Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-14

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)

Every human being should have the fundamental right to drink clean water. Consequently, water should be supplied free of charge to every home. I strongly agree with this concern.

We all know that another name of water is life. We cannot survive without water. It is an indispensable part of our life, as we use water in our daily activities, alongside drinking it to stay alive. However, there are many areas in the world, particularly in underdeveloped and developing countries and desert areas have a shortage of water supply such as India, Sudan, etc. The people of these communities have to wait hours after hours to collect water just to ensure a bare minimum. Though we cannot live without water, contaminated water can be a threat to us. If we drink water polluted by harmful chemicals and particles cause harm to our health. Water-borne diseases such as diarrhea and cholera may result in death. Every year, many people, particularly children, die due to drinking polluted water, as they have no access to clean water.

For instance, though Bangladesh is a riverine country, there is a shortage of pure water. Because of industrialization, agriculture, and overpopulation, chemicals, fertilizer, industrial and human waste mix with water and contaminate it. The people living in riverside and rural areas are the worst sufferers, as they lack access to clean water. In addition, people with economic hardship cannot afford clean water through filteration and available in markets As a result, they suffer from various diseases and face life threats. However, as human beings, they also have the right to live a healthy life. Therefore, the government and other humanitarian organizations should take necessary initiatives to supply water at no cost, so that people can get the access to it regardless of any economic and geographic barriers.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The candidate addresses all parts of the prompt, taking a clear stance that water should be provided free of charge as a basic human right. The response includes relevant examples, such as mentioning developing countries and Bangladesh, and discusses the health impacts of contaminated water. However, some ideas are a bit repetitive and under-developed, particularly regarding the economic mechanisms of supplying water for free. The position is maintained throughout, satisfying the requirements for a Band 6.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The text is generally coherent with a clear overall arrangement into an introduction, body paragraphs, and a concluding thought. Paragraphing is used appropriately, and basic cohesive devices are employed, such as 'Consequently', 'However', and 'For instance'. Nonetheless, referencing and cohesion are at times mechanical or slightly faulty, as seen in sentences like 'If we drink water polluted by harmful chemicals and particles cause harm to our health.' The flow between sentences occasionally stumbles, which places this response comfortably at a Band 6.0.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The candidate demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, attempting less common terms such as 'indispensable', 'contaminated', 'industrialization', and 'humanitarian organizations'. However, there are noticeable word-choice and collocation errors, such as 'wait hours after hours', 'particles cause harm', and 'through filteration and available in markets'. Spelling and word formation are generally clear, but inaccuracies prevent the lexical score from reaching the next band, making a 6.0 appropriate.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay displays a mix of simple and complex sentence forms. While the candidate attempts complex structures, there are frequent grammatical errors in clauses and verb forms, such as 'particles cause harm to our health' (missing relative pronoun or participle) and 'get the access to it' (unnecessary article). Punctuation is generally acceptable, but grammatical slips are noticeable throughout the text, though they rarely impede overall communication. This performance aligns with Band 6.0 descriptors.

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

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