Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-23
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)
Clean water is a basic necessity for fundamental human rights. The dependence of humans on clean water is a well-needed right. So, without cost, the water should be arranged for every home. I will explain the points that are strongly aligned with the statement and then move to those against. Despite this, I firmly believe water must be provided in every home as a first need.
In different areas around the world, the shortage of water is one of the major causes of deaths, as they did not get the water according to their needs. In 2020, Africa suffered a lot due to the inavailability of water for their people and especially caused malnutrition to their babies and infants, leading to the death of thousands of innocents. Moreover, a common person uses water for everyday purposes like cooking, washing, bathing, etc.; to comply with this, water must be present in every home. Many governmental organizations are working to verify if the water supply is enough or if more pipelines are required to overcome this problem. Despite the facts, some people think water is depleting day by day and its major underground source will be finished if you are going to use it unwisely. Most of the people are not well aware of this harsh fact. To overcome this, persons must be trained to control water pollution and wasteage, or the supply of water would be limited from time to time in a day to avoid damaging the source.
To conclude, the water must be provided to each home as an important need. The water is a major part of every home to lessen the loss of lives, whereas it must be provided in a controlled way. I strongly agree to provide it as basic need.
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 in favor of free water supply. However, the development of ideas is somewhat uneven. While you mention the importance of water for survival and hygiene, the counter-argument regarding water scarcity is introduced but not fully integrated into your overall position. The argument could be strengthened by explaining how governments could balance free access with conservation efforts, rather than just stating that people should be trained. The conclusion reiterates your stance, but the supporting points in the body paragraphs lack depth and specific evidence, as the mention of Africa in 2020 is quite general. To reach a higher band, ensure each point is fully explored with logical consequences.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, and there is a clear progression of ideas from the introduction to the conclusion. You use some cohesive devices, such as 'Moreover' and 'To conclude,' which help guide the reader. However, some transitions feel a bit mechanical or abrupt, such as 'Despite the facts' and 'So, without cost.' Additionally, the referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the phrase 'as they did not get the water,' where the pronoun 'they' lacks a clear antecedent. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each sentence flows naturally into the next will help improve the overall coherence of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'fundamental human rights,' 'malnutrition,' and 'governmental organizations.' However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation that limit the score. For example, 'well-needed right' is not a standard collocation, and 'wasteage' is misspelled. The phrase 'finished if you are going to use it unwisely' is somewhat informal and imprecise. To improve, focus on using more precise academic vocabulary and ensure that your word choices are appropriate for a formal essay. Expanding your range of synonyms for common words like 'water' or 'need' would also be beneficial.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader. Examples include 'the water should be arranged for every home' (awkward phrasing), 'as they did not get the water' (tense inconsistency), and 'Most of the people are not well aware' (unnecessary article). Punctuation is generally functional, but some sentence boundaries are slightly awkward. To achieve a higher band, focus on reducing these minor errors and increasing the variety of complex sentence structures, such as using more conditional or passive constructions with greater accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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