Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-11

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)

Each house should be provided with a water supply free of charge, as it is a basic individual right. I have mixed opinions about it; instead of considering it as free of charge, there must be a little bit of tax so that people can sense its value as it is commonly seen that the thing which costs less will lose value.

Having clean water is necessary to drink because it helps individuals to stay healthy and free from waterborne diseases like cholera, dysentery, etc. Furthermore, water is a blessing from nature, so it must be supplied without any hindrance so that people enjoy their livelihood in a good way, but there should be some tax so that people could use it in a balanced way , For example, in a country like Pakistan, people are already living from hand to mouth for other necessities of life like fuel and household items, so instead of burdening the public, water supply should be made convenient to make the other living in a balanced way. By imposing a minimum tax.

Considering the basic rights, people should also make sure to use the right ethically without any wastefulness as clean water gives us various benefits. For example, use water when it needs avoid any misleading act.It is advisable to use water according to need so that other people could enjoy the same benefit as one community has

In conclusion, it is strongly advocated to thoroughly evaluate the pros and cons and devise strategies for the public according by imposing rules and regulations to avoid inconvenience

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses the prompt by discussing the balance between water as a human right and the necessity of taxation. However, the position is somewhat inconsistent; you start by suggesting a 'little bit of tax' but then struggle to clearly define your stance on whether it should be free or subsidized. The ideas are relevant but lack depth, particularly the example of Pakistan, which is mentioned but not fully linked to the argument about water pricing. To reach a higher band, ensure your position is clearly stated in the introduction and maintained consistently throughout the body paragraphs, with more detailed explanations for each supporting point.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into paragraphs, but the logical flow is occasionally disrupted by awkward phrasing and punctuation errors. For instance, the transition between the second and third paragraphs is abrupt. While you use some cohesive devices like 'Furthermore' and 'In conclusion', others are used incorrectly or with poor punctuation, such as the comma splice in 'balanced way , For example'. The referencing is sometimes unclear, making it difficult for the reader to follow the progression of your argument. Improving the use of linking words and ensuring each paragraph has a clear, singular focus would significantly enhance the coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the precision and variety required for higher bands. You rely on somewhat repetitive or simplistic phrasing, such as 'thing which costs less will lose value' and 'enjoy their livelihood in a good way'. There are also some awkward collocations, such as 'misleading act' and 'make the other living in a balanced way'. To improve, try to incorporate more academic collocations and precise terminology related to public policy and economics. Expanding your range of synonyms and avoiding vague expressions will help you convey your ideas more effectively.

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 impede clarity. Common issues include subject-verb agreement, incorrect preposition usage, and punctuation errors, such as the misuse of commas and periods. For example, 'so that people could use it in a balanced way , For example' contains a punctuation error that breaks the flow of the sentence. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. Focusing on sentence boundary control and proofreading for basic grammatical accuracy would be highly beneficial.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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