Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-19
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)
Water is the greatest blessing of nature for the humans as well as for animals. Without water life is almost impossible on the planet earth. Since there is a huge debate on whether water should be supplied freely to every home while others claim that it must also be charged. So, this essay will explain both views before giving my perspective.
One the one hand, many individuals believe that water should be free for everyone living on the earth because water comes out from the earth and it should be right of everyone to use it as a natural source. In contemporary world, the living expenses have raised with an enormous level and water is free of cost. If we have to pay for the water then it will be additional financial pressure on people and many of them will be unable to buy it. In this way there life will become more difficult.For instance, we use water in our everyday life for many purposes and it is crucial part of our life.
On the contrary, others believe that as we pay for every natural resource such as gas, petrol, and coal, then we should also pay for the water. As, water is also a non-renewable source of energy. Many parts of the world are facing shortage of water and in the next years we will also feel that shortage of water which can cause many problems for us and human survival will be on risk. A better way to interpret it is, if we have to pay for it then we will use water very carefully and save every drop of it, In result, it will save the water for the future generations on the planet.
By summing up, water is a crucial art of our life.Many people thought that water should be free because of increasing poverty and expenses of life it will put extra pressure. While others argue that if we will pay for it then people will use it more wisely and carefully. In my perspective, water should be paid because we have to save it for the next generation and use it efficiently.
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 essay addresses the prompt by discussing both sides of the argument and providing a clear personal position. However, the development of ideas is somewhat superficial. For example, the argument regarding water as a 'non-renewable source of energy' is factually inaccurate and lacks depth. While the position is clear, the supporting points could be more thoroughly extended with more specific examples or logical reasoning to reach a higher band. The essay structure is appropriate, but the content remains at a general level throughout.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is logically organized into clear paragraphs, each with a central theme. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'On the one hand,' 'On the contrary,' and 'By summing up,' which help guide the reader. However, some transitions are mechanical or slightly awkward, such as 'A better way to interpret it is,' and there are minor issues with punctuation, such as missing spaces after periods (e.g., 'difficult.For instance'). The progression of ideas is generally clear, but the flow could be improved with more sophisticated linking phrases.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the precision and range required for higher bands. There are some inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'crucial art of our life' (likely meaning 'part') and the claim that water is a 'non-renewable source of energy.' The range is sufficient to communicate the main points, but the student relies on relatively simple, repetitive language. To improve, the student should focus on using more precise academic collocations and avoiding basic errors in word choice.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors, including subject-verb agreement issues (e.g., 'living expenses have raised'), incorrect article usage, and awkward phrasing (e.g., 'In result, it will save the water'). While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding the message, they are frequent enough to indicate a lack of control over more complex structures. Punctuation errors, such as missing spaces after full stops, also detract from the overall quality.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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