Access to clean water is a basic human right. Therefore every home should have a water supply that is provided free of charge. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Sample Response
It is often argued that since access to clean water is a fundamental human right, it should be given to every household free of charge. I agree that clean water is essential and should be universally accessible, despite the potential expense of such a proposal.
One the one hand, providing unlimited free water to every home engenders serious logistical and financial challenges. Water treatment, maintenance of pipelines, and distribution all require funding, skilled labor, and dedicated infrastructure. If water were completely free, there would be little incentive for consumers to use it responsibly, leading to wastage and overconsumption. Consider the example of California during its 2011–2017 drought: despite public campaigns, many affluent neighborhoods continued to overwater their lawns and fill large swimming pools, as water prices were heavily subsidized. This overuse strained reservoirs and forced emergency water restrictions. As a response, nations like Singapore have implemented a tiered pricing system where basic water needs are affordable, but excessive use is charged at higher rates.
On the other hand, the argument that clean water is a human right is supported by strong moral and humanitarian reasoning. Water is vital not only for drinking, but for cooking, hygiene, and sanitation. Without it, communities are vulnerable to diseases such as cholera, dysentery, and typhoid, all of which are preventable with access to clean water. For example, in sub-Saharan Africa, where millions still lack safe water access, avoidable waterborne illnesses cause more deaths each year than armed conflicts. In this context, expecting individuals to pay for water they cannot afford fosters an unjust system where survival equates to income. Governments, therefore, have a duty to ensure that no citizens are denied this basic resource, especially in less affluent or rural areas.
In conclusion, I strongly agree that every individual deserves access to clean water as a basic human right, despite the practical challenges posed. A fair solution would safeguard free access to water for the general public regardless of the financial ramifications.
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Name supplied resource Original: it should be given Suggested revision: a water supply should be provided Why it matters: A household is provided with a water supply rather than being given abstract access.
- 2. Fix linking phrase Original: One Suggested revision: On Why it matters: The conventional contrast marker begins with the preposition “on.”
- 3. Use direct verb Original: engenders Suggested revision: creates Why it matters: “Creates” expresses the causal relationship more directly and naturally.
- 4. Fix transition phrase Original: As a response Suggested revision: In response Why it matters: “In response” is the idiomatic transition for an action taken because of a problem.
- 5. Fix clause meaning Original: where basic water needs are affordable Suggested revision: in which water for basic needs is affordable Why it matters: The pricing system makes water affordable; needs themselves cannot be affordable.
- 6. Name who pays Original: excessive use is charged at higher rates Suggested revision: consumers pay higher rates for excessive use Why it matters: People are charged for usage, so the clause needs a human subject.
- 7. Clarify dependency Original: where survival equates to income Suggested revision: in which survival depends on income Why it matters: The issue is dependence on income rather than equivalence between survival and income.
- 8. Use singular after no Original: no citizens are denied Suggested revision: no citizen is denied Why it matters: The singular form is the more natural generic construction after “no.”
- 9. Complete participial phrase Original: despite the practical challenges posed Suggested revision: despite the practical challenges this would pose Why it matters: The revision states clearly what would create the practical challenges.
- 10. Strengthen example connection Suggested revision: Explicitly connect the Singapore pricing example to the preceding risk of overconsumption before moving to the next paragraph. Why it matters: A clearer link would improve progression from the California example to the proposed pricing response.
Suggested Rewrites
- it should be given a water supply should be provided
- One On
- engenders creates
- As a response In response
- where basic water needs are affordable in which water for basic needs is affordable
- excessive use is charged at higher rates consumers pay higher rates for excessive use
Why this response received Band 8.5
The response offers a sophisticated, well-organised discussion supported by specific examples and a consistently clear commitment to universal access to clean water. Its main limitation is that the tiered-pricing discussion and the final endorsement of free provision are not fully reconciled, leaving the precise policy position slightly ambiguous. Clarify whether only essential consumption should be free and explain how charging for excess use fits the stated agreement.
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Response
The task is addressed directly through well-developed practical and humanitarian arguments, with a clear overall agreement maintained throughout.
Resolve the tension between tiered pricing and free provision by specifying exactly how much water should be free and how excess use should be funded.
Coherence and Cohesion
The argument progresses clearly from practical challenges to the moral case, with cohesive devices and paragraphing used effectively.
Make the link from the Singapore example to the final policy position explicit so the two sides combine into one fully coherent recommendation.
Lexical Resource
A wide and precise lexical range conveys complex ideas naturally, with only isolated awkward phrasing.
Polish occasional imprecise expressions, particularly the claim that survival equates to income, while preserving the otherwise strong lexical control.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
Complex structures are varied and highly accurate, and the response is almost entirely error-free apart from a rare minor slip.
Proofread for isolated typographical errors such as One the one hand to achieve consistently polished accuracy.
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IELTS Writing Task 2
Access to clean water is a basic human right. Therefore every home should have a water supply that is provided free of charge. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.