Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-05
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 some developed countries, every citizen has free access to water in their home, whereas in other countries with limited water resources, people have to pay for water. It is often argued that having access to water is a right that everyone should have. Personally, I agree that all of us have the right to access free water at home because its vital for humans and it should be seen as a public property.
To begin with, water is very important for human beings and it can not be replaced with anything. In other words, water is essential for surviving. That is why we can not deprive people from access to clean, free and fresh water. For example, people that live in the underdeveloped countries of Africa are dying everyday due to the lack of water, while others catsh deadly diseases after drinking contaminated water.
Another point to consider, water is found clean and free in nature. It is also possible to say that governments and factories do not buy water. They simply extract it from lakes or other natural water resources, so it is unfair to sell it to people. Water should be shared among all people in the planet.
In conclusion, despite people having different views, I agree that every single person have the right to access to a clean water for free at home.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response addresses the prompt by taking a clear position, but it fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words. Because the essay is only 227 words, the development of ideas is limited. While the arguments regarding water as a human right and a natural resource are relevant, they lack sufficient depth and supporting evidence to fully explore the complexities of the issue. The conclusion is also quite brief. To improve, you should expand on your arguments with more detailed examples and ensure you meet the minimum length requirement to allow for a more thorough discussion of the topic.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, each with a clear central idea. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'In other words', and 'In conclusion' to signal the structure. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes a bit mechanical, and the transition between the idea of water as a natural resource and the conclusion is abrupt. To reach a higher band, focus on using a wider variety of cohesive devices and ensuring that the progression of ideas within paragraphs is smoother and more sophisticated.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing you to convey your meaning clearly. You use some relevant terms like 'contaminated', 'underdeveloped', and 'natural resources'. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there are instances of slightly unnatural phrasing, such as 'public property' (which usually refers to government-owned assets rather than a common good) and 'catsh' (a spelling error). To improve, try to incorporate more precise academic vocabulary and collocations related to social issues and economics.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('every single person have') and preposition errors ('access to a clean water'). Additionally, there are minor punctuation and spelling errors ('catsh'). While these errors do not significantly impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Focus on proofreading your work for basic agreement rules and article usage to improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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