Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-15

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)

It is argued that filtered water should be available at every home without charge as it is a basic human right. Some believe that would harm the economey. However, others think that basic human resources needed for survival should be free of charge. While the former view has valid points, I firmly agree with the latter as clean water is essencial.

Some firmly believe that providing clean water without charge for every home world wide is a negative development for the economy around the world, and it should be treated like electricity with at least minimal charge. However, this view completely overlooks the fact that clean water is a human right required for the survival of all individuals, and thee whole human body depends on it for basic functions and processes.

On the other hand, others think basic human rights like clean water should be free of charge. This is because apartment rent and house prices are already unafforable, making a free supply of filtered water make sence. For instance, people believe that if every household is charged 3 dollars a month, and there are 1000 homes in a town, 3000 dollars go to the country from every town a month. Which adds up to a significant amount of money. However, some people can't afford spending money on something that should be free, and that could lead to the death of many.

To conclude, people have differnet takes at whether clean water should be for no charge for not. In my opinion, basic human needs sould be completely free.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

Your position is clear: you agree that clean water should be free, and you give relevant reasons, including its importance for survival and the financial pressure on households. You also acknowledge the opposing view that free provision could affect the economy. However, the discussion is only partly developed. The economic argument is introduced but not explained in detail, while the example about a town collecting $3,000 a month does not clearly show how this supports free provision; it may instead suggest that charges generate useful revenue. Explain how governments could fund water services and develop the consequences of charging people who cannot afford it. This would make your response more fully address and support the central argument.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, two body paragraphs and a conclusion. Paragraphs generally have a clear focus, and signposts such as “However” and “On the other hand” help show contrast. The overall progression is understandable, but some connections are mechanical or unclear. For example, “Which adds up to a significant amount of money” is a sentence fragment and its relationship to the argument is uncertain. The first body paragraph also presents the opposing view and then counters it, while the next begins by restating the supporting view, creating some repetition. Use clearer links between each claim and its explanation, and ensure each paragraph advances the argument rather than repeating a position.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant vocabulary for the topic, including “human right,” “survival,” “basic functions,” and “household,” and the meaning is generally clear. There are also attempts at more formal phrasing, such as “negative development for the economy.” However, spelling and word-choice errors are noticeable, including “economey,” “essencial,” “unafforable,” and “differnet.” Some expressions are imprecise or unnatural: “filtered water” does not fully match the task’s broader idea of clean water, and “different takes at whether” is informal and awkward. Build a more accurate range of topic vocabulary and check spelling carefully. More precise phrasing would help you express the economic and social arguments without relying on repeated words such as “free” and “basic.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and complex sentences, including a concession in “While the former view has valid points” and a reason clause beginning “This is because.” Most ideas remain understandable, but some sentence structures and punctuation need more control. “Which adds up to a significant amount of money” is a dependent clause presented as a complete sentence; it should be joined to the preceding sentence. In “if every household is charged 3 dollars a month, and there are 1000 homes,” the comma before “and” interrupts the conditional structure. The phrase “people can’t afford spending money” also uses an awkward grammatical pattern; “can’t afford to spend” is the appropriate construction. Practise joining clauses accurately and varying sentence forms while checking punctuation.

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