Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-16

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 the main problem that have been observed is the people trying alternative medicines instead of their previous ones. This situation is widely increasing in the present time. There are many reasons of it. I think people are getting their desired results from the previous medicine that's why they are trying alternates. The main cause of this problem is Antimicrobial resistance. People are getting medicines unchecked without prescription of their doctor. Because of unbalance dosage people are getting antimicrobial resistance and the previous medicines are not working. Using alternative medicine and treatment has it's own pros and cons.Pros of the alternative treatment are that the people that are not getting cured by their previous doctors are getting cured by alternative treatments. Alternative treatments and medicine are very beneficial if they are taken according to Doctor's prescription. But at the other side this thing has cons also. The major hazards related to alternative medicines are their side effects. The high potency medicines can damage kidneys while other modern techniques can cause damage to other healthy tissues. I also have seen the same incident with one of my relatives. He was getting treatment from his native Doctor. But he was not satisfied by his treatment so he moved to other specialist in the city. Although he get cured by the alternative medicine but also faced some side effects. Alternative medicine or treatment is not the main poiof attention but the important point is to get proper check up and prescribed medicine. Antimicrobial resistance is the major reason behind this shift.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address the topic and give relevant points about possible benefits and risks, including a personal example involving a relative. However, the task asks you to decide whether this is a positive or negative development, and your position remains unclear: you discuss “pros and cons” but do not state which side you ultimately support. The explanation of antimicrobial resistance is also not clearly connected to people choosing alternative treatments, and the claim that people switch because they get desired results from previous medicine is confusing. To strengthen the response, state a clear overall judgement and develop two or three relevant reasons with specific explanation or examples.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

There is some organisation: you introduce the issue, discuss benefits and risks, and include an example from your family. However, the ideas do not progress clearly from one paragraph or point to the next, and the response is presented as one continuous block. Linking phrases such as “But at the other side” and “Although” signal contrast, but the relationships between ideas are sometimes unclear; for example, antimicrobial resistance is introduced as the main cause without a clear transition explaining how it relates to alternative medicine. Repeated references to “alternative treatment” and “antimicrobial resistance” also make the progression feel circular. Use separate paragraphs for your position, supporting reasons, and conclusion, and make each paragraph develop one main idea.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some topic-related vocabulary, including “antimicrobial resistance,” “side effects,” “dosage,” and “prescription,” which helps communicate the subject. However, the range is limited and several phrases are imprecise or unnatural, such as “previous ones,” “desired results from the previous medicine,” and “at the other side.” Repetition of “alternative medicine/treatment” also limits flexibility. Some word forms and spelling reduce clarity, including “poiof” and “unbalance dosage.” Aim for more precise collocations and vary references to the treatments and practitioners. For example, distinguish conventional medical care from complementary or alternative therapies, and describe the specific outcome or risk rather than relying on broad phrases such as “this thing has cons.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt a mixture of simple and complex sentences, including a relative clause (“the people that are not getting cured”) and a concessive structure (“Although he get cured…”). However, errors are frequent and sometimes make relationships difficult to follow. Examples include subject–verb agreement in “the main problem that have been observed,” tense and verb-form errors in “Although he get cured,” and missing or incorrect articles in “moved to other specialist.” The sentence beginning “I think people are getting their desired results…” is also difficult to interpret because its clauses do not express a clear logical relationship. Punctuation is inconsistent, particularly where sentences run together. Practise accurate agreement, verb forms, and sentence boundaries before adding more complex structures.

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