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, every resident should have access to potable water at no cost, and it has become a crucial topic of discussion in recent years. Although safe drinking water is needed by all human beings regardless of their economic status, I disagree that it should be free for everyone, including those who are financially capable, because the water supply system requires substantial expenditure on equipment as well as labor and electricity.

First and foremost, clean water supply is essential everywhere, especially in those areas which are densely populated. There are diverse ways for water supply, which include different mechanisms and equipment. Most of them require a huge amount of cost for electricity and manpower to execute those plans. For example, in a densely populated 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 using electric pumps. This full process requires electricity and labor that is not inexpensive. 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 benefiting 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, underprivileged people are continuously struggling to survive. In this case, making clean drinking water free of charge is crucial for the low-income classes. In contrast, as wealthy families can bear this cost, making potable water free of charge is unnecessary for them.

In conclusion, it is more logical to me that safe drinking water should be available without any cost for only certain targeted people from underprivileged backgrounds, and charges should be applied to people from well-off backgrounds. Otherwise, the whole system can lead to a burden on poor people.

AI examiner evaluation

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. Your argument is logical and well-developed, particularly the distinction between the needs of the affluent and the underprivileged. You provide relevant examples, such as the costs associated with urban water distribution systems (pumps, electricity, labor). To reach a higher band, you could further extend your ideas by briefly addressing the counter-argument—how a tiered pricing system might be implemented—to show a more comprehensive understanding of the policy implications.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central theme, and you use cohesive devices such as 'First and foremost', 'In addition', and 'On the other hand' to guide the reader. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. While the flow is generally smooth, some transitions could be more sophisticated. For instance, the link between the second and third paragraphs could be tightened to better emphasize the contrast between the economic reality of water supply and the social necessity of access.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic with precision. Phrases like 'potable water', 'economic status', 'substantial expenditure', and 'affluent classes' are used accurately. There is an attempt to use less common items, which is positive. However, there are occasional instances where word choice could be more natural or precise, such as 'amenities of this society' or 'not inexpensive'. Expanding your range to include more idiomatic collocations or academic synonyms would help elevate your score further.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

You show good control over a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most of your sentences are error-free, and your punctuation is generally accurate. You successfully use complex structures, such as conditional sentences ('If the government pays this cost, it has to increase...') and concessive clauses ('Although safe drinking water is needed...'). While there are very few errors, the range of complex structures is somewhat limited. To improve, try incorporating a wider variety of advanced grammatical forms, such as passive voice constructions or inverted conditionals, to demonstrate greater flexibility.

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

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