Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-31

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)

In recent years, with the rise in the population having access to basic human rights have became difficult with time. One of the basic human right includes access to clean water supply. It is believed that every household should have a water supply that is provided free of charge.

On the one hand, some people argue that water is a basic human right and it should be provided free of cost. Which is reasonably true as water is essential for every living organsim, without water there would be no life. Humans do certain things such as constructing rain water harvesting system, water purifying system and other useful appliances which would help them to preserve and purify water. The water that is reserved is usually rain water. Whereas, animals on the other hand, use some other techniques to preserve water for the future use and consumption.

On the other hand, some people believe that a fee should be charged for water supply which would later contribute to government in the form of tax. This would help in the development of the country. The fee should only be charged when someone intentionally waste water. In this way a lesson could be taught to not waste water in future. As with the rise in number of residents, such basic resources would not be in access in the future. So humans should use different methods such as, fixing leaks in the pipes to save water.

In conclusion, every home should have a water supply that is provided free of charge because water is a natural resource whose supply should not be charged.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

You identify the issue and give a clear final view that water should be free, with relevant points about its importance and conservation. However, the response only minimally develops the task: the discussion of rainwater systems and animal behaviour does not explain whether household water should be free, while the argument about charging people who waste water is not clearly connected to your final position. The reasons are brief and lack a specific example or explanation of how a free supply could be funded. The response also contains 244 words, six below the required minimum; the 24 words copied from the prompt are excluded. Develop two directly relevant reasons, support them with an example, and explain how your position addresses costs and water conservation.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

The response has a recognisable introduction, two body paragraphs signposted by “On the one hand” and “On the other hand,” and a conclusion. This gives the reader a basic structure. However, progression between ideas is uneven: the first body paragraph moves from human rights to rainwater systems and then to animals, without showing how these points support free household water. The second paragraph shifts from taxation to punishing waste and future scarcity, so the relationship between claims is not always clear. Some linking phrases, such as “Whereas” and “As with the rise,” are awkward or do not clearly connect the sentences. Organise each paragraph around one main reason and use clear references and transitions to show how each point supports your position.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use enough topic vocabulary to communicate the general subject, including “basic human right,” “water supply,” “rain water harvesting,” “purifying system,” and “fixing leaks.” There are also attempts at more specific language about conservation and public funding. However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or repetitive, which limits precision: “living organsim” is misspelled and unnatural, “contribute to government in the form of tax” is awkward, and “would not be in access” does not express the intended idea naturally. Repetition of “water” and “basic” also narrows the range. Build a more precise set of phrases for access, supply, charges, and conservation, and check spelling and collocations when editing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including a contrast between opposing views and a reason introduced by “because.” Meaning is generally recoverable, but control is inconsistent, particularly in longer sentences and clauses. For example, “with the rise in the population having access … have became difficult” has faulty verb construction, and “Which is reasonably true” is an incomplete sentence. There are also errors in agreement and articles, as in “every living organsim,” and the sentence beginning “The fee should only be charged…” shifts awkwardly between conditional ideas. Use complete sentences, check subject–verb agreement and verb forms, and break long or loosely connected clauses into clearer units.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

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