Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-11-05

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Access to clean water is a basic human right. Therefore every home should have a water supply that is provided free of charge.

Do you agree or disagree?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Student answer (Band 5.5)

Clean water should be supplied to every household without charging any fees, for it is a basic human right. I strongly agree with this view because water is essential for survival and is used for multiple purposes.

Water is vital for every living being, as it is required for every other thing. Water is not only used for drinking, but for cooking, washing, cleaning and so on. Since water is so crucial for everyone, every individual deserves to have access to water that is pure and clean to consume. This is particularly true for the people living in underdeveloped nations, where the citizens have a hard time affording basic necessities including clean water. For instance, in a developing country like India, a major portion of the population do not have access to clean water due to various reasons, such as unaffordable prices, residence of living, unawareness among citizens etc. Hence, water free from impurities should be accessible to everyone.

Another point to consider is that supplying pure water reduces the risk of diseases among communities. Consumption of contaminated water can cause serious diseases like typhoid and cholera, which can turn out to be life threatening, specifically for infants and young children. For example, when floods occured in my hometown, we faced water scarcity and clean water was hardly available, due to which a large number of people fell sick and many died of the diseases.

In con

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response5.5
Coherence and Cohesion5.5
Lexical Resource5.5
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.5
Overall5.5

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

Your position is clear from the opening: you strongly agree that household water should be free, and you give relevant reasons about survival, affordability and disease prevention. The examples of people in India and the flood in your hometown help make the discussion concrete. However, the response develops the reasons only briefly, and it does not fully explain how free provision would be funded or managed. The final paragraph is cut off at “In con”, so the argument has no complete conclusion. The response also falls 13 words short of the required minimum. Develop each main point with fuller explanation and finish with a conclusion that restates your position.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, two body paragraphs and an attempt to begin a final paragraph. The progression from water’s essential uses to the health benefits of clean water is logical, and phrases such as “Another point to consider” signal a new reason. However, the ending “In con” leaves the final paragraph incomplete, so the overall progression and closure are missing. Some linking is repetitive or mechanical, particularly the repeated use of “water” and “clean water,” while “Hence” does not fully connect the example to a developed conclusion. Use clearer paragraph links, vary referencing where possible, and ensure the final paragraph completes the argument.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant vocabulary for the topic, including “basic human right,” “contaminated water,” “water scarcity,” and “life threatening.” These choices make your meaning generally clear. However, the range is somewhat limited and several expressions are awkward or imprecise, such as “required for every other thing,” “residence of living,” and “a major portion of the population do not.” “Water free from impurities” is understandable but repeats the same idea as “pure and clean.” Spelling also needs attention: “occured” should be “occurred.” Aim for more precise collocations and avoid repeating the same key terms; for example, describe the barriers people face and the public-health consequences more specifically.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mixture of simple and complex sentences, including the opening clause “because water is essential for survival” and the sentence beginning “Since water is so crucial.” Most of the argument remains understandable, but errors in agreement and sentence construction are noticeable. For example, “a major portion of the population do not have” should use a singular verb with “portion,” and “Consumption of contaminated water can cause … which can turn out to be life threatening” has an unclear reference for “which.” The phrase “required for every other thing” also creates an awkward grammatical construction. Practise checking subject–verb agreement and make pronoun references explicit, while continuing to use subordinate clauses accurately.

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