Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-10
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)
Admittedly, water is a fundamental human necessity required for drinking, cooking, and basic hygiene. Without reliable access to clean water, public health declines dramatically, leading to waterborne diseases and reduced quality of life, particularly for vulnerable populations. From an ethical standpoint, governments have a duty to ensure that no citizen is deprived of this essential resource due to an inability to pay. Providing a minimal free allowance guarantees that basic human needs are met.
However, offering completely unrestricted, free water to every household creates severe financial and environmental challenges. Treating, testing, and distributing clean water through public infrastructure requires massive financial investment and continuous maintenance. If water were entirely free, local authorities would struggle to fund pipe repairs, purification facilities, and network expansions. Furthermore, unmetered free access frequently leads to widespread waste, as consumers lack a financial incentive to conserve water when filling swimming pools, washing vehicles, or leaving taps running.
A tiered pricing strategy offers a practical middle ground. By offering a basic daily volume cost-free and charging for consumption beyond that threshold, governments can protect low-income households while discouraging wasteful consumption and generating funds to maintain utility networks.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 7.0 |
| Overall | 6.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response presents a clear position and addresses the prompt by discussing both the ethical necessity of water and the practical challenges of providing it for free. However, the response is significantly under-length at 190 words, failing to meet the 250-word minimum requirement. This prevents the full development of ideas, as the arguments are presented in a somewhat summary fashion rather than being extended with detailed examples or deeper analysis. To reach a higher band, you must expand your supporting points and provide more substantial evidence or real-world examples to meet the length requirement.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5
The essay is well-structured with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. The logical progression is evident, moving from the ethical argument to the practical challenges and finally to a proposed solution. Cohesive devices such as 'Admittedly,' 'However,' and 'Furthermore' are used effectively to link ideas. Paragraphing is logical and helps the reader follow the argument. While the writing is coherent, the brevity of the response limits the complexity of the cohesive links that could be established in a longer essay.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.5
The vocabulary is precise and appropriate for an academic context. You demonstrate a good range of topic-specific terminology, such as 'fundamental human necessity,' 'vulnerable populations,' 'public infrastructure,' and 'tiered pricing strategy.' The word choices are accurate and contribute to a formal tone. There are no significant spelling or word-choice errors. To improve further, you could incorporate more sophisticated collocations or idiomatic expressions to demonstrate a wider, more flexible range of vocabulary.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0
The grammar is strong, with a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. You use conditional sentences ('If water were entirely free...') and participial phrases ('Treating, testing, and distributing...') effectively. The punctuation is accurate, and there are no noticeable grammatical errors that impede communication. The control over complex structures is consistent throughout the text. To achieve a higher score, ensure you continue to use a variety of complex structures while maintaining this high level of accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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