Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-23
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)
Access to clean water is essential for human survival, leading many to argue that it should be universally recognized as a basic human right. While I agree that governments must ensure every citizen has free access to a baseline amount of clean water for survival, I disagree that unlimited water usage should be completely free of charge .
On the one hand, providing a basic quota of free water to every household is a moral obligation for any civilized society. Clean water is fundamental to public health, sanitation, and disease prevention. If a government charges for the minimum amount of water required to drink, cook, and maintain basic hygiene, impoverished families may be forced to rely on contaminated sources. This can lead to outbreaks of waterborne diseases like cholera, which ultimately burden the public healthcare system. Therefore, guaranteeing a baseline volume of free water ensures that no citizen suffers from deprivation due to financial hardship.
On the other hand, rendering water entirely free without any restrictions or costs can lead to severe environmental and economic consequences. When a resource is provided free of charge, consumers lack the financial incentive to conserve it. This lack of accountability often leads to widespread waste, such as leaving taps running, neglecting plumbing leaks, or excessively watering lawns. Furthermore, treating, purifying, and distributing safe tap water requires massive infrastructural investment and ongoing maintenance. If governments do not collect fees from high-volume consumers, funding these essential utilities becomes unsustainable, potentially compromising the overall quality and reliability of the water supply.
In conclusion, I believe a tiered pricing system is the most equitable solution. Governments should provide a minimum, essential quantity of clean water to every home free of charge to safeguard human rights and public health. However, any consumption beyond this basic threshold should be metered and taxed to encourage conservation and fund infrastructure
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 7.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 7.5 |
| Overall | 7.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.5
The response fully addresses all parts of the task by presenting a nuanced, well-developed position on whether water should be provided completely free of charge. The writer clearly distinguishes between a basic human right quota and unlimited usage. The introduction clearly states the partial agreement position, which is consistently maintained throughout. Main body paragraphs are well-supported with relevant explanations, such as the public health risks of contaminated sources ('outbreaks of waterborne diseases like cholera') and the environmental and economic consequences of unrestricted consumption ('leaving taps running, neglecting plumbing leaks'). The conclusion neatly summarizes the proposed tiered pricing system. Overall, this demonstrates a high level of task response meeting Band 8 criteria.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.5
The response is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas from introduction to body paragraphs and conclusion. Each paragraph has a clear central topic, highlighted by effective cohesive signposting such as 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', and 'In conclusion'. Referencing and substitution are managed smoothly throughout the text, ensuring that ideas flow logically without unnecessary repetition. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, with each major argument housed in its own distinct section. Cohesion is natural and unobtrusive, aligning well with the descriptors for a Band 8 performance.
Lexical Resource: Band 7.0
The student demonstrates a wide and flexible lexical range suitable for an academic task. Less common vocabulary items are used with a strong awareness of style and collocation, such as 'universally recognized', 'moral obligation', 'impoverished families', 'infrastructural investment', and 'equitable solution'. Word choice is generally accurate and natural, though there is a very slight missing punctuation mark at the very end of the essay. The language successfully conveys precise meanings regarding economics, public health, and human rights, demonstrating solid Band 7.5 to 8.0 lexical control, comfortably earning a Band 7.5 overall.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.5
The writer uses a wide variety of complex sentence structures with a high degree of flexibility and accuracy. Examples include conditional structures ('If a government charges for the minimum amount...', 'If governments do not collect fees...') and participial phrases ('treating, purifying, and distributing safe tap water requires massive infrastructural investment'). The majority of sentences are entirely error-free, and grammar and punctuation are controlled very well. Minor slips are virtually absent, though the final sentence lacks a concluding period. Overall, the grammatical control easily satisfies the criteria for Band 8.
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