Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-29
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 5.5)
There is a popular argument that clean water should be included as basic human right, and each household should have water supply free of charge. I partially agree with the statement because clean water is essential for everyone, but at the same time, I disagree with this because it can lead to wastage of water.
First and foremost, water is one of the most important segment of human life. Without water, the survival of human race is not possible. Furthermore, only water supply isn't important, having a clean water is equally important. Dirty water can have multiple bacterias and impurities in them, which can result into multiple leathal diseases. To prevent this and for wellbeing of people, each govt. should focus on providing clean water to each home.
The prime responsibility of govt. is to provide clean water but with the condition of charging small fee. Clean drinking water is not available in massive scale and is rather a scarce resource. Only 3% of world's water is drinkable. Households might not use it responsibly if it is free that can lead to wastage of precious water. To control wastage of water, govt. should apply small fee so people can use it with utmost caution. A small fee should be introduce to make people responsible and not make their life more difficult.
In conclusion, the clean and pure drinkable water should be available to each and every house, but with a small fee attaced to it in order to prevent water wastage.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0
The student addresses all parts of the task by taking a balanced position, agreeing that clean water is a basic right while disagreeing that it should be provided entirely free of charge. The ideas are relevant and generally well-supported, particularly the discussion surrounding the scarcity of drinkable water and the risk of wastage. For instance, the point that 'Only 3% of world's water is drinkable' effectively supports the argument against free supply. However, the development of ideas could be extended further to achieve a higher band score; the reasoning regarding the small fee preventing wastage is slightly repetitive across the body paragraphs. Overall, the position is clear throughout, satisfying the requirements for a Band 6.5 or 7.0 response. Given the balanced view and clear support, a score of 6.5 is well-deserved.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The response presents a coherent overall arrangement with a clear logical progression. The essay is divided into an introduction, two body paragraphs exploring opposing viewpoints, and a conclusion. Cohesive devices are used adequately, such as 'First and foremost', 'Furthermore', and 'In conclusion', though some referencing and transitions feel a bit mechanical. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately to separate the main ideas. However, minor mechanical errors in cohesion and a slight lack of flexibility in transitional phrases keep this section at a Band 6.0 level. The progression of ideas from the importance of water to the necessity of a small fee is logical and easy to follow throughout the text.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully attempting less common items such as 'scarce resource', 'leathal diseases', and 'utmost caution'. There are, however, several lexical errors and spelling mistakes, such as 'bacterias' (bacteria), 'leathal' (lethal), 'govt.', and 'attaced' (attached). Despite these inaccuracies, communication is not impeded, and the meaning remains clear throughout the essay. The writer also relies on some repetitive phrasing when discussing water wastage. Because the range is sufficient and allows the student to convey their message despite noticeable spelling and word-choice errors, a Band 6.0 is appropriate.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The student uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating attempts at subordination with structures like 'Without water, the survival of human race is not possible' and 'Households might not use it responsibly if it is free that can lead to wastage'. There are several grammatical errors present, such as missing articles ('as basic human right', 'having a clean water', 'on massive scale'), incorrect prepositions ('result into' instead of 'result in'), and run-on structures. Nevertheless, these errors rarely impede overall communication, and the reader can easily follow the argument. Providing a decent mix of sentence types alongside recurring minor errors places this response firmly at Band 6.0.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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