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 to 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 their 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, clean water is a 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 well-being.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses the prompt by taking a clear position on the provision of free water. You successfully identify the nuance of the argument by suggesting a tiered payment system based on financial status. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. While you mention the spread of cholera in Africa and Asia, this example is not fully integrated into the argument about government policy. To reach a higher band, you should expand on how specific policies or economic models could realistically implement your proposed 'flexible' cost system, rather than just stating that they should exist.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized into clear paragraphs, each with a central focus. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Moreover', 'For example', and 'In conclusion' to guide the reader. However, the flow between sentences is occasionally mechanical. For instance, the transition between the second and third paragraphs could be smoother; the jump from government policy to the cholera example feels abrupt. Improving the use of referencing and ensuring that each sentence builds directly upon the previous one would enhance the overall cohesion of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'infrastructure', 'facilitated', and 'mitigate'. However, there are some instances of slightly unnatural word choices, such as 'ruining the health of humans' or 'law of check and balance'. These phrases are understandable but lack the precision expected at higher bands. To improve, focus on using more academic collocations and refining your word choice to sound more natural and precise in an argumentative context.

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 some grammatical errors, such as 'Most of the countries have to rely on unfiltered water' (should be 'Most countries') and 'The implementation of law of check and balance... should be held' (which is awkward phrasing). While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focus on subject-verb agreement and ensuring that your complex sentences are constructed with grammatical precision.

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

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