Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-11-11

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 6.5)

The issue of whether all people should get safe water without paying is a topic of great significance. While others argue that everyone is entitled to clean water, others are of the opinion that people should pay so that they become responsible. I believe that a minimum charge should be paid so that the government can continue to afford supplying safe water.

One of the main reasons for the government to supply water for free is that water is a basic need. Everyone need fresh clean water and if people are made to pay, others might not afford. If people are not provided with clean water, chances of spreading of diseases like cholera increase. For instance, in Zimbabwe, a cholera outbreak was recorded in 2008 due to shortage of safe water. If people are not supplied with clean water, they turn to other unsafe sources. Therefore everyone should have access to clean water so that a disease free environment is created.

On the other hand, money is needed for the government to be able to supply clean water. There is need for money to buy chemicals and repairing of infrastructure. In Harare, council water is not safe to drink since the council does not have money to buy chemicals needed. Additionally if people are not made to pay, they might use water without saving. Paying makes people responsible. However the payment should be affordable for everyone.

In conclusion, the government should make sure everyone is provided with clean water at any affordable price. Those who can not afford at all should be assisted. Therefore I agree to certain extend.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

Your position is clear: you support access to clean water but argue that an affordable charge is needed to maintain supply, with assistance for people unable to pay. You address both the human-rights argument and the costs of treatment and infrastructure, and the Zimbabwe and Harare examples make the discussion relevant. This meets the task well, while showing some of the fuller development expected at the next level. However, the opening presents both sides without immediately clarifying your own distinction between a basic guaranteed supply and charging for it. The point that payment encourages responsible use is asserted rather than explained, and the conclusion’s phrase “at any affordable price” leaves the proposed policy somewhat unclear. State the position more precisely and develop these points with clearer reasoning.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a coherent overall structure: an introduction, a paragraph supporting free access, a contrasting paragraph about costs, and a conclusion. Transitions such as “On the other hand,” “Additionally,” and “In conclusion” help readers follow the main stages, and the examples are placed alongside the relevant claims. This shows clear organisation, with some progression toward the more flexible cohesion expected at the next level. At times, however, linking is mechanical or the relationship between ideas is not fully explicit. For example, “Therefore everyone should have access” follows the disease example, but does not distinguish access from a free household supply. The repeated “If people are not…” openings also make the first body paragraph feel repetitive. Use more varied referencing and connect each example directly to the specific claim it supports.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range for the topic, including relevant terms such as “basic need,” “cholera outbreak,” “infrastructure,” and “affordable.” These choices communicate the main ideas, and the examples show an attempt to use topic-specific vocabulary. There are also some imprecise or unnatural expressions that limit flexibility and precision: “chances of spreading of diseases,” “council water,” and “at any affordable price” do not express the intended meanings naturally. “Everyone need fresh clean water” also contains a word-form issue, while “disease free” would be clearer as a standard compound expression. Aim for more accurate collocations and precise policy vocabulary, such as “risk of disease transmission,” “municipal water supply,” and “a subsidised rate.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including conditional structures (“If people are not provided with clean water…”) and a concession introduced by “While.” Most sentences remain understandable, so the grammatical errors do not prevent communication. Some errors persist in agreement, articles, and sentence construction: “Everyone need” should be “Everyone needs,” and “There is need for money” requires an article or a different construction. The sentence beginning “Additionally if people are not made to pay” also needs punctuation after the introductory clause. The range is adequate, but complex sentences are not consistently controlled. Review subject–verb agreement and article use, and punctuate introductory clauses; then check each sentence for a clear grammatical relationship between its parts.

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