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 of access to clean, free and fresh water. For example, people who 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 is that 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 has the right to access 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 in favor of free water access. However, the essay is significantly under the 250-word minimum requirement, which limits the depth of the arguments. While the ideas are relevant, they are somewhat underdeveloped. For instance, the argument regarding 'public property' is mentioned but not fully explored in terms of economic or logistical implications. To improve, you should expand on your supporting points with more detailed explanations or additional examples to ensure the response is sufficiently comprehensive and meets the length requirement.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, each with a clear central idea. There is a basic attempt at using cohesive devices such as 'To begin with,' 'In other words,' and 'In conclusion.' However, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical, and the transition between the idea of water as a natural resource and the responsibility of governments could be smoother. The paragraphing is appropriate, but the overall progression of ideas feels slightly repetitive due to the limited word count. Using a wider variety of linking words would help improve the flow.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the message to be communicated clearly. You use some relevant terms like 'contaminated,' 'underdeveloped,' and 'resources.' However, there are some minor errors in word choice and spelling, such as 'catsh' instead of 'catch' and the phrase 'all people in the planet' instead of 'on the planet.' The range of vocabulary is somewhat limited; to reach a higher band, you should aim to incorporate more precise, academic collocations and less common lexical items to express your ideas with greater sophistication.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'its vital' (should be 'it is' or 'it's'), 'can not be replaced with anything' (slightly unnatural phrasing), and 'the underdeveloped countries' (the article 'the' is unnecessary here). Punctuation is generally correct, but the sentence variety is somewhat limited. To improve, focus on reducing minor errors and experimenting with more complex sentence structures, such as conditional clauses or passive voice, to demonstrate greater grammatical control.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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