Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-04
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, clean water is becoming a need for human beings. Due to the various causes water is polluted which is very dangerous for health. Some people believed that pollution free water is a basic need of human for survivals so it should be free for everyone. I agree that clean water should be provided in every home and it should be cost free so every one drink it and stay healthy.
The primary reason why I agree that clean water should be cost free because water is essential component for our body. Drinking clean water prevent us from various diseases and keeps us healthy. For example polluted water containing various impurities and heavy metals cause various diseases hepatitis etc. Therefore, clean water is beneficial for health and available for everyone.
Another compelling reason is that poor families can not afford prices of water on daily bases so they can not purchase water. This is because low income families manage their household expenditure hand to mouth. For instance, people in rural areas lived in a very simple life even they do not know about the importance of clean water and furthermore they can not afford. Consequently, free of charges water should be provided in rural areas so they take water easily.
In conclusion, I believed that water should be free for everyone because it is a basic need for humans and everyone take it easily and gain benefits from it and clean water prevents people from various diseases and keeps us healthy.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses the prompt by taking a clear position in favor of free water. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. While you mention health benefits and the financial burden on poor families, the arguments lack depth and specific, well-explained examples. For instance, the mention of 'rural areas' is a good start, but the explanation of why they cannot afford water is repetitive. To reach a higher band, you should expand on the economic or social implications of providing free water, perhaps discussing government responsibility or the potential impact on public health infrastructure, rather than just stating that it is a 'basic need'.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into clear paragraphs, which helps the reader follow your argument. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'The primary reason', 'Another compelling reason', and 'In conclusion' to signal the structure. However, the flow within paragraphs is sometimes mechanical, and the use of linking words is repetitive. Some sentences feel disconnected, such as the transition between the health benefits and the economic argument. To improve, try to use a wider variety of cohesive devices and ensure that each sentence logically follows the previous one to create a smoother progression of ideas.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the precision and range required for higher bands. You rely on simple, repetitive phrases like 'clean water', 'healthy', and 'basic need'. There are also some awkward collocations, such as 'cost free' instead of 'free of charge' or 'provided at no cost', and 'on daily bases' instead of 'on a daily basis'. To improve, focus on using more sophisticated synonyms and collocations related to the topic, such as 'potable water', 'socio-economic barriers', or 'public utility'.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader. Common issues include subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'Some people believed' instead of 'believe'), article usage (e.g., 'in rural areas lived' instead of 'live'), and tense inconsistencies. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are persistent. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction and proofreading for common errors like missing articles and incorrect verb forms. Increasing the variety of complex structures, such as using conditional sentences or relative clauses, would also help.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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