Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-15
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 often argued that whether access to clean water is a basic human right. So, every house should have a water supply that is provided free of cost. I firmly believe that every home should have access to clean water due to several compelling reasons. This essay will not only elaborate my opinion but would also give suitable examples to shield my argument.
To begin with, access to fresh water is listed as a basic and the most vital right for every human being on the planet earth in almost every country's constitution. Also, it is not only included in the constitution it has been the first and foremost necessity of every society in order to live a healthy and a better life. For instance, the article number 9 of Islamic republic of Pakistan clearly says that the basic needs for the citizens are thier right.
Furthermore, for the sake of welfare of a nation access to clean water as well as other necessities shouldn't be compromised. Because, if vital rights shouldn't be provided to the people how would a natioon and their workers would be able to make constructive development not only for themselves but aslo for the country. For example, in Sudan people don't have access to clean water and food. As a result, their country isn't able to make a considerable growth for thier economy.
In conlcusion, although some people oppose the idea of free water supply. I strongly believe that access to fresh and clean water is the most significant and basic right for every person.
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 student addresses the prompt by clearly taking a position that clean water should be provided free of charge and supporting this view with reasons. The introduction clearly states the writer's stance, and body paragraphs provide arguments related to constitutional rights and economic welfare. However, the development of ideas remains somewhat generalized and repetitive. For example, while the mention of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and Sudan attempts to support the argument, the connection to why the water specifically must be free of charge is not fully articulated. The response meets all task requirements, but the extension and support of ideas place it firmly in the Band 6 category, as some ideas are under-developed.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay displays a coherent overall arrangement with clear paragraphing, including an introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'To begin with', 'Furthermore', and 'In conclusion'. However, cohesion is at times mechanical or faulty. For instance, the transition 'Because, if vital rights shouldn't be provided...' starts a sentence with a dependent clause improperly punctuated, and referencing is occasionally unclear (e.g., 'thier right'). Paragraphing is used sufficiently to separate main ideas, but the logical progression within the second body paragraph suffers from awkward phrasing. These issues align with the Band 6 descriptors.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, attempting some less common items such as 'compelling reasons', 'constitutional', and 'constructive development'. However, there are notable spelling errors throughout the text, including 'thier' (instead of their), 'natioon' (nation), 'aslo' (also), and 'conlcusion' (conclusion). Word choice and collocation are also occasionally imprecise, such as 'shield my argument' instead of 'support my argument'. Because these lexical errors do not severely impede communication, the performance satisfies the criteria for Band 6.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating some control over structure. However, there are frequent grammatical errors and punctuation issues that disrupt the flow. Examples include the fragment and structural error in the opening sentence ('It is often argued that whether access to clean water is a basic human right'), comma splices, and incorrect subject-verb agreement or article usage (e.g., 'planet earth', 'article number 9'). While the meaning is generally retrievable, the accumulation of errors prevents the essay from reaching a higher band, making Band 5.0 the most accurate description of the grammatical control shown.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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