Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-23

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 5.0)

There is no life without water, especially fresh and clean water source is a widely considered as a basic human right. Thus, a source of fresh water is often suggested be available in every house for free. I completely agree with this suggestion considering how governments are ought to look after public necessity and health risks caused by contaminated water.

One of the most prominent reasons is governments should be providing basic amenities to the public, which includes fresh water source. In many countries where clean water is not provided to every home, Individuals may need to setup water purifying systems on their own, which often cost a lot. Financially struggling people in such countries may not afford such systems and continue drinking water that is available to them. To exemplify, a family with only one bread earner who earns enough to sustain family needs might be unable to spend on water purifiers. Therefore, authorities should consider reliable and no-cost clean water supply to every households in a country.

Second reason is the types of serious diseases caused by drinking filthy water.

In conclusion, although tax payers may face a little increase in taxes, health benefits makes clean

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response4.5
Coherence and Cohesion4.5
Lexical Resource5.5
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.5
Overall5.0

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5

Your position is clear: you completely agree that households should receive clean water without charge, and the point about low-income families being unable to afford purification systems is relevant. However, the response addresses the task only partially. The second reason—diseases caused by contaminated water—is introduced but not explained or supported, and the conclusion is cut off after “health benefits makes clean,” so your final argument and position are not fully completed. The response also contains 198 words, below the required 250, which limits the opportunity to develop your ideas. To strengthen the response, explain the health consequences with a specific example and complete the conclusion by weighing the benefits against the tax cost you mention.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, a paragraph giving one main reason, a brief second-reason paragraph, and a conclusion. Sequencing phrases such as “One of the most prominent reasons,” “To exemplify,” and “In conclusion” help signal the direction of the argument. However, progression is limited because the second body paragraph contains only one sentence, and the conclusion ends abruptly, leaving the essay without a complete final point. Some links are also mechanical, particularly the repeated use of “reason” and “Therefore.” Develop each body paragraph around a clear claim, explanation, and example, then use the conclusion to summarise the argument fully. This would make the overall progression clearer and the connections between ideas more effective.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a reasonably varied set of topic-related vocabulary, including “basic human right,” “contaminated water,” “water purifying systems,” and “financially struggling people.” These choices make your main subject clear and show attempts to use more specific language than basic everyday terms. However, several phrases are awkward or imprecise, such as “fresh water source,” “setup water purifying systems,” and “no-cost clean water supply.” “Filthy water” is understandable but less suitable for a formal academic argument than “unsafe” or “contaminated water.” Aim for natural collocations and consistent formal wording, for example, “a reliable supply of clean water” and “install water-purification systems.” More precise vocabulary would help express your ideas smoothly without changing their meaning.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and complex sentences, including a relative clause in “people … who earns enough” and a conditional example beginning “In many countries where…”. The main argument is generally understandable, but errors in sentence structure and agreement occur. For example, “a basic human right” is preceded by the faulty construction “is a widely considered as,” and “governments are ought to look after” combines incompatible verb forms. There are also agreement and article problems in “health benefits makes” and “every households.” The final sentence is incomplete, which prevents the conclusion from being grammatically finished. Review subject–verb agreement, articles, and verb patterns, and proofread each sentence for a complete main clause. This will make your varied structures more accurate.

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