Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · 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 7.5)

Access to clean water is essential for human life, and some people believe that every household should receive a free water supply. I agree that everyone should have access to a sufficient amount of clean water, but I do not believe that providing unlimited water completely free of charge is the best approach.

The main reason for providing free water is that it is necessary for basic health and hygiene. People need water for drinking, cooking, washing and cleaning, and low-income families may struggle to pay for these essential needs. If governments guarantee a minimum amount of clean water free of charge, everyone, regardless of their financial situation, can maintain a reasonable standard of living. This could also reduce health problems caused by using unsafe sources of water. For example, in areas where clean water is difficult to obtain, providing free public water supplies can help prevent diseases caused by contaminated water.

However, making all household water completely free could lead to excessive consumption and put a significant financial burden on governments. Water treatment, transportation and the maintenance of pipelines require large amounts of money. If people do not have to pay anything for water, they may also have less motivation to avoid unnecessary use. A better solution would therefore be to provide every household with a basic quantity of water free of charge and charge for consumption above this level. In this way, essential needs would be protected while excessive use could be discouraged.

In conclusion, I strongly support the principle that everyone should have free access to enough clean water for their basic needs. However, I disagree with making the entire household water supply free, as a limited free allowance combined with reasonable charges would be more sustainable.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.5

The response fully addresses all parts of the task by taking a clear, nuanced position that distinguishes between basic survival needs and unlimited free water. Your introduction clearly states, "I agree that everyone should have access to a sufficient amount of clean water, but I do not believe that providing unlimited water completely free of charge is the best approach." The body paragraphs effectively explore both sides of the argument, weighing the health benefits and necessity of water for low-income families against the risks of excessive consumption and financial burdens on governments. You then offer a well-reasoned compromise of providing a basic free allowance combined with charges for excess usage. Ideas are well-developed and supported with relevant explanations and real-world examples, such as preventing waterborne diseases and the costs of infrastructure maintenance, fully satisfying the requirements for a high band score.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.5

Ideas are logically sequenced and progress naturally throughout the response. Each paragraph has a clear central theme, starting with your position, moving to arguments for free water, shifting to counterarguments regarding excessive consumption and cost, and concluding with a balanced summary. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate these distinct stages of the argument. Cohesive devices such as "The main reason", "However", "A better solution would therefore be", and "In conclusion" are used effectively to guide the reader through the text without being intrusive. Referencing is clear throughout, and logical relationships between sentences are well managed, creating a seamless and cohesive flow from start to finish.

Lexical Resource: Band 7.0

You demonstrate a wide and flexible range of vocabulary suited to an academic discussion. Words and phrases such as "sufficient amount", "financial situation", "excessive consumption", "infrastructure", and "sustainable" are used with precision. You also employ less common lexical items and collocations naturally, such as "guarantee a minimum amount", "put a significant financial burden", and "limited free allowance". Word choice and collocations are accurate, and spelling is flawless. While you could occasionally incorporate even more sophisticated or idiomatic academic synonyms, the lexical range used here is fully sufficient to convey precise meanings and supports a high band score comfortably.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.5

The response features a wide range of complex sentence structures used with a high degree of accuracy. The majority of your sentences are error-free. You successfully integrate conditional and multi-clause structures, such as "If governments guarantee a minimum amount of clean water free of charge, everyone... can maintain a reasonable standard of living" and "If people do not have to pay anything for water, they may also have less motivation to avoid unnecessary use." Punctuation is handled correctly to manage long, complex sentences, and verb tenses are controlled consistently throughout. Only very occasional minor slips or phrasing imperfections might occur, but grammar and punctuation never impede communication whatsoever.

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