Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-28

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)

yes, today a lots of people with health problems are trying alternative medicines instead of visiting their usual docot. Because they want to recover as soon as possible and this might be very harmful because visiting new docotors or using the alternative of his usual medicine. Because the using of alternative medicine without doctor is very dangerous and may cause sever problems regarding our helath. I thin it is negative development because if we don't do proper research and make sure what are we consuming is good or bad for our health is very dangerous because i hear thier is a lot of medicine companies which medicines work very will at first and that's why the people is growing to use the alternative of thier medicine with out visiting their usual doctors and they don't know the real reason bhind that which is these companies uses steroids which give temporary recoveey and we think that we don't need to visit our usual doctors. And i think this is our biggest mistake we don't relly on those alternative medicine without visiting out usual doctor and take his or her prescription about the alternative medicines, the other reason i think behind taking the alternative medicine without visiting doctor is chatgot or other ai tools nowadays a lot of people if they have face any issue and feel sick they often use ai and asking the ai to prescribe the medicine this is i thnk not the good idea because ai tools and not good enough to replace the doctor prescription we need to visit the doctor and do proper checkup and then use the medicine prescribed by the doctor.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

Your position is clear: you consider people turning to alternative treatments without consulting their usual doctor a negative development. You give relevant reasons, including the risk of harmful medicines and relying on AI for prescriptions, and you explain that medical checks and professional advice are important. However, the discussion is only partly developed. The claim that companies use steroids is presented broadly, without an example or explanation of how this applies to alternative treatments, and the point about wanting to recover quickly is not explored. To strengthen the response, explain each reason more fully and support it with a specific, relevant example.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.0

The response follows a generally understandable line: it states a negative view, gives concerns about medicines, and then discusses AI advice. However, ideas are not arranged into clear paragraphs, and the long, continuous sequence makes it difficult to see where one reason ends and another begins. Repeated use of “because” and “and” also creates a list-like flow rather than clear progression. Some connections are unclear, such as the shift from companies’ medicines to people choosing alternatives. Organise the essay into an introduction, separate body paragraphs for the main reasons, and a conclusion, using linking phrases selectively to show how each point relates to your position.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant topic vocabulary, including “alternative medicine,” “prescription,” “steroids,” and “checkup,” so the reader can follow the main concerns. However, the range is limited and several phrases are repeated, particularly “usual doctor” and “alternative medicine.” There are also noticeable spelling and word-choice errors, such as “sever problems,” “temporary recoveey,” and “the alternative of their medicine,” which sometimes make the intended meaning less clear. Aim for more precise expressions and check spelling carefully. For example, distinguish between an alternative treatment and a substitute for prescribed medicine, and use accurate phrases such as “adverse effects” or “medical advice” where appropriate.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

You attempt to connect ideas using clauses with “because,” “if,” and “which,” but these longer structures are often faulty, and most of the response is made up of one extended run-on sentence. For example, “Because they want to recover as soon as possible and this might be very harmful” is an incomplete, confusing construction, while “if we have face any issue” shows problems with verb form. Subject–verb agreement and articles are also inconsistent, as in “the people is growing.” These errors can make relationships between ideas difficult to follow. Use shorter, complete sentences first, then add a few carefully controlled complex sentences; check verb forms, agreement, and sentence boundaries during revision.

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