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. 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 ancient civilizations that have been found till date, had 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 is 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 especially 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 regulating its use and recycling it. This whole process would be very beneficial to deal with future water crises.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses the prompt directly by taking a clear position ('I totally agree with this argument, but there must be some regulations') and attempting to justify it. The main ideas, such as water being a basic human need and the necessity of government regulation to prevent waste and pollution, are relevant. However, the development is somewhat uneven. While the essay touches on historical context and modern challenges like underground water depletion and industrial pollution, these ideas remain somewhat broad and under-developed. For instance, the transition from historical civilisations to modern government provision is abrupt. Nevertheless, all parts of the task are addressed, earning a solid Band 6.5.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay displays a generally clear overall progression and logical organisation. Paragraphing is utilised, with an introduction, body paragraphs discussing different aspects of the argument, and a conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'Therefore', 'Even in this modern era', and 'By keeping all these factors in mind' are used to link ideas, although some transitions feel slightly mechanical or forced (e.g., 'The research shows that...'). Referencing is mostly clear, though the connection between sentences in the second body paragraph could be smoother. Overall, the structural framework meets the criteria for Band 6.0 well.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, with attempts at less common items such as 'optimal usage', 'crucial natural resources', and 'chronic diseases'. However, there are noticeable word choice and collocation inaccuracies throughout the text. For example, writing 'till date' instead of 'to date', 'every ancient civilizations' (plural error with 'every'), and 'abundantly' where 'excessively' would be more natural. Despite these lexical slips, the vocabulary remains sufficient to communicate the main arguments clearly, aligning with the Band 6.0 descriptors.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The writer demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, incorporating clauses with 'that', 'which', and conditional concepts. There are several grammatical errors and punctuation issues present, such as unnecessary commas ('I believe that, a monitored...'), subject-verb agreement issues ('every ancient civilizations that have been found till date, had'), and awkward phrasing ('with other things water is also one of the basic human rights'). While these errors are frequent, they rarely impede the overall flow of communication or obscure the meaning, placing this criterion comfortably at Band 6.0.

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