Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-06

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 todays time many people prefer to do self treatment rather than visiting a doctor if the suffer from any health issue also do experiments with themselves by trying various type of medication.

from my perspective , This is a negative development in addition weshould consult with doctor before doing any remedy. infact , many patient think the are saving money fron medical checkup and medicine given by the doctor untill they convert a small disease into a major illness. For instance, my sister had cough when she was child my family didn't notice and she had to suffer from maleria after a while from then i immediately go to doctore for even a simple cold.

In contemporary society mostly human beings consume street food instead of homemade food which shows deterimental effects on their body and make their immunity system weak therefore this leads to several health problems for better well-being eat vegetable and fruits.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

You state a clear view that relying on self-treatment is negative, and the example about your sister’s illness is relevant to the risks of delaying medical care. However, the response addresses the question only partially: it gives little explanation of why people choose alternative treatments or what specific harms they may cause, and the final point about street food and healthy eating shifts away from the topic. The example is also difficult to follow and does not clearly establish how the illness resulted from avoiding a doctor. The response is 156 words, so it does not meet the required minimum of 250 words. Develop two relevant reasons, explain each in detail, and support them with clear examples.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

There is a basic attempt to organise the response: you introduce your opinion, give a personal example, and then add another point. Some linking expressions, including “for instance” and “therefore,” show an effort to connect ideas. However, the overall progression is unclear because the discussion moves from self-treatment to street food without explaining the connection. The first section also combines several ideas in a long, difficult-to-follow sequence, while paragraphing does not clearly separate the introduction, supporting points, and conclusion. Use distinct paragraphs and make each one develop a single reason related to alternative treatment. Clearer links between claims and examples would make the argument easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some topic-related vocabulary, such as “self treatment,” “medical checkup,” “remedy,” and “health problems,” and the reader can generally understand your main position. However, the range is limited, and several word choices or forms are inaccurate or unnatural, including “various type of medication,” “deterimental effects,” and “immunity system.” Spelling and spacing problems such as “maleria,” “doctore,” and “weshould” also reduce accuracy and can interrupt reading. Aim for more precise expressions connected to the question, such as “self-medicate,” “seek professional medical advice,” and “untreated condition.” Check spelling and collocations carefully, and avoid introducing unrelated vocabulary about diet unless it directly supports your argument.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more extended sentences, including a cause-and-effect structure with “therefore,” but control is inconsistent. Errors in sentence boundaries and punctuation are frequent: the opening begins with a lowercase word and runs into several ideas, while “from my perspective , This is a negative development” has incorrect capitalisation and spacing. There are also problems with verb forms and agreement, as in “if the suffer” and “many patient think,” and tense shifts in the account of your sister. These errors sometimes make relationships between ideas unclear. Practise building complete sentences with a clear subject and verb, then check agreement, tense consistency, articles, and punctuation before submitting.

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.