Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)
In recent years, access to clean water has emerged as subject of considerable debate. Some maintain that every household should receive a free water supply, whereas others believe that people should pay for the water they use, I strongly agree that clean water should be available to everyone because it is essential for human health and water is a basic need of life.
The primary reason for my opinion is that clean water is necessary for maintaining good health. People need safe water for drinking, cleaning and cooking and personal hygiene. without water, person cannot survive and it can lead to various diseases such as fever, cancer. For example - there are some poor countries which are still depend on riverside and polluted water, which can risk their well being. Moreover, I also think that government should atleast provide a specific amount of water to needy people, who needs the most for their survival. However people not respect the use of water and never waste water and government should charge extra for excessive use.
In conclusion, i totally agree that every home should have access to water supply without charge. this would protect people's health and their needs.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words, reaching only 198 words. This significantly impacts the development of ideas. While you state a clear position, the arguments are underdeveloped. For instance, the mention of 'fever, cancer' as consequences of poor water access is not logically linked to the lack of free supply. The discussion on government charging for excessive use contradicts your initial thesis that water should be free, creating confusion. To improve, you must expand your arguments with more detailed explanations and relevant examples to meet the length requirement and provide a more cohesive, fully developed response.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into paragraphs, but the progression of ideas is somewhat disjointed. You use basic cohesive devices like 'The primary reason' and 'Moreover', but the transition between the argument for free water and the suggestion of charging for excessive use is abrupt and confusing. Referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the sentence 'However people not respect the use of water and never waste water', which lacks a clear logical connection to the previous point. To improve, ensure that each paragraph focuses on a single, well-supported idea and use a wider variety of linking words to connect your thoughts more fluidly.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. You rely on simple, repetitive phrasing such as 'clean water', 'basic need', and 'good health'. There are some inaccuracies in word choice, such as 'subject of considerable debate' (which is a good phrase) contrasted with 'people not respect the use of water', which is grammatically and lexically awkward. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more sophisticated collocations and topic-specific vocabulary related to public policy, infrastructure, and socio-economic factors.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
There is a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures, but the essay contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include missing articles ('without water, person cannot survive'), subject-verb agreement issues ('there are some poor countries which are still depend on'), and punctuation errors (comma splices). The sentence 'However people not respect the use of water and never waste water' is particularly confusing due to the misuse of 'never'. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, article usage, and ensuring that your complex sentences are punctuated correctly.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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