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)
It is widely believed by some people that every apartment should have a water supply free of charge, as water is one of the most important human rights. I strongly disagree with the view of cost-free water supply in every house because people will ignore and waste water if the government provide water free of cost.
To begin with, one of the significant impact of providing water without charge is people use much water unnecessarily. There is few drinkable water in the world, at about 5 percent water can use as drinking water. So, it should be use in a sustainable way. For this reason, it is the only way to aware and control people for not saving the water. For example, if the government impose charges on water, individuals may limit their use and try to reserve water form natural sources, such as rain.
Secondly, the government could witness some shortage by providing charge free water in every building. Therefore, water supplying needs a lot of investment for supplying pure water: pipe line maintenance, water filter, and worker expanses. If the government does not charge for these expenses, they may fall their revenue by end of the year. Eventually, they may stop providing water.
However, the government should provide free water for the underprivileged citizens due to their economic crisis rather than privileged families. It could be very beneficial for the society.
In conclusion, the government should charge for the water services to control our planet. At the same time the government should serve the water without any cost for the poor resident.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0
The student addresses all parts of the task by taking a clear position ('I strongly disagree with the view of cost-free water supply'). Main ideas are presented, such as the potential for water wastage and government financial burdens, and are supported by explanations and examples (e.g., rainwater harvesting and pipeline maintenance). Furthermore, the student thoughtfully qualifies their stance in the fourth paragraph by suggesting free water for underprivileged citizens. While some ideas could be further extended, the response successfully fulfills the requirements of Task Achievement. This performance aligns well with the Band 6.0 and 7.0 descriptors, as the position is clear and relevant ideas are present, though a little more development would secure a higher score.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay displays a generally coherent overall arrangement with a clear introduction and conclusion. Paragraphing is utilised adequately, with distinct body paragraphs focusing on wastage, financial costs, and exceptions for the poor. Cohesive devices are employed, such as 'To begin with', 'Secondly', and 'However', although some links feel slightly mechanical or repetitive. Referencing is mostly clear, though occasional transitional lapses occur, such as the sudden shift into the exception for underprivileged citizens. Logical progression is maintained throughout, enabling the reader to follow the writer's argument easily, which places the response firmly within the Band 6.0 territory.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully attempting less common items such as 'sustainable way', 'underprivileged citizens', and 'economic crisis'. However, there are notable word-choice and collocation errors throughout the text. Examples include 'cost-free water supply' instead of 'free water supply', 'charge free water' instead of 'free-of-charge water', and 'worker expanses' instead of 'staff expenses' or 'labor costs'. Additionally, spelling issues like 'expanses' (expenses) and awkward phrasing such as 'control and aware people' detract from precision. Because these lexical inaccuracies are noticeable but do not impede overall communication, the performance corresponds to a Band 6.0.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay exhibits a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including conditional forms ('if the government impose charges...'). However, there are frequent grammatical errors and awkward phrasing. For instance, subject-verb agreement issues appear in 'the government provide' and 'the government impose', preposition errors such as 'reserve water form natural sources', and tense inconsistencies. Punctuation is generally acceptable, and while the errors are noticeable and cause some stumbling for the reader, they rarely completely obscure the intended meaning. This combination of a mixed structural range alongside persistent grammatical inaccuracies sits comfortably at Band 6.0.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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