Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 17 · 2026-10-29

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)

In recent times, people are more suffer from their health problems but without going to any medicine specialist they are tend to trying different medicines and treatments. In my opinion, It is completely a negative development because of lack of knowledgment of sode effects and identyfying legal problems would be a great cause.

Firstly, there are some people who are always tend to perform their oen medical treatments and medicines but it would be a great problem for them. Beacuse, they do not know about their health problems properly but a specialist doctor can help them by identifying their problems properly and give them proper treatments. For example; a specialist doctor know waht medicine are important for them also he gives them some check-up which is very important for knowing specific problems and after the test he can give them medicine.

Moreover, there are many side effects for using alternative but most of the people do not aware of that. By using own treatments or alternative medicine can reduce their health immune system for this they would be more and more sick. For instance if a doctor treat themselves with a proper guidlines and routine it can be hepful for their health and body.

However, some people have a contrasting view to this. They said that, visiting to a doctor can effective but it costs are high that is why they tend to alternative medicine and also they think, if they are able to treat their own problems why they have to go to the specialist. I think it is a wrong idea beacuse, a specialist doctor can help them with their own perspective as well as he can give them proper treatments.

In conclusion, beacuse of high number of individuals with health issues are tend to use different alternative or treatments. It can be harmful for them because of their lack of knowledge as well as they are not aware of the side effects.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

Your position is clear: you consider relying on alternative treatments instead of seeing a doctor to be negative. You give relevant reasons, including patients’ limited knowledge of their condition and possible side effects, and you acknowledge the opposing view that medical visits can be expensive. However, the ideas are only partly developed. The discussion of side effects is not supported with a clear example, and the claim that self-treatment can weaken the immune system needs explanation or evidence. The counterargument is also answered mainly by repeating that doctors provide proper treatment. To strengthen the response, explain how a specific risk could harm someone and develop a more direct rebuttal to the cost argument.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, separate supporting paragraphs, a counterargument and a conclusion. Sequencing words such as “Firstly,” “Moreover,” and “However” help signal the stages of the argument. However, progression within paragraphs is sometimes unclear, and several links feel mechanical or do not express the relationship accurately. For example, “For instance” introduces a sentence about a doctor’s guidance rather than a concrete example of the side effects just mentioned. The conclusion largely repeats the introduction instead of drawing the reasons together. Improve cohesion by making each paragraph develop one main point in a clear sequence, using specific examples and clearer references rather than relying mainly on linking phrases.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some relevant topic vocabulary, including “alternative medicine,” “side effects,” “specialist doctor,” and “health issues,” so the reader can follow the general argument. However, the range is limited and several inaccurate word choices or collocations make parts difficult to understand. Examples include “lack of knowledgment,” “identifying legal problems,” and “reduce their health immune system”; these do not express the intended ideas clearly. Spelling errors such as “Beacuse,” “waht,” and “identyfying” also reduce accuracy. Build a more precise vocabulary for medical risks and professional care, and check spelling and word forms. For instance, use “lack of knowledge,” “diagnosing medical conditions,” and “weaken the immune system.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including clauses with “because,” “but,” and “if.” However, complex structures are often faulty, and errors occur frequently enough to make some sentences difficult to follow. For example, “people are more suffer” has an incorrect verb construction, while “they are tend to trying” combines incompatible forms. There are also problems with agreement and sentence structure in “a specialist doctor know” and “it costs are high.” Punctuation is sometimes inaccurate, such as the comma after “They said that.” Practise reliable patterns such as “people suffer more,” “they tend to try,” and “visiting a doctor can be effective, but it is expensive,” then proofread each sentence for verb form and agreement.

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