Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-22

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 a fundamental human right. Every household should have access to water free of charge. I fully agree with this statement, as this is the most basic necessity of life and is required by every human being to survive.

Clean and purified water should be provided to everyone without any discrimination as it is a human right. Water is necessary for sustaining life and maintaining human health. Without water, no one can survive in this world. Clean water is not a luxury and it should not be treated like one. Even poor people deserve water which is free of contaminants, but they are not able to get that because of the high costs of purified water. Therefore, governments should ensure that every household has access to a basic supply of safe water without charge.

Clean water is not only necessary for survival but also important for reducing the risk of diseases. Many waterborne illnesses can be prevented through access to clean water. Health inequalities and other diseases can be reduced by maintaining stable access to safe water. The risk of these diseases is more prevalent in low-income communities as they are already suffering from poor hygiene and sanitation. For example, people living in deprived areas may be forced to use contaminated water for drinking and cooking, which can increase the spread of infections. Providing free water can therefore improve public health and reduce the financial burden of medical treatment.

In conclusion, I strongly believe that every household should be provided with a basic supply of clean water free of charge. Water is essential for human survival, and making it freely available would not only protect people's basic rights but also improve public health, particularly among disadvantaged communities.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The student addresses all parts of the task directly, taking a clear and consistent position in agreement with the prompt. The response presents well-developed ideas regarding the necessity of water for survival and public health. For instance, the second and third body paragraphs logically extend the argument by discussing the prevention of waterborne illnesses and the vulnerability of low-income communities. The ideas are relevant and supported with logical explanations, such as how deprived areas may be forced to use contaminated water. The position is maintained throughout the introduction, body, and conclusion, fulfilling the requirements for a Band 7 score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The response demonstrates a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct central topic, moving smoothly from the general right to water, to health benefits, and concluding with a summary. Cohesive devices are used effectively, such as 'Therefore', 'In conclusion', and 'For example', though the transitional links within paragraphs can occasionally feel a bit mechanical. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately to structure the essay clearly. Referencing is generally well managed, ensuring that the reader can easily follow the flow of arguments, which aligns well with the Band 7 descriptors.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student displays a sufficient range of vocabulary for the task, allowing for some flexibility and precision. Phrases such as 'fundamental human right', 'sustaining life', 'waterborne illnesses', and 'financial burden' indicate a good control of topic-specific vocabulary. There are attempts to use less common items with some awareness of style, though the lexicon is somewhat repetitive in its phrasing (e.g., repeating 'clean water' and 'free of charge' frequently). However, the word choices are appropriate, and spelling is accurate throughout, meaning errors do not impede communication, placing this securely at Band 6.5 to 7.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The essay exhibits a good variety of sentence structures, including both simple and complex forms. Examples such as 'Clean water is not only necessary for survival but also important for reducing the risk of diseases' and 'Providing free water can therefore improve public health' show a good command of grammar. There are frequent error-free sentences, and punctuation is handled competently. While the grammatical structures are somewhat standard for academic writing and lack the wider flexibility of higher bands, control is consistently strong with only occasional minor slips, justifying a Band 7 score.

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