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)
The given topic brings up the question of providing clean water as a basic human right without any charge.
As per national human rights having access to clean water is a basic human right but government apply heavy charge on every house utilising water, in many countries people have no access to clean water even water for drinking is not available in countries like India, Africa, Middle East, and some states of USA. People in rural areas have to fetch water from deep wells which are not close to their houses thousands of people are dependent on single well people are suffering from dehydration, multiple diseases and destruction of agriculture.
As we due to increase in population, Global warming, water waste the water level has decreased that it requires heavy plants to fetch water. Governments decided to filter salt water using filtration plants but this process is too expensive and its not enough to provide water to big cities. Governments often collects charges from houses from houses to build new plants, dams, wells, and provide to other districts which don't have proper access to clean water.
I disagree because we played a big role in this lose of water, humans throw waste in canals, waste water, leaking taps and using water carelessly. We should educate people to save water repair leaking taps, government should give subside to people who cannot afford to pay regular charger and use those funds to provide water to rural areas arranging clean water lines because every human deserves clean water.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses the prompt by taking a clear position against free water supply. However, the development of ideas is somewhat uneven. While you provide reasons related to the costs of infrastructure and the need for conservation, the argument could be more effectively supported by exploring the economic implications of 'free' services versus targeted subsidies. The mention of specific regions like 'Africa' and 'India' is relevant, but the claim that water is unavailable in 'some states of USA' is a significant over-generalisation that weakens your argument. To reach a higher band, ensure your supporting examples are accurate and your reasoning is more logically structured throughout the essay.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow your argument. However, the use of cohesive devices is quite limited and sometimes mechanical. For example, the transition between the second and third paragraphs is abrupt, and there is a lack of linking words to connect your ideas smoothly. Some sentences are run-on, such as the final sentence of the second paragraph, which makes the progression of ideas feel disjointed. Improving your use of transition signals (e.g., 'consequently', 'furthermore', 'on the other hand') would significantly enhance the flow and logical progression of your writing.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing you to communicate your main points. You use some topic-specific terms like 'filtration plants', 'dehydration', and 'subside' (though 'subsidies' was intended). However, there are instances of repetitive word choice, such as the repeated use of 'water' and 'houses'. Additionally, there are some errors in word formation and collocation, such as 'lose of water' instead of 'loss of water' and 'government should give subside' instead of 'provide subsidies'. To improve, try to incorporate a wider range of synonyms and more precise academic collocations.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The essay relies heavily on simple sentence structures. While there are attempts at complex sentences, they are often marred by grammatical errors, such as missing articles ('in many countries', 'in rural areas'), incorrect verb forms ('governments decided' instead of 'governments decide'), and punctuation issues. The sentence 'As we due to increase in population...' is grammatically fragmented and confusing. To achieve a higher score, you need to demonstrate better control over complex structures and ensure that your basic grammar, particularly subject-verb agreement and article usage, is more consistent. Frequent errors currently distract from the clarity of your message.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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