Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-13

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 time it is popular to identify their illness many indidvidulals try diffirent and prescribed treatments and medicines even though they don't see their doctor.

In my perspective it is totally opposite and harmful way to be adopt, for instance, if you don't knpw the precise illness and take some tablets for them so difinetely it won't bring positive impact on somone body , espicially in my district the phenomenol is getting more and more many individuals visit the nearest pharmacy and take the medicine which is rise health issue for their body but they might heard this regarding from someone so as a result it bring many serious issue to their body.

on the the other hand the numerous no of citzen are will educated and they know very well regaeding this issues so they are very careful when they have some problem so they immeaditly visit their doctor but it's become a trebd and many countries they ignore high qualified doctor and run their helath issues by thensleves , in many devolped contries it has been baned that you can't take medicines from a pharmacy unless you don't have athorised doctor prescribed medicine, moreover if we can't control such sitution we might get high risk in the future for instance a doctor said you have fever and you won't take high tablets for this fever it might put your life for risk and you igmnore your doctor advice it may bring your health problem at high risk.

In conclusion it is highly recommended for citzen to visit the doctor before to get your medicines .

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

Your position is clear: you consider self-treatment without consulting a doctor harmful, and you give relevant reasons, including the risk of taking unsuitable tablets and ignoring medical advice. The pharmacy example also helps connect the issue to a real-world situation. However, the response addresses the topic only partially because the reasons are asserted more than explained, and the discussion of educated citizens and rules in developed countries is difficult to connect clearly to your main argument. The fever example is relevant but needs a more precise explanation of how self-medication could cause harm. Develop fewer points in more detail and make the contrast between professional care and alternative treatment explicit.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

There is some organisation: you state your view near the beginning, use a contrast marker, and finish with a recommendation. However, the overall progression is difficult to follow because several different points are packed into very long sentences, particularly the paragraph beginning “on the other hand.” The contrast between people who consult doctors and those who self-treat is not clearly developed, and connectors such as “moreover” and “as a result” do not always show the precise relationship between ideas. Paragraphing is limited, with most of the argument presented as one extended block. Use separate paragraphs for your position, supporting reasons, and conclusion, and make each paragraph focus on one main idea.

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

You use some topic-related vocabulary, including “illness,” “prescribed treatments,” “pharmacy,” and “doctor advice,” so the reader can identify the subject and your main concern. However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations make meaning unclear, such as “high tablets,” “run their health issues by themselves,” and “put your life for risk.” Frequent spelling errors, including “indidvidulals,” “difinetely,” and “prescribed” used where the meaning appears to be “prescription,” also reduce clarity. Aim for accurate, natural phrases and check spelling carefully. More precise terms such as “self-medicate,” “incorrect dosage,” and “medical supervision” would help express your ideas efficiently.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt to connect ideas using longer sentences and clauses, but these complex structures are often faulty, and the response relies heavily on run-on sentences. For example, “if you don't know the precise illness and take some tablets for them so…” combines clauses without a clear grammatical structure. There are also recurring problems with agreement and verb forms, as in “it bring many serious issue” and “the numerous no of citizen are will educated.” Articles and sentence boundaries are also inconsistent. These errors sometimes make the reader work to understand the intended meaning. Practise building accurate simple sentences first, then add one subordinate clause at a time, checking subject–verb agreement and punctuation.

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