Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

Yes I agree with the former view that clean water is a basic human right.

Whereas, Human's should also keep in mind to protect the water and keep it clean , supplying clean water free of charge will let people think that they can misuse the water supply like by over usage of it or by polluting the clean waters getting it from the nature like rivers, lakes waterfall etc.

If we supply water free of charge, people will take the usage of water for granted , as we all know due to global warming we already have less clean water left on earth , protecting our nature will help everyone to make the best use out of it . we should use it as per our necessity only and preserve it more like by making dams or by storing rain water.

It will also affect the economy of the country if we make it free for everyone, Government needs to make strict measures as well to protect the water coming from the nature , they can do it by increasing the tax for their citizens or by keeping a tourist charge to visit any places like waterfalls, rivers, lakes or sea.

Citizens should also take protective measure and don't pollute the water by themselves by keeping these measures in their mind as polluted water can also cause them severe diseases like skin diseases, heart diseases , cancer etc.

so this is how we can preserve water and can get access to clean water but it should not be free of charge in my opinion.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses the prompt by taking a clear position against free water supply. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. While you mention economic impacts and the risk of misuse, the arguments lack depth and specific examples. The essay is quite short, and the analysis of why water should not be free could be more sophisticated. You touch upon the 'human right' aspect but do not fully explore the tension between this right and the economic reality of water management. To improve, ensure each paragraph has a clear topic sentence and more detailed supporting evidence or logical reasoning.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into paragraphs, but the flow between ideas is sometimes mechanical. The use of cohesive devices is limited; for instance, the transition 'Whereas, Human's should also...' is grammatically awkward and does not effectively link the two contrasting ideas. The progression of ideas within paragraphs is generally logical, but the overall structure feels a bit disjointed. Using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring that each sentence flows naturally into the next would improve the coherence of your writing. Paragraphing is present but could be more effectively used to separate distinct arguments.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks precision and variety. You rely on basic terms like 'clean water', 'free of charge', and 'protect'. There are some inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'getting it from the nature' (should be 'from nature') and 'take the usage of water for granted' (should be 'take water for granted'). To reach a higher band, you should incorporate more academic collocations and less common vocabulary related to environmental management and economics, such as 'resource depletion', 'fiscal sustainability', or 'conservation strategies'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text, including issues with articles ('the nature'), pluralisation ('Human's'), and sentence structure. Many sentences are simple or contain punctuation errors, such as the comma usage in '...misuse the water supply like by over usage of it or by polluting the clean waters getting it from the nature like rivers, lakes waterfall etc.' The use of 'etc.' is generally discouraged in formal IELTS writing. While the meaning is usually clear, the lack of complex sentence structures and the persistence of basic errors limit the score in this criterion.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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