Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-24

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 6.5)

A basic human right is access to a free supply of clean drinking water. Everyone depends on clean water to survive, and the government should provide free, drinkable water to everyone in the country. In my opinion, I agree, but there are a few consequences regarding this matter.

At first, human beings cannot survive without water. A person can only stay upto 12hours with out water; after 12hours their body starts to heat up, and eventually, after 36 hours, the person will die due to dehydration. Governments should provide every citizen of a country with sufficient clean water. For instance, the government of Norway provides 6 Litres of clean drinking water to each household every day in two intervals. This service is free of charge to the residents of Norway.

Moreover, countries like India and Bangladesh lack this basic human right. Almost 20% of the Indian population does not have access to clean drinking water and has to get water from a nearby polluted river, which is filled with toxins. In Bangladesh, clean water is only available to the upper-middle-class society at a very high cost per litre, which cannot be afforded by the vast majority of poor people in the country.

Finally, even if the country's government provides clean drinking water to the public, there is a high chance that it will be for a small amount of money that can be afforded even by the poor population. If the supply were free of charge, then the population would take advantage of the supply of clean water and take it for granted. This might be the only reason that stops countries from providing a free supply of drinkable water to each household. To counter this, they should provide only a limited amount of water each day to prevent wastage of drinking water.

To conclude, I agree that countries should provide a free supply of clean water to each household, with only a limited amount each day.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, clearly stating an agreement with the premise while introducing a nuanced perspective regarding the implementation of free water. The ideas are relevant and supported by examples, such as the mention of Norway, India, and Bangladesh. However, the development of the argument is slightly uneven; the transition between the moral necessity of water and the practical economic concerns is a bit abrupt. While the position is clear throughout, the essay could be improved by further exploring the 'consequences' mentioned in the introduction to ensure a more balanced and comprehensive discussion of the complexities involved in providing free public utilities.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central theme, such as the biological necessity of water, the global disparity in access, and the economic feasibility of free supply. Cohesive devices like 'Moreover', 'For instance', and 'To conclude' are used effectively to guide the reader. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the referencing in the third paragraph could be smoother. Overall, the progression of ideas is clear, and the paragraphing is appropriate for the task, meeting the requirements for a well-structured response.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is generally appropriate and sufficient for the task. The student uses terms like 'dehydration', 'toxins', and 'disparity' (implied) effectively. There are some instances where word choice could be more precise, such as 'take advantage of the supply' or 'small amount of money'. While the range is adequate to convey the intended meaning, there is limited use of less common or idiomatic vocabulary that would elevate the response to a higher band. The spelling is accurate throughout, and the language used does not impede communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The student demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some grammatical slips, such as 'stay upto 12hours with out water' (spacing and preposition issues) and 'in two intervals' (which is slightly ambiguous). Punctuation is generally functional, though there are minor errors in spacing. The majority of the sentences are clear and error-free, and the grammatical errors present do not cause difficulty for the reader. To reach a higher band, the student should aim for more varied complex structures and ensure greater precision in prepositional usage and sentence construction.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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