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)
Access to clean water is widely regarded as a fundamental human right because it is essential for survival health. While I strongly agree with this notion that every one should have access to safe drinking water, However I disagree that all household water supplies should be provided entirely free of charge.
Firstly, there are several reason who government should guarantee access to a basic amount of clean water because water is indispensable of daily life and without it people have to face serious health issues such as dehydration and disease. In many develop countries poor families struggle to afford safe water and rely on other sources. Providing a minimy quality of free water would help reduce inequality and improvement of health.
However supply unlimited water free of charge is neither practical nor sustainable. Firstly storing and distributing water require substanial investment in technology and maintenance. If household were not required to pay anythy government would need cover this cost through text. which could place a significant burden on national budget. It may also excourage wastefull consumption. because thy
may less likely to conserve water some region water resources are already limite The measure is that to provide a basic amount of water is Free which complete essential needs and pay for additional consumption.
In conclusion although access to clean water is undeniably a basic human right howev I reckon that all domestic water supply should be chared free which requiring a payment for excessive use to compete sustainability and efficiency.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
The response addresses the prompt by taking a clear position: agreeing that water is a right but disagreeing that it should be entirely free. The ideas are relevant, such as the mention of infrastructure costs and the risk of wasteful consumption. However, the development is somewhat uneven. The second paragraph is quite brief, and the final paragraph is incomplete, which limits the depth of the argument. While the main points are clear, the essay would benefit from more detailed examples or a more thorough explanation of the 'tiered' pricing system proposed in the conclusion to fully satisfy the requirements of a higher band.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the argument. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate. For example, the transition 'However I disagree' in the introduction is grammatically awkward, and the sentence structure in the final paragraph is fragmented. There are also issues with referencing and logical flow, particularly in the third paragraph where the sentence 'The measure is that to provide a basic amount of water is Free' is disjointed from the preceding argument. Improved use of linking words and clearer sentence transitions would significantly enhance the overall coherence.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but there are several instances of word-choice errors and spelling mistakes that hinder precision. Examples include 'minimy' (minimum), 'substanial' (substantial), 'text' (taxes), and 'excourage' (encourage). While the student attempts to use topic-specific vocabulary like 'sustainable,' 'infrastructure,' and 'consumption,' the frequent spelling errors and incorrect word forms (e.g., 'improvement of health' instead of 'improving health') suggest a limited control over lexical features. To reach a higher band, the student should focus on accurate spelling and more natural collocations.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but grammatical errors are frequent and sometimes impede communication. There are consistent issues with subject-verb agreement ('household were not required'), missing articles, and sentence fragments (e.g., the incomplete sentence ending in 'because thy'). Punctuation is also problematic, with several run-on sentences and misplaced commas. While the meaning is generally understandable, the high frequency of errors in basic grammar and sentence construction prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. Focusing on proofreading for basic subject-verb agreement and sentence boundaries is essential.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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