Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-26

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)

1st reason- Deseases 2nd reason- high cost

Water is something which our body is made up of approximately 70% and is a very important resource of any human being. Many people believe that clear water is a basic human right, therefore every home should have a water supply that is provided free of charge, I agree with this statement and will discuss a few points in support of it.

Firstly, water is something that every human being needs every day and the water that humans are consuming should not be contaminated. Contamination of water causes serious diseases, which is one of the most important reason why every home should have a clean water supply worth free of charge. These diseases can be life threating and should not enter any home. For instance, still to this day there are millions of homes especially in slums in India that use contaminated water for bathing, drinking, washing clothes and dishes.

Secondly, Water can be found anywhere on this globe but clean and drinking water is limited and access to it is also not easy for many families and individuals. The cost of drinkable water has reached sky limit and this makes it difficult for the families who are not able to afford it very difficult to access clean drinking water. For example, many people believe that water should be drank through a water purifier only, but nowadays the machines of water purifier costs very high and cannot be afford by anyone.

In conclusion, clean water is a basic human right and a neccessity as well. It should be provided to every home for free of charge as the cost can be too high for many people making it unaffordable for many. Additionally, many people are using contaminated water that is causing diseases making it a matter of life or death for them.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

Your position is clear from the introduction: you agree that homes should receive clean water free of charge, and both body paragraphs give relevant reasons—health risks and affordability. The example of households in Indian slums helps illustrate the health point. However, the two arguments are not developed equally: the first explains how contamination causes disease, while the second focuses partly on the cost of purifier machines rather than directly explaining how free household water would address the cost of supplying clean water. The claim that water should be free is also asserted more than justified; consider addressing who should pay for treatment and delivery, or why universal access outweighs that cost. This covers the task, but some ideas need clearer development and support.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, two reason-based body paragraphs and a conclusion. Sequencing words such as “Firstly,” “Secondly” and “In conclusion” make the main stages easy to follow. However, progression within sentences is sometimes awkward or repetitive. For example, “this makes it difficult for the families who are not able to afford it very difficult to access” repeats the same idea and obscures the relationship between cost and access. The opening labels, “1st reason” and “2nd reason,” also feel like notes rather than part of a finished essay. Use clearer links between each claim, explanation and example, and avoid repeating the same conclusion about unaffordability.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant topic vocabulary, including “contaminated,” “basic human right,” “limited” and “access,” which allows you to discuss health and affordability. There are also attempts at more specific language, such as “water purifier” and “life threating,” though some choices are inaccurate or unnatural. Phrases such as “worth free of charge,” “reached sky limit” and “water should be drank through a water purifier” do not express the intended meaning naturally. Spelling errors, including “Deseases,” “neccessity” and “threating,” also reduce accuracy. Build a more reliable range of collocations for this topic—for example, “safe drinking water,” “provide water free of charge” and “the cost has risen sharply”—and check spelling before submitting.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and complex sentences, including relative clauses (“which is one of the most important reason”) and a conditional-style explanation of affordability. Most of the argument remains understandable, but some grammatical errors affect clarity. For example, “one of the most important reason” needs plural agreement, and “the machines of water purifier costs” has problems with number and sentence structure. In “cannot be afford by anyone,” the passive form is incorrect; use “cannot be afforded by everyone.” The long sentence beginning “The cost of drinkable water…” also becomes difficult to follow because its clauses are not controlled clearly. Practise agreement, passive forms and breaking overloaded sentences into clearer units.

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