Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-29

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)

It has become basic human necessity to have access of clean water. In the modern era, pollution drastically deteriorates the quality of water. Most of the countries have to rely on unfiltered water which is ruining the health of humans. The communities work really hard to set up water purification infrastructure so that they are able to get pure water.

Considering the health and wellness factors of humans, I partially agree with the statement that water should be supplied to every household. Regarding cost, it could be flexible. The families which can afford the cost of water could be in paid category while the households that are not able to pay the cost of clean water should be facilitated. Moreover, the government should make policies to encourage divisions and districts to build resources of clean water. They should consider the value of clean water when they make annual budget. The implementation of law of check and balance for distribution of pure water among households should be held.

For example, in recent years, many countries like Africa and Asia have reported the spread of cholera. This is a disease which is spread due to the exposure to unclean water. This all happened due to lack of access to clean water.

In conclusion, the clean water is basic need of people. It should be supplied to every household. In respect of payment, authorities could consider the financial status of families. Overall, by doing this we can mitigate the risk of disease and improve human wellbeing.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses the prompt by taking a clear position of partial agreement. You have identified the core issue—the necessity of clean water versus the economic reality of provision. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. While you mention the need for government policy and the health risks of cholera, these points are not fully extended. For instance, the suggestion of a 'paid category' is a strong idea but lacks detail on how this would be implemented or managed fairly. To reach a higher band, ensure that each supporting point is fully explained with more depth and specific reasoning rather than just stating the necessity of the action.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized into clear paragraphs, each with a distinct focus. You use some cohesive devices, such as 'Moreover', 'For example', and 'In conclusion', to link ideas. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical, and the transition between the introduction and the body paragraphs could be smoother. The referencing is generally clear, but the connection between the government's role and the specific example of cholera in the third paragraph feels slightly abrupt. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph flows naturally into the next would enhance the overall coherence.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'infrastructure', 'mitigate', and 'deteriorates' appropriately. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation. For example, 'access of clean water' should be 'access to clean water', and 'law of check and balance' is not the standard idiomatic expression for government oversight. While your vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly, it lacks the precision and flexibility required for higher bands. Focusing on learning common collocations and using more sophisticated synonyms will help improve your score in this area.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this level. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'Most of the countries have to rely on unfiltered water' (should be 'Most countries') and 'the clean water is basic need' (missing an article: 'a basic need'). Additionally, 'This all happened due to' is slightly informal. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. To improve, focus on article usage, subject-verb agreement, and ensuring that complex sentences are constructed with greater accuracy.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.