this process but in reality, it success rate purely depends on luck and experience. People need to realize that the usage of alternative medicines can only be done by people with proper experience. For example, a news report showcases the death of an individual in Kathmandu due to usage of medicines without doctor's recomendations.
To conclude, I believe that the people should get proper medication and checkup if they are not feeling well because the side effects of consuming wrong medication can seriously put their life at risk and cause even more issues than before. Furthermore, the effectiveness of alternative medicines are not even fixed and can be a waste of money as well.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses all parts of the task by presenting a clear position that alternative medicines are a negative development. The writer introduces relevant reasons, such as the risk of wrong medication and the unconfirmed effectiveness of alternative treatments. Ideas are supported with explanations and examples, such as the reference to a news report about an individual in Kathmandu. However, some arguments remain slightly underdeveloped and rely on generalisations rather than deeper exploration. For instance, the discussion on the rising cost of medical services in the introduction is not fully tied into the main body arguments. Despite this, the main position is sustained throughout, and the task requirements are adequately met, aligning with a Band 6.5 or 6 descriptor.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay displays a coherent overall arrangement with a clear introduction, two distinct body paragraphs, and a concluding summary. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate ideas. Cohesive devices are employed to link sentences and paragraphs, such as 'First and foremost', 'In addition to this', and 'To conclude'. However, referencing and cohesion are occasionally faulty or mechanical. For example, the sentence 'Individuals' think they are saving quite a lot of money...' uses an incorrect possessive form, and the logical progression between sentences occasionally feels abrupt. Overall, the organizational structure is clear enough to follow without difficulty, matching the criteria for Band 6.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully attempting less common items such as 'alternative medicines', 'effectiveness', 'escalate', and 'recommendations'. However, there are noticeable spelling and word-choice errors that detract from the overall precision, such as 'an incline has been seen' instead of 'an increase', 'efectiveness' (spelling error), 'recomendations' (spelling error), and grammatical inaccuracies in word forms like 'Individuals' think' instead of 'Individuals think'. While these errors do not impede communication, they reflect a Band 6 level of lexical resource where vocabulary control lacks consistency.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing structures such as conditional and concessive clauses (e.g., 'Although, going to the doctor may not be the cheapest option, but it can definitely minimize...'). However, there are frequent errors in grammar and punctuation. Examples include double conjunctions ('Although... but...'), subject-verb agreement issues ('the efectiveness... are not even confirmed'), incorrect prepositions ('in case of fever' instead of 'for a fever'), and punctuation slips. Although these errors do not seriously impede communication, they occur regularly throughout the text, placing the essay firmly in the Band 6 category for grammatical range and accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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