Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-21

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 6.5)

Access to clean water is essential to human survival, and there is a strong argument that no one should be denied it because of their financial circumstances. I partly agree with the view that households should recieve a free water supply, but i do not believe that all households consumptions should be provided without charge.

There are compelling reasons why every househol should have free access to a basic supply to clean water. Water is indispensable for drinking, preparing food and maintaining personal hygiene, making it fundamentally different from manny other household necessities. If people on low incomes were required to pay for all the water they needed, some vulnerable families could be forced to reduce their consumption below a safe level. This could have serious consequences for public health, particularly because inadequate access to clean water can contribute to poor sanitation and the spread of waterborne diseases. For this reason, providing sufficient water for essantial daily needs can be regraded as a basic social reponsibility.

However, I disagree with the idea that households should receive unlimited water entirely free of charge. Supplying clean water requires substantial expenditure on treatment facilities, pipelines, maintenance and energy, all of which ultimately have to be financed by governments, consumers or taxpayers. Moreover, if households were not required to pay according to their level of consumption, there would be less incentive to use this limited resource responsibly. For instance, a household that uses considerably more water for activities such as filling swimming pools or maintaining large gardens would receive the same financial benefit as a family using water only for essential purposes. This could encourage excessive consumption and place additional pressure on water resources.

In conclusion, I agree that every household should be guaranteed access to enough clean water for essential needs, regardless of income. Nevertheless, I do not support making unlimited household water completely free, since this could create unnecessary financial and environmental pressures.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The student addresses all parts of the task by presenting a clear position that balances the right to free basic water with the need to charge for excessive consumption. The main ideas are well-developed and supported with relevant explanations and examples, such as the distinction between essential daily needs and non-essential activities like filling swimming pools or maintaining large gardens. The response successfully avoids over-generalisation by differentiating consumption tiers, presenting a nuanced and thoughtful approach to the prompt. This performance fully meets the criteria for Band 7, where the task is comprehensively addressed with a well-developed, clear position throughout.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay displays a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct central topic, moving smoothly from the introduction to the arguments in favour of free basic access, the counter-arguments regarding excess consumption, and a concise conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'There are compelling reasons', 'However', and 'In conclusion' are used effectively to guide the reader through the argument. Paragraphing is managed logically and appropriately. While referencing and substitution are generally clear, occasional minor mechanical links prevent it from reaching a higher band. Overall, the structure is coherent and easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The student demonstrates a sufficient range of vocabulary with good flexibility and precision. Less common lexical items are used appropriately, such as 'indispensable', 'substance expenditure', 'vulnerable families', and 'waterborne diseases'. There is a strong awareness of style and collocation, although a few minor typographical and lexical errors appear, such as 'recieve' instead of 'receive' and 'consumptions' instead of 'consumption'. These minor slips do not impede communication and allow the writing to read naturally for the most part, matching the Band 7 requirements where vocabulary control is generally good despite occasional inaccuracies.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The writer uses a good variety of complex sentence structures with frequent error-free sentences, demonstrating solid control over grammar and punctuation. Examples of effective complex structures include 'If people on low incomes were required to pay for all the water they needed, some vulnerable families could be forced to reduce their consumption below a safe level.' There are a few isolated mechanical and grammatical slips, notably lowercase letters in the introduction ('i do not believe') and a slight pluralisation error ('househol' and 'essantial'), but these do not impede communication. The overall grammatical control easily secures a solid Band 7 score.

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