Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-26

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)

Water is considered an important part of our lives. Access to clean water is a basic human right , so every household should have a water supply provided free of charge. This essay will discuss whether water should be supplied or not.

There are several reasons why water should be provided free of charge to every household. Firstly, clean water is essential for human survival and people can not live without it. Therefore, access to safe water should not depend on a person's financial situation. Providing a basic amount of water free of charge could help poor families meet their daily needs such as drinking, cooking and maintaining personal hygiene. Moreover, free access to water could improve public health by ensuring that everyone has sufficient clean water for sanitation and cleanliness.

On contrast, providing unlimited water completely free of charge could lead to unnecessary consumption and wastage. If people do not have to pay for water, they may be less careful about how much they use. This could put additional pressure on water resources , particularly in areas that already suffer from water shortages. In additional, governments need a significant amount of money to maintain pipelines, treatment plants and water distribution systems. If water were completely free, these cost would have to be covered entirely by taxpayers or government funds.

In my point of view, every household should have to access to a certain amount of clean water free of charge because it is a necessity of life. However, people should pay for excessive consumption. This approach would protect the basic rights of citizens while also encouraging them to use water responsibly.

In conclusion , clean water should be available for everyone , but providing unlimited water free of charge may encourage wastage and create financial difficulties for governments. A reasonable free allowance combined with charges for excessive use would be the most practical soloutions.

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response7.0
Coherence and Cohesion6.5
Lexical Resource6.0
Grammatical Range and Accuracy6.5
Overall6.5

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt and maintains a clear, consistent position throughout. You have successfully balanced the argument by acknowledging the necessity of clean water as a right while also addressing the economic and practical concerns regarding unlimited free supply. The ideas are well-developed, particularly the distinction between a 'basic allowance' and 'excessive consumption'. To reach a higher band, you could further extend the discussion by providing a specific example or a more detailed scenario of how such a tiered system might be implemented in a real-world context, which would add depth to your argument.

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 topic, and the progression of ideas is easy to follow. You use a variety of cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'Moreover', 'On contrast', and 'In conclusion' to link your points. However, there are minor mechanical issues with punctuation, such as the space before the comma in 'human right ,' and 'In conclusion ,'. Additionally, 'On contrast' is slightly unnatural; 'In contrast' or 'Conversely' would be more appropriate. Overall, the structure is effective and supports the flow of your argument well.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary to discuss the topic clearly. Phrases like 'financial situation', 'public health', 'unnecessary consumption', and 'water distribution systems' are used accurately. There are a few minor errors, such as 'soloutions' (spelling) and 'In additional' (should be 'In addition'). While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning precisely, it lacks the 'less common' or 'sophisticated' lexical items that would elevate the response to a higher band. Focusing on more precise collocations and avoiding minor spelling errors will help improve your score in this area.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures effectively. Most of your sentences are clear and error-free, which allows for easy communication. There are a few minor grammatical slips, such as 'every household should have to access to' (should be 'have access to') and 'these cost would' (should be 'these costs would'). These errors are infrequent and do not impede the reader's understanding. To improve, try to incorporate a wider variety of complex grammatical structures, such as conditional sentences or passive voice, with greater consistency to demonstrate more advanced control.

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

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