Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · 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 7.5)

essential for human survival, and many people believe that every household should receive a free water supply because it is a basic human right. I largely agree with this view, although I believe that completely free water for unlimited consumption may not be practical.

Firstly, providing every household with a basic amount of free water would help ensure that people can meet their essential needs. Clean water is necessary for drinking, cooking, washing and maintaining personal hygiene. In particular, low-income families may struggle to pay water bills, and free access to a minimum supply could protect them from serious health problems. Furthermore, governments have a responsibility to ensure that their citizens can enjoy basic living conditions, especially when access to clean water directly affects public health.

However, making all water completely free could create several problems. Water treatment and distribution require substantial amounts of money, including the costs of maintaining pipes, treatment plants and pumping systems. If consumers did not have to pay anything, they might also use water carelessly, leading to unnecessary waste. This could become particularly problematic in areas that frequently experience droughts or water shortages. Therefore, a system in which households receive a reasonable amount of water free of charge, while excessive consumption is charged, could be more sustainable.

In conclusion, I agree that everyone should have access to a basic supply of clean water without financial barriers. However, unlimited free water is unlikely to be sustainable. A combination of free essential water and charges for excessive use would help protect both people's basic rights and limited water resources.

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AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.5

The response successfully addresses all parts of the task by taking a clear, nuanced position on whether access to water should be free. The student presents well-developed ideas, arguing effectively in the second paragraph that a baseline amount of free water protects low-income families and public health. In the third paragraph, the counterargument regarding infrastructure costs and careless consumption is logically introduced, leading to a well-reasoned compromise that balances basic human rights with resource sustainability. The position is maintained consistently throughout the essay, and the ideas are fully extended without digression, fulfilling the requirements for Band 8.0.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The essay demonstrates a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct central topic, starting with an introduction that presents a balanced stance, moving through supporting points and counterarguments, and ending with a concise summary. Cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'Furthermore', 'However', and 'Therefore' are used flexibly and appropriately to guide the reader through the argument. Paragraphing is managed effectively, with each block of text serving a distinct structural purpose, earning a solid Band 7.5.

Lexical Resource: Band 7.0

The writer uses a sufficient range of vocabulary with good flexibility and precision. Terms such as 'essential for human survival', 'low-income families', 'substantive amounts of money', and 'resource sustainability' demonstrate a strong command of topic-specific language. Less common lexical items are employed naturally with a good awareness of collocation and style. Spelling and word choices are accurate throughout the text, meaning communication is completely unimpeded, which aligns well with the descriptors for Band 7.5.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.5

The response features a wide variety of complex sentence structures used with a high degree of accuracy. The writer successfully employs conditional and concessive structures, such as 'If consumers did not have to pay anything, they might also use water carelessly...' and '...a system in which households receive a reasonable amount of water free of charge, while excessive consumption is charged, could be more sustainable.' The majority of sentences are error-free, and punctuation is handled competently throughout, fully justifying a Band 8.0 for grammar.

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