Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)
As a basic human right, hygienic water should be provided in every residence free of costs, and it has become a crucial matter of discussion in recent times. Although, clean water is needed for all human beings irrespectively of their economic aspects, I disagree that it should be free for all people including financially capable because water supply needs a range of equipment, labor as well as electricity which are not free of charges.
First and foremost, hygienic water supply is essential everywhere specially in those areas which are densely populated and high from the sea level. There are diverse ways for water supply which includes different mechanisms and equipment. Most of them require huge amount of costs for electricity and manpower to execute those plans. For example, in a densely urban area potable water can be supplied from a central area to every residential building, and then the multi-storied buildings can distribute the water among all floors by a electric machine. This full process requires electricity and labor that is not less expensive. If the government pays this cost, it has to increase the overall taxation that may affect people of all economic classes.
In addition, the affluent classes of people already are getting benefited from all amenities of this society such as better food, clothes, education, treatments, and other needs for humans in this society. On the other hand, poor people are continuously struggling to survive. In this case, making clean water free of charges is crucial for the low-economic classes. In contrast, as the wealthy families can bear this cost, making potable water free of costs is unnecessary for them.
In conclusion, it is more logical to me that potable water should be available without any cost for only the people who are below a certain level of economic class, and the charges should be applied on the people from well-off backgrounds. Otherwise, the whole system can lead to a burden on the poor people.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.0 |
| Overall | 6.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5
You have clearly addressed the prompt by taking a nuanced position: you agree that water is a right but disagree that it should be free for everyone, suggesting a means-tested approach instead. This position is maintained consistently throughout the essay. Your ideas are relevant and logically developed, particularly in the second paragraph where you explain the economic burden of infrastructure. To reach a higher band, ensure you expand slightly more on the 'human right' aspect mentioned in the prompt to balance your economic argument, as the current focus is heavily weighted toward the financial feasibility of water supply.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5
The essay is well-organized with a clear introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. You use cohesive devices such as 'First and foremost', 'In addition', and 'On the other hand' to guide the reader through your arguments. Paragraphing is used effectively to separate distinct ideas. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and there are minor issues with referencing, such as the phrase 'this process' which could be more tightly linked to the preceding sentence. Overall, the progression of ideas is logical and easy to follow.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.0
You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic with some precision, using terms like 'affluent classes', 'potable water', and 'economic aspects'. There are some minor collocation errors, such as 'free of costs' (should be 'free of charge' or 'at no cost') and 'a electric machine' (should be 'an electric pump'). While you attempt to use more sophisticated language, some word choices are slightly repetitive. Expanding your range of synonyms for 'cost' and 'people' would help elevate your score further.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0
You show a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical slips, such as 'irrespectively of their economic aspects' (should be 'regardless of their economic status') and 'specially in those areas' (should be 'especially'). Additionally, there is a minor error in 'a electric machine' where the article 'an' is required. Despite these errors, your meaning is always clear, and the errors do not impede communication. To improve, focus on article usage and refining your use of adverbial phrases.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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