Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-20

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)

It is true that accessibility of clean water is one of the fundamental human rights. While some people argue that clean water supply should be free of charge, I completely disagree with this statement primarily due to the financial burden it would cause on the government.

On the one hand, clean water is very essential for every individual in order to lead a healthy life. One reason is that excessive water pollution has not only affected drinking water but also domestic water sources. Consequently, it has caused severe skin related and waterborn diseases like diarrhoea. Therefore, it has been a urgent need to have adequate access to clean water supply. For example, in urban cities where people live by the river, water pollution due to the rapid industrialisation has been so severe that sometimes it becomes really impossible to walk by the river let alone to use that water.

On the other hand, expecting the charge-free supply of clean water in every house is not feasible. The main barrier for that government is that it needs to subsidise some of the sectors like education, food production, treatment. Hence it would be an extra burden on the government to ensure free supply of clean water in every home. Instead government can choose a priority-based approach to ensure clean water supply at the minimum charge possible.

In conclusion, although it is undeniable that clean water supply is an urgent need, I disagree with the view that it should be free of charge in every house. Therefore, considering the financial burden on the governement minimum charge should be applied to ensure clean water supply for the most vulnerable places.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

Your position is clear from the introduction to the conclusion: you disagree with making household water free, mainly because of the cost to government. You also acknowledge the importance of clean water and support this with pollution-related health risks, so the response addresses both the human-rights concern and the proposed policy. The financial argument, however, is less fully developed than the health discussion: listing education, food production and treatment as competing priorities does not explain how charging households would make provision sustainable or how vulnerable people would be protected. The river example illustrates pollution, but it does not directly support your case against free supply. Develop the policy reasoning and connect each example more explicitly to your position.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The essay has a clear overall structure, with an introduction, contrasting body paragraphs and a conclusion. The progression from the importance of clean water to the practical objection is easy to follow, and signposts such as “On the one hand,” “On the other hand” and “In conclusion” help readers navigate the argument. At times, however, these transitions feel formulaic, and some links between claims are not fully explained. For instance, “Hence” introduces the financial burden without showing precisely why the listed public services make free water infeasible. The conclusion repeats the position but moves quickly from government costs to prioritising vulnerable places. Use more precise referencing and develop the logical links between sentences so cohesion feels less dependent on set phrases.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of topic vocabulary, including “fundamental human rights,” “water pollution,” “financial burden” and “priority-based approach.” These choices communicate the main ideas, and some less common expressions show an attempt to discuss the issue precisely. However, several word choices or collocations are inaccurate or awkward, such as “charge-free supply,” “clean water supply” repeated frequently, and “skin related and waterborn diseases.” There are also spelling errors, including “governement” and “waterborn,” which reduce accuracy. Aim for more natural combinations and vary repeated phrases—for example, distinguish between access to safe water, household water provision and water services. Proofreading spelling and word forms would make the vocabulary more controlled.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including a concessive opening (“While some people argue…”) and a cause-and-effect sentence beginning “Consequently.” Most sentences remain understandable, and the grammar errors do not prevent the reader from following your argument. Some inaccuracies persist, however: “it has been a urgent need” has an article error, and “expecting the charge-free supply … is not feasible” is an awkwardly formed construction. In “considering the financial burden on the governement minimum charge should be applied,” the introductory phrase needs clearer punctuation and the sentence structure is difficult to process. Work on articles, natural clause construction and punctuation around introductory phrases, while continuing to use varied sentence patterns.

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