Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-07-24
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)
Access to clean water is considered one of the most basic human needs. Some people believe that every household should receive a free water supply because it is a fundamental human right. I partly agree with this opinion because everyone should have access to safe drinking water, but providing unlimited water free of charge may cause problems.
On the one hand, clean water is essential for people's health and survival. Without safe water, people can suffer from serious diseases and poor living conditions. Therefore, governments have a responsibility to ensure that every citizen has enough clean water for drinking, cooking, and personal hygiene. For example, in many developing countries, free access to clean water has helped reduce the spread of diseases and improve public health. This shows that providing basic water services can greatly benefit society.
On the other hand, making all water completely free may encourage people to waste it. Water treatment and distribution require large amounts of money for equipment, maintenance, and workers. If people do not pay anything, governments may struggle to cover these costs, especially in poorer countries. In addition, free water could lead to unnecessary consumption, which may increase water shortages in the future. Charging a reasonable fee can encourage people to use water more carefully.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 7.0 |
| Overall | 6.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
You have addressed the prompt by providing a balanced view on whether water should be free. You clearly state your position in the introduction. However, the response is significantly under the 250-word minimum requirement, which limits your ability to fully develop your arguments. While your points regarding public health and economic sustainability are relevant, they lack the depth and specific examples required for a higher band score. To improve, you must expand on your ideas with more detailed explanations and perhaps a concluding paragraph that synthesizes your position, ensuring you meet the length requirement to allow for full task development.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0
Your essay is logically organized, with a clear introduction, two body paragraphs, and a logical progression of ideas. You use transition signals such as 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', 'Therefore', and 'In addition' to guide the reader. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the two sides of the argument. However, because the essay is quite short, the overall flow feels somewhat abrupt. To reach a higher band, ensure that your ideas are more thoroughly linked and that you include a clear concluding paragraph to summarize your stance effectively.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'fundamental human right', 'personal hygiene', 'distribution', and 'unnecessary consumption' correctly. The language is natural and generally precise. However, the vocabulary is somewhat limited in variety, and there is little attempt to use less common or more sophisticated lexical items. To improve, try to incorporate more academic collocations and precise synonyms to enhance the sophistication of your writing, while ensuring you maintain the current level of accuracy.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0
Your grammar is generally accurate, and you use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. There are very few errors, and those present do not impede communication. For example, your use of conditional structures ('If people do not pay...') is handled well. To achieve a higher band, you should aim to incorporate a wider variety of complex grammatical structures, such as passive voice or more advanced subordinating clauses, to demonstrate greater flexibility and control over your writing.
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