Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-06
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)
Water is one of the essential elements of life and its availability is crucial for every human being and any creature on earth, therefore no one should pay to get a basic life need. I believe that its a crime if water is not available for every living organism.
Accessing to clean water is essential for human health and development, and without it life will not proceed. Humans from the beginning of life on earth needed water to continue their lives they of course used it for drinking, cooking, washing and cleaning.
Water was always a great factor that influence where people used to live and where they traveled, it was the main goal of a lot of long travels.
In my opinion, clean water should be available without asking or paying for it, for example, providing free drinking water in schools can improve students' health and help them concentrate better and its sad that these days we see people in many spots on earth die due to lack of water or to see them crave for only drops of water. Meanwhile, we see people who have to pay a high price for water, and some using it as any other commercial product.
In conclusion, clean water should be accessible for every human on this earth, and we should also use new technologies to produce more clean water from the rain, sea, rivers, oceans or any source of water on earth, and we should distribute it equally to the whole world.
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 that water should be free. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. While you mention the importance of water for health and education, the argument lacks depth regarding the economic or logistical implications of providing free water globally. The essay tends to repeat the same point—that water is a basic right—rather than exploring the complexities of the issue. To reach a higher band, you should provide more nuanced arguments, such as discussing how governments might fund such a system or the potential impact on water conservation if it were provided without cost.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, each with a clear focus. There is a basic progression of ideas from the introduction to the conclusion. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and limited. For example, the transition between the second and third paragraphs is abrupt. You rely heavily on simple conjunctions like 'and' or 'but'. To improve, try using a wider range of linking words and phrases to connect your sentences and ideas more fluidly, such as 'consequently', 'furthermore', or 'in light of this'. Referencing is generally clear, but the flow could be more sophisticated.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is generally adequate for the task, allowing you to convey your message clearly. You use some relevant terms like 'essential elements', 'commercial product', and 'distribute'. However, the range is somewhat restricted, and there are instances of imprecise word choice, such as 'asking or paying for it' or 'spots on earth'. There is also a lack of less common lexical items that would demonstrate a more sophisticated command of the language. To improve, focus on using more precise collocations and academic vocabulary to express your ideas with greater nuance and variety.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, such as 'Accessing to clean water' (should be 'Access to clean water'), 'its a crime' (missing apostrophe in 'it's'), and 'influence where people used to live' (should be 'influenced'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with comma splices and run-on sentences. The errors do not significantly impede communication, but they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and consistent tense usage will help improve your accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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