Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-17
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 7.5)
Access to clean water is undoubtedly essential for human survival and well-being. While I agree that every person should have access to a safe and reliable water supply, I disagree that water should be provided completely free of charge to every household. In my view, governments should guarantee affordable access to basic water while charging reasonable fees for consumption.
The main reason for supporting free or heavily subsidised basic water supplies is that clean water is a fundamental necessity rather than a luxury. People need it for drinking, cooking and maintaining personal hygiene, and denying access because of poverty could have serious consequences for public health. In developing countries, for example, low-income families may be unable to afford adequate quantities of clean water if they have to pay the full market price. Governments could therefore provide a minimum amount of water free of charge, particularly to disadvantaged households, while investing in infrastructure to ensure that the supply is safe.
However, making all household water completely free could encourage unnecessary consumption and place a considerable financial burden on governments. Water treatment, transportation and the maintenance of pipelines require substantial funding. If consumers do not pay anything, governments would have to cover these costs entirely through taxation or other public funds. Moreover, free water could lead to wastage, such as leaving taps running or using excessive amounts for gardening and car washing. A system in which households pay according to their usage can encourage people to conserve this limited resource.
A more balanced approach would therefore be to provide every household with a free basic allowance of clean water, while charging for consumption above this level. Poor families could also receive additional subsidies, whereas households that use large amounts could pay higher rates. This would protect people's fundamental right to clean water without encouraging excessive consumption or placing unnecessary pressure on public finances.
In conclusion, although access to clean water should be guaranteed to everyone, I do not believe that unlimited household water should be completely free. Providing a free basic supply combined with reasonable charges for additional consumption would be a fairer and more sustainable solution.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 7.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 7.5 |
| Overall | 7.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5
The response fully addresses all parts of the prompt by taking a nuanced position that clean water is a basic right, but should not be completely free of charge. The writer presents a clear and well-developed argument throughout the essay. Ideas are well extended with relevant reasoning and examples, such as mentioning how low-income families might struggle in developing countries while completely free water could lead to wastage. The position is maintained consistently from the introduction through to the conclusion, meeting all Band 8 descriptors for Task Achievement.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5
The essay is logically structured with a clear progression of ideas from introduction to body paragraphs and conclusion. Each paragraph has a distinct central topic, starting with the arguments for subsidised water, moving to the counterarguments against completely free water, and culminating in a balanced solution. Cohesive devices are used naturally and effectively without being overly mechanical (e.g., 'The main reason for supporting...', 'However, making all household water...', 'A more balanced approach would therefore be...'). Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, earning a solid Band 8.
Lexical Resource — Band 7.0
The writer demonstrates a wide and flexible lexical resource suitable for an academic task. Words and phrases such as 'undoubtedly essential', 'fundamental necessity', 'substantial funding', and 'sustainable solution' are used accurately and appropriately. There is good collocation and variety throughout the response. Only occasional minor limitations keep this from a Band 8, making Band 7.5 appropriate due to the natural flow and strong selection of topic-specific vocabulary.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5
The essay displays a wide range of grammatical structures, including complex sentences with conditional and subordinate clauses (e.g., 'If consumers do not pay anything, governments would have to cover these costs entirely...'). The majority of sentences are error-free, and control over grammar and punctuation is consistently high. There are only very occasional minor slips, which fits the Band 8 criteria for grammatical range and accuracy.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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