Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · 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 7.0)

It is often argued that access to clean water is a basic human right, and therefore every home should receive a free water supply. I strongly agree with this statement because water is essential for survival, and because charging for it would unfairly burden the poorest members of society.

The primary reason I support this view is that clean water is not a luxury; it is a necessity for life. There is no value in living in a modern society if people cannot access the most basic resource they need to survive. For example, in many developing countries, families who cannot afford clean water are forced to drink from contaminated sources, which leads to serious diseases and even death. If governments provided free water to every home, public health would improve dramatically, and millions of lives would be saved. Therefore, ensuring free access to water is not just a kindness; it is a moral obligation.

Another reason is that charging for water creates an unfair financial burden on low income families. When water is treated as a commodity, the poor are often forced to choose between buying food and buying water. For instance, in some cities, families spend a significant portion of their income on bottled water because their tap water is not safe. Similarly, in rural areas, people may have to pay high prices to private companies just to get enough water for drinking and cooking. In this way, a free water supply would reduce inequality and ensure that everyone, regardless of their wealth, has the same opportunity to live a healthy life.

In conclusion, I firmly believe that access to clean water should be free for every home. Water is a fundamental human need, not a product to be sold for profit. Governments must take responsibility for providing this essential service to all citizens, because a society that protects its most vulnerable people is a truly civilized society.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.5

The response fully addresses all parts of the prompt by taking a clear and well-developed position that clean water should be provided free of charge. The candidate introduces strong, relevant arguments in the body paragraphs, noting both the public health necessity of clean water and the socio-economic burdens placed on low-income families. Ideas are thoroughly extended with logical examples, such as reference to developing countries and urban versus rural discrepancies. The position is maintained consistently from the introduction to the conclusion, satisfying the highest descriptors for task response without any under-developed areas.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

Ideas are logically sequenced, guiding the reader smoothly from the thesis statement through well-supported body paragraphs to a concise conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately and sufficiently, with each paragraph focusing on a distinct central topic (health necessity and financial burden). Cohesive devices such as 'The primary reason', 'For example', 'Another reason', and 'In conclusion' are managed effectively to show clear relationships between ideas, although referencing is standard rather than exceptionally sophisticated. Overall progression is clear throughout the text, warranting a solid band 7.0.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

The candidate demonstrates a sufficient range of vocabulary with good flexibility and precision. Less common lexical items such as 'necessity for life', 'contaminated sources', 'financial burden', 'commodity', and 'vulnerable people' are used accurately. There is a clear awareness of collocation and style, with only occasional minor imperfections. While it stops just short of the sophisticated, highly fluid range required for a band 8, the vocabulary easily supports the communication of complex ideas, comfortably meeting the standard for a band 7.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.5

The writer uses a good variety of complex structures alongside simple sentences, demonstrating good control of grammar and punctuation. Sentences like 'There is no value in living in a modern society if people cannot access the most basic resource they need to survive' and 'When water is treated as a commodity, the poor are often forced to choose between buying food and buying water' show high grammatical competence. The majority of sentences are error-free, and minor punctuation or structural slips are extremely rare. Control is well maintained throughout.

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