Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Momentum Workout · 2026-11-05

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The diagram below shows how a mechanical arm works, and how the joints that make up the arm function in the same way as those in a human arm. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Student answer (Band 5.5)

The process diagram illustrates the process of mechanical armwork and its joints function to work as a human arm. Overall, it is operated by a computer and driven by three different motors to move the arm.

First look at its structure. It consists of base which is almost unmovable. There is a pivot on it which enables the arm to rotate forward and backward. The shoulder plays a role of raisning and lowering the arm. The elbow which is movable and flexible, allows the arm to move. From the elbow to the gripper there is a wrist that allows the gripper to flex or rotate. The gripper is like fingers or palm built in sensors to control force. First motor controls the shoulder, while the second one controls elbow. Another motor controls movement and force of the gripper.

This kind of mechanical arm used for spray paint, drill holes and weld metals.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You identify the main components and give a brief overview that the arm is computer-operated and uses three motors. The description also covers the base, pivot, shoulder, elbow, wrist, gripper, and the three alternative uses, so the response is relevant to the diagram. However, some key relationships are unclear or inaccurate: the diagram says the base is usually stationary but occasionally movable, rather than “almost unmovable,” and it does not specify that the pivot rotates forward and backward. The motor connections are also misreported: the diagram links the left motor to the elbow, the centre motor to the arm section near the wrist, and the right motor to the gripper; it does not show the first motor controlling the shoulder or the second controlling the elbow. Explain the layout more precisely and include the wrist’s role in allowing an end-effector to flex or rotate.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic, sensible sequence: an opening overview, a description of the arm’s structure, and a final sentence about its applications. This makes the main subject easy to follow. However, progression within the body is somewhat list-like, and the transition “First look at its structure” is conversational rather than a clear guide to the diagram’s stages or layout. The repeated use of “There is” and “The …” also makes the description feel mechanical, while the final sentence about applications is not linked to the preceding explanation. Group the components by position or function, use clearer links such as “At the base” and “At the end of the arm,” and connect the alternative end-effectors to the gripper explanation.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant technical vocabulary, including “pivot,” “shoulder,” “elbow,” “wrist,” “gripper,” and “motors,” which helps identify the diagram’s parts. There is also some attempt at functional language, such as “enables the arm to rotate” and “allows the gripper to flex or rotate.” However, the range is limited and several choices are inaccurate or awkward, including “mechanical armwork,” “almost unmovable,” and “controls movement and force.” “Raisning” is also misspelled, and “weld metals” is not the natural phrasing for the listed application. Use precise terms from the diagram, such as “stationary,” “raises and lowers,” and “controls the force applied by the gripper,” and check spelling and collocations.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You use a mixture of simple statements and some relative clauses, as in “The elbow … allows the arm to move” and “There is a pivot on it which enables the arm to rotate.” Most of the intended meaning can be understood, but grammatical control is uneven. The opening sentence has an unclear construction (“illustrates the process of mechanical armwork and its joints function”), and “This kind of mechanical arm used for…” is missing a finite verb. Articles and number also need attention in “It consists of base” and “built in sensors,” while “First look at its structure” shifts into an informal imperative. Aim for complete, clearly formed sentences—for example, “The arm consists of a base, a pivot and several joints”—and vary sentence structures while checking articles, verb forms and punctuation.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.