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, a water supply should be providedit 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.
OnOne the one hand, providing unlimited free water to every home createsengenders 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. In responseAs a response, nations like Singapore have implemented a tiered pricing system in which water for basic needs is affordablewhere basic water needs are affordable, but consumers pay higher rates for excessive useexcessive 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 in which survival depends on incomewhere survival equates to income. Governments, therefore, have a duty to ensure that no citizen is deniedno 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 this would posedespite the practical challenges posed. A fair solution would safeguard free access to water for the general public regardless of the financial ramifications.
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.