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)

Clean water is necessary for every person's life, and some people believe that every household should receive a free water supply. I agree that everyone should have access to clean water, but I do not completely agree that it should always be provided free of charge.

Firstly, clean water is essential for people's health and daily activities. People need water for drinking, cooking, washing and cleaning. If poor families cannot afford enough water, they may use unsafe sources, which can cause diseases and other health problems. Therefore, governments should make sure that clean water is available to all citizens, especially people with low incomes. For example, governments can provide a certain amount of free water to poor households or communities where access to clean water is difficult.

However, providing unlimited water completely free of charge could create several problems. Water treatment, transportation and maintenance of water supply systems require a large amount of money. If people do not have to pay anything, they may also waste water unnecessarily. Charging households a reasonable amount can encourage people to use this resource carefully. At the same time, governments can offer subsidies or free basic supplies to families who cannot afford them.

In my opinion, access to clean water should be guaranteed as a basic necessity, but this does not necessarily mean that every household should receive an unlimited supply for free. A system in which everyone receives sufficient basic water at a low cost, while disadvantaged families receive financial support, would be more practical.

In conclusion, clean water should be accessible to everyone because it is essential for human health and life. Nevertheless, completely free and unlimited water for every household could lead to financial and environmental problems. Governments should therefore guarantee basic access while encouraging responsible consumption.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response fully addresses all parts of the prompt by exploring the proposition that clean water is a basic human right and that every home should receive a free supply. The student adopts a clear, nuanced position throughout, agreeing that access is a right while disagreeing that it should be completely free and unlimited for everyone. Ideas are well-developed and supported with relevant reasoning, such as the economic costs of water treatment and the risk of wastage. The arguments are extended logically into practical solutions like targeted subsidies for low-income households. This meets the criteria for Band 7.0 quite comfortably.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay demonstrates clear logical organisation and progression from introduction to conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately, with each body paragraph focusing on a distinct sub-topic, such as health benefits versus economic and environmental consequences. Cohesive devices like 'Firstly', 'However', and 'In conclusion' are employed effectively to guide the reader through the argument. Although referencing and transitional phrases are sometimes straightforward rather than sophisticated, the overall structure remains coherent throughout, justifying a Band 7.0 score.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The student uses a sufficient range of vocabulary for the task with adequate flexibility and precision. Phrases such as 'basic human right', 'unsafe sources', 'financial and environmental problems', and 'responsible consumption' demonstrate a good grasp of topic-specific language. There is an attempt to use less common items with general awareness of collocation, and spelling and word choice are accurate. While it lacks the fully flexible range and sophisticated idiomatic control required for higher bands, the vocabulary is entirely adequate for a clear Band 7.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The response features a good mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating frequent error-free sentences. The student effectively utilises conditional and complex structures, such as 'If poor families cannot afford enough water, they may use unsafe sources...' and 'A system in which everyone receives sufficient basic water at a low cost...'. Grammar and punctuation are under good control, and while minor slips or simpler constructions occasionally appear, they never impede communication. This performance aligns well with Band 7.0 descriptors.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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