Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)
There is no doubt that clean water is an essential human need. But it is often argued that a supply of clean water should be provided in every home free of charge. I totally agree with this argument, but there must be some regulations to maintain the balance and optimal usage of water. The both points will be discussed in this essay.
The research shows that, from the beginning of life, water has always been one of the most crucial natural resources for life to nourish. The remnants of every old civilizations that have been found till date, has the evidence that they were settled near a water body. Water has been the sign of life ever since. Even in this modern era, with other things water is also one of the basic human rights. Therefore, it is necessary for everyone to have access to clean water.
I think clean water supply must be provided to people by a well organized government body. People access clean water by different means. Back in time, most of the homes used to rely on their own underground water supply, which are still in use. But the problem with this source of water is that, the underground water is limited and by such manners water is being used abundantly. There is another factor that, this water is also getting polluted by chemical wastes by industries specially in big cities, which causes certain chronic diseases in people.
By keeping all these factors in mind, I believe that, a monitored and balanced clean water supply for each home would be more efficient. This approach will help us to use water more efficiently, by regualting its use and recycling it. This whole process would be very beneficial to deal with future water crises.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses all parts of the task and takes a clear, consistent position ('I totally agree with this argument'). The writer supports their viewpoint by discussing historical reliance on water, modern government responsibilities, and the need for regulation and recycling to prevent future crises. While some ideas, such as the historical background, could be more tightly focused on the core question of whether water should be free, the main arguments are adequately extended and supported. The response meets the criteria for Band 6.5, but rounding to the whole band, it fits the Band 6 descriptor well as it addresses all parts of the task with relevant ideas, though some aspects are slightly under-developed.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay presents a coherent overall arrangement and follows a logical progression from historical context to current issues and proposed solutions. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different stages of the argument, such as the introductory stance, the historical background, current government supply methods, and future recommendations. However, cohesive devices are sometimes mechanical or awkward, such as 'The both points will be discussed in this essay' and 'There is another factor that, this water is also getting polluted'. Referencing is occasionally unclear, but overall, the logical organisation is clear enough to earn a Band 6.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully incorporating terms like 'essential human need', 'natural resources', 'chronic diseases', and 'optimal usage'. However, there are notable word-choice errors and awkward collocations, such as 'remnants of every old civilizations... has the evidence' (grammatical mismatch), 'by such manners water is being used abundantly', and the misspelling 'regualting'. Despite these inaccuracies, communication is never impeded, and the vocabulary used is sufficient to cover the topic adequately, aligning with the Band 6 descriptor.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The writer employs a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including relative clauses and conditional-like structures ('If the response...' adapted into essay context). There are several grammatical errors and punctuation issues throughout the text, such as subject-verb agreement errors ('remnants... has the evidence'), unnecessary commas ('I believe that, a monitored...'), and article misuse ('The both points'). Nonetheless, these errors rarely impede communication, and the overall grammatical control represents a solid Band 6 performance.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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