Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-17
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)
It is commonly believed that every home must have access to a clean water supply free of cost because it is considered as a basic human right. I fully agree with this sentiment because consumption of untreated water might give way to harmful diseases leading to health concerns and most of the poor families will face financial difficulties in affording the safe water.
One of the major drawbacks if people from village have no access to clean drinking water is, they tend to use untreated and unsafe water from nearby water resources like ponds, lakes. Which can lead to severe health concerns if water is not safe to consume. Harmful bacteria in water can cause infections especially among smaller age groups. Many African villages are facing there problems, where access to water is limited and available water is unsafe to drink, since water is the most essential part of every organism, they use the same water to drink and cook, increasing the chances of dangerous diseases, while lack in access to medical treatment, eventually leads to loss of lives.
The main reasons why clean water supply should be free of charge is, many poor villages with lower class families who can barely afford a meal every day, cannot pay for clean water supply. Since every human being on the earth have right to clean water supply, it is government's duty to actions regarding this concern. Villages in Rajasthan, faces water shortage issues during droughts, during that time of the year, government should provide them with clean water supply free of cost.
To conclude, since every human have right to access to clean and safe water, i completely agree that every single home must have water supply at no cost, because, health issues , harmful diseases and paying to use clean water should not add to the burdens of poor families.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
The response addresses all parts of the prompt and maintains a clear position throughout. You have provided relevant arguments regarding health risks and financial burdens. However, the development of ideas is somewhat repetitive, particularly in the second and third paragraphs, where the focus on 'poor villages' is reiterated without significant expansion. To reach a higher band, ensure that each paragraph introduces a distinct, well-supported point rather than restating the same concept. The conclusion effectively summarizes your stance, but the overall argument would benefit from a more nuanced exploration of the economic implications of 'free' water, which would demonstrate a deeper engagement with the complexity of the task.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. You use some cohesive devices, such as 'One of the major drawbacks' and 'To conclude', to guide the reader. However, the use of cohesive devices is sometimes mechanical or slightly inaccurate, such as the sentence fragment 'Which can lead to severe health concerns...' starting a new sentence. Additionally, the transition between ideas within paragraphs could be smoother. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that sentences are connected more fluidly would enhance the overall flow and coherence of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'untreated water', 'financial difficulties', and 'essential part'. However, there are instances of imprecise word choice and minor errors, such as 'smaller age groups' (instead of 'young children') and 'there problems' (a spelling error for 'these'). The vocabulary is generally functional but lacks the sophistication and precision required for higher bands. To improve, focus on using more precise collocations and avoiding repetitive phrasing. Expanding your range to include more academic or topic-specific vocabulary would significantly strengthen this criterion.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, including subject-verb agreement issues (e.g., 'every human being... have right', 'Villages in Rajasthan, faces') and article usage errors (e.g., 'access to clean water' vs 'the access'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with comma usage. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and consistent article usage will help improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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