Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-03
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 7.5)
Access to clean water is essential for human survival, and I agree that everyone should have access to a safe water supply. However, I do not completely agree that water should be provided free of charge to every household.
First of all, clean water is necessary for maintaining good health and preventing diseases. In many developing countries, people still do not have reliable access to safe drinking water, which can lead to serious health problems. Therefore, governments should ensure that every household has access to a basic amount of clean water, regardless of their financial situation. For example, poor families in rural areas may not be able to afford expensive water services, so government support can help them meet their basic needs.
On the other hand, providing unlimited water completely free of charge could create several problems. Water treatment, transportation and maintenance of supply systems require a large amount of money. If consumers do not have to pay anything, they may also waste water unnecessarily. A better solution would be to provide a certain amount of water for free or at a very low cost, while charging households for excessive consumption. This could encourage people to use water responsibly and allow governments to maintain the water supply system.
In conclusion, I strongly believe that clean water should be available to everyone as a basic human necessity. Nevertheless, I do not think that unlimited water should be completely free. Governments should provide affordable or free basic water supplies, while reasonable charges can be applied to higher consumption.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 7.5 |
| Overall | 7.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5
The response fully addresses all parts of the prompt. You clearly state your position in the introduction and maintain it throughout the essay. The arguments are well-developed, balancing the human right to water with the practical economic realities of infrastructure maintenance and resource conservation. You provide relevant examples, such as the mention of developing countries and the distinction between basic needs and excessive consumption. The ideas are extended logically, and the conclusion effectively synthesizes your main points. The response is well-focused and directly answers the question asked.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5
The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central theme, starting with the importance of water, moving to the economic counter-argument, and concluding with a balanced summary. You use cohesive devices effectively, such as 'First of all', 'On the other hand', and 'Nevertheless', to link your arguments. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct points. The flow of information is smooth, and the relationship between sentences is clear, making the text easy to follow throughout.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.5
You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic with precision. Phrases like 'financial situation', 'excessive consumption', and 'water treatment' are used accurately. While the vocabulary is functional and appropriate for the task, it could be elevated further by incorporating more sophisticated collocations or less common lexical items to reach the highest bands. However, there are no errors in word choice or spelling that impede communication, and the language used is natural and fits the academic context well.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5
The essay displays a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. You use conditional structures ('If consumers do not have to pay...') and modal verbs ('should ensure', 'could create') effectively to express your arguments. The grammar is generally accurate, with very few errors. Punctuation is used correctly to support the clarity of your writing. The majority of your sentences are error-free, and the control over complex structures is consistent, which indicates a high level of grammatical competence.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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