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)
Nowadays, clean water is very important for all people. Some people think government should give free water to every home because it is a basic human right. In my opinion, I disagree with this idea.
First of all, cleaning water and sending it to homes needs a lot of money. Government must build big pipes and pay money to workers. If water is totally free, government will not have enough money for this. Also, government will have less money for other important things like schools and hospitals. So, people should pay a small price for water to help government.
Secondly, when water is completely free, many people will waste it. For example, people will leave the water tap open for a long time or wash their cars every day. This is bad for environment because water is limited. If people have to pay for water, they will save it and use it carefully AND ALSO WE SHOULD SAVE THE WATER IN OUR EARTH
However, poor people need help from government. If poor families cannot pay for water, government should give them a small amount of free water every month for drinking and cooking. But if they use more, they must pay for it.
In conclusion, clean water is important for everyone, but making it completely free is not a good idea. People should pay for water so they do not waste it and government can maintain the system.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses the prompt by taking a clear position against free water supply. The ideas regarding economic feasibility and resource conservation are relevant and logically developed. However, the response falls short of the 250-word minimum requirement, which limits the depth of the argument. While the main points are clear, the discussion could have been extended with more specific examples or a more nuanced exploration of the 'human right' aspect mentioned in the prompt. Because the word count is below the minimum, the development of ideas is considered incomplete, impacting the overall score.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, each with a clear central theme. The use of linking words such as 'First of all', 'Secondly', and 'In conclusion' helps guide the reader through the argument. However, the cohesion is sometimes mechanical, and the transition between the final point and the conclusion is a bit abrupt. The inclusion of the sentence 'AND ALSO WE SHOULD SAVE THE WATER IN OUR EARTH' in capital letters disrupts the flow and tone of the writing, which is a minor issue in terms of paragraph structure and presentation.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the student to express their opinion clearly. However, the range is somewhat limited and repetitive, with frequent use of basic terms like 'money', 'good', and 'bad'. There is little attempt to use less common or more precise academic vocabulary. For instance, instead of 'needs a lot of money', a more sophisticated approach would be 'requires substantial financial investment'. The vocabulary is sufficient to communicate the message, but it lacks the flexibility and precision required for higher band scores.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The student uses a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with article usage (e.g., 'Government must build', 'bad for environment') and pluralization. Some sentences are slightly awkward, such as 'cleaning water and sending it to homes needs a lot of money'. While these errors do not significantly impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. The use of capital letters for emphasis is also grammatically inappropriate in a formal essay.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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