Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-03
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 6.5)
Clean water is a basic necessity for humans and its availability shall be ensured. However, the opinion of providing water supply to households free of charge is something I do not agree with because of its costs and the overuse it may cause.
On the one hand, in order to supply water to colonies certain measures are made. This involves costs of infrastructure, materials, architecture and the manpower. Thus, providing water supply to houses for free can create a massive burden on the governments that can affect the economy badly. For example, when a building is built, in order to ensure water supply in the house ground is dug, pipelines are laid that distribute water to several places inside the house and all this requires labour. All this procedure can not be performed without some expenditure. That is why people shall pay for the water they use.
On the other hand, water is used in daily life by everyone. If available for free consumers might start overusing it. Zero costs might reduce the sense of responsibility. For instance, car owners might start washing their cars daily with the clean water that can cause its depletion. Most of the Earth is water but clean water only makes up approximately 3% of it. Thus, governments should impose taxes keeping in regard the users of this resource.
In conclusion, water is essential for everyone but that does not mean it should be free because of ethical values and economical constraints. Thus, taxes imposed by the governments are valid enough.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.5 |
| Overall | 6.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0
The response addresses all parts of the task by presenting a clear position throughout, stating early on that water should not be provided free of charge due to associated costs and potential overuse. Ideas are extended and supported with relevant explanations, such as mentioning infrastructure, pipelines, and the scarcity of clean water. However, there is a tendency to over-generalise slightly and some arguments could be pushed further for complete depth, sitting comfortably at this level. The writer successfully outlines the economic constraints and the behavioral consequences of free utilities, meeting the criteria for a clear, sustained position with well-chosen supporting examples.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0
There is a clear logical organisation and progression throughout the essay. The response is divided into logical paragraphs with a clear introduction, two body paragraphs representing contrasting viewpoints, and a concise conclusion. Cohesive devices are used flexibly, such as 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', and 'That is why', though occasionally referencing or transitions feel slightly mechanical, which prevents the essay from reaching a higher tier. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, ensuring the reader can follow the writer's line of thought easily from start to finish.
Lexical Resource: Band 6.0
The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, attempting less common items such as 'expenditure', 'depletion', and 'economical constraints'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'economical constraints' instead of 'economic constraints' and 'colonies' when referring to residential areas or communities. Spelling and word-choice errors are present, for example 'can not' instead of 'cannot', but they do not impede communication, placing the response solidly in this vocabulary category.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5
The essay displays a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilising structures like conditional and causal clauses effectively. There are some errors in grammar and punctuation, such as missing articles ('the ground is dug', 'to ensure water supply in the house') and minor prepositional issues ('keeping in regard' instead of 'keeping in regard to' or 'taking into account'), but these errors rarely impede communication and there are frequent error-free sentences. The control of grammar shows a solid foundation that meets the lower boundary of higher bands while retaining some typical structural slips.
See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.
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