Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-27

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)

THERE ARE RISING NUMBER OF PATIENT WHO ARE USING THE ALTERNATIVE MEDICATION AND TRATMENTS METHOD RATHER THAN VISTING TO THE DOCTOR.THIS ESSAY WILL FURTH TEEL THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF THIS TREND.MOREOVER, THE PEOPLE ARE FEELING CHEAPER THEN THE MEDICATION, THERE IS NO RISK OF SIDE EFFECT WHILE PEOPLE CAN EASILY FROD AND THERE IS NOT AND SURE OF PROPER SLOUTIONS.

FIRSLY, BY APPLING THE ALTERNATIVE METHOSD IT CAN BE MORE CHEAER THAN THE HOSPITAL MEDICATION FEE BECAUSE IT CAN BE DONE IN LOCAL AREA BY USING THERE HOME AND LOCAL PRODUCTS.FURTHERMORE, IN THIS TYPE OF TREATMENT THERE IS USED OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS PRODUCT EHICH IS ENVIRONMENT FRIENDLY WHICH ENSURE THERE IS LESS CHANCE OF HAVING SIDE EFFECT.THEREFORE, PEOPLE ARE BEING ALTED TO THE OTHER TREATMENT BECAUSE OF LEAST COST AND LOW RISK OF SIDE EFFECTS.

SECONDLY, BY USING THE RANDOM TREATMENT METHOD SOMETIME IT SEEMS LIKE THERE CAN BE CHANCE OF FROD BECAUSE THERE IS NOT NEED OF GOVERMENT ALLOCATION TO RUN SUCH TREATMENT CENTER SO ANY UNSKILLED PEOPLE ALSO CAN EASILY CHEAT THE PATIENT.FOR EXAMPLE, THE UNGRADUATE

GUY CAN ALSO OPEN THE CENTRE AND EASILY SCAMMED THE PUBLIC PEOPLE.SO BY THIS ISSUE THERE IS NOT A GOOD SITUATION FOR BELIVING THIS TYPE OF ALTERNATIVES.SO, THERE IS A RISK OF FROD AND MISLEADING BY USING THE ALTERNATIVES METHOD.

IN CONCLUSION, MY OPINION IS NUTRAL BEACASURE THERE ARE THE SOME CASES WHICH THE MODEN MEDICATION METHOD CAN NOT DO CAN BE DONE BY THE OTHER ALTERNATIVES SO, THIS TYPES OF METHOD SHOULLD BE USEACCORDING THE SITUATION AND CONDITION OF OUR PROBLEM.IN THE OTHER HAND THERE CAN BE CHANCE OF GRATER SUCCES IN SCIENTIFIC METHOD THAN ANY OTHER TECNIQUE BECAUSE IT WORK WITH EXACT FACT AND PROVEN THINGS.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address the question by discussing both potential benefits and risks, and your conclusion gives a broadly neutral position: alternative treatments may help in some cases, but scientific medicine is more reliable. The points about lower cost and possible fraud are relevant, and the example of an unqualified person opening a centre helps illustrate the risk. However, the task asks whether this is a positive or negative development, so the position needs to be clearer and maintained throughout. The introduction promises advantages and disadvantages rather than answering the question, and the claim that alternative treatments have “no risk of side effect” is too broad and is not supported. Explain which side you consider stronger and develop your reasons with clearer, more specific support.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, two body paragraphs and a conclusion. The first body paragraph focuses on cost and possible side effects, while the second turns to fraud, so the reader can identify the main topics. However, progression within paragraphs is often difficult to follow, and linking expressions such as “Furthermore,” “Therefore,” and “So” are used mechanically rather than showing precise relationships. Some references are unclear, as in “this type of treatment” and “this issue,” and the conclusion introduces a comparison with scientific medicine without clearly connecting it to the earlier discussion. Organise each paragraph around one clear claim, explain it in sequence, and use linking words only where they clarify how ideas relate.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You attempt vocabulary relevant to the topic, including “alternative treatment,” “side effects,” “unskilled,” “scam,” and “scientific method.” These choices show an effort to discuss both benefits and risks. However, spelling errors and inaccurate or unnatural word combinations are frequent enough to make some ideas difficult to understand, for example “random treatment method,” “government allocation,” and “greater success in scientific method.” Several key terms are also repeated, particularly “alternative” and “treatment,” with little variation. Aim to learn accurate topic-specific phrases and check spelling carefully; for instance, distinguish “alternative medicine” from “unproven treatment,” and use natural collocations such as “risk of fraud” and “evidence-based medicine.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple statements and longer sentences using connectors such as “because,” “which,” and “while.” This gives some variety, but complex sentences are often difficult to follow because of frequent problems with sentence structure, agreement, articles and verb forms. For example, “there is used of plants” does not form a correct passive construction, and “the undergraduate guy can also open the centre and easily scammed” shifts incorrectly between active and passive forms. Missing or misplaced punctuation also causes several sentences to run together, especially in the introduction. Practise building accurate basic sentences first, then add one subordinate clause at a time. Check that each sentence has a clear subject and verb, and use full stops to separate complete ideas.

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