Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-07-26

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)

I absolutely agree with the need to have access to clean water. It's a necessity for each and every human being. Water is an indispensable part of our lives. Without water, people, biodiversity can die. there are many uses of water like water is used in drinking, cleaning, washing clothes, preparing food etc. There's a famous slogan which says "Where there is water, there is a hope for tomorrow." So of course everybody need water. be it rich or poor, every human drinks water. without water, we may have dehydration. for example, when i travel, i drink less water and then when i come back home i get skin acnes, digestion problems etc. so there comes a need to take ORS. Drinking atleast 8 glasses of water is essential for us.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response is significantly under the required 250-word minimum, reaching only 131 words. Consequently, the ideas are severely underdeveloped. While you state your agreement, you fail to address the second part of the prompt: the economic implication of providing water 'free of charge'. You focus entirely on the biological necessity of water rather than the policy debate. To improve, you must expand your arguments to cover the 'free of charge' aspect and provide a balanced discussion or a more robust justification for your position, ensuring you meet the length requirement to allow for full development of your ideas.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response lacks paragraphing, which is essential for a formal essay. While there is a basic attempt to link ideas using words like 'so' and 'because', the progression is disjointed. The text reads more like a list of personal observations rather than a structured argument. To improve, you should organize your essay into clear paragraphs: an introduction, two body paragraphs exploring different aspects of the issue (e.g., the right to water vs. the economic feasibility), and a conclusion. Using a wider range of cohesive devices, such as 'furthermore', 'consequently', or 'on the other hand', would help improve the flow.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is quite basic and repetitive. You rely on simple terms like 'water', 'drinking', and 'need'. There are also some awkward collocations, such as 'skin acnes' (acne is an uncountable noun) and 'there comes a need to take ORS'. To reach a higher band, you should incorporate more academic vocabulary related to the topic, such as 'public utility', 'socio-economic', 'infrastructure', or 'universal access'. Expanding your range to include more precise terminology will help you express your ideas with greater sophistication and clarity.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The grammar is characterized by simple sentence structures and frequent punctuation errors, such as starting sentences with lowercase letters ('there are many uses...', 'be it rich or poor...'). There are also issues with subject-verb agreement and article usage. While the meaning is generally clear, the lack of complex sentence structures limits your score. To improve, focus on using a variety of sentence types, including subordinate clauses (e.g., 'Although water is a basic right, the cost of infrastructure must be considered'). Consistent attention to capitalization and punctuation is also necessary for a formal writing task.

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