Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Momentum Workout · 2026-08-07

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 rendered diagram chart illustrates the descriptive details regarding 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 by following a series of steps.

Overall, it can be clearly seen that this process involve considerable amount of steps. All the steps are interlinked to each other. Omission of any step may halt the whole process.

It is evident from the chart, in the first step there are three motors taken from the computer which have distinct uses and features. The first motor is being used in the shoulder area which helps to raise or lower the arms. Next to it, the second motor is being used as an elbow joint which allows the movement and flexibility.

Moving further on the rest of the details, the third motor is being as controller for built in sensors in gripper. In addition to it, there is a rod between second and third motor which allows gripper to rotate. There is also a base, where the whole mechanics is situated on which moves occasionally. At last, there are alternative end effectors used as spray paint, drill holes and weld metals.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the diagram, identifying the motors and their functions. However, the task specifically asks for a comparison between the mechanical arm and the human arm, which is mentioned in the prompt but largely ignored in the body paragraphs. The description of the process is somewhat superficial, focusing on listing components rather than explaining the functional mechanism or the comparative aspect effectively. To reach a higher band, you must explicitly link the mechanical parts to their human counterparts (e.g., shoulder, elbow, wrist) as requested by the prompt, rather than just listing the motors.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, and there is a clear attempt to use cohesive devices such as 'Moving further on' and 'In addition to it'. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical or repetitive. The overview provided in the second paragraph is a bit generic; it would be better to summarize the key functional stages of the arm rather than stating that the steps are 'interlinked'. The progression of ideas is generally easy to follow, but the connection between the mechanical components and the human arm analogy remains underdeveloped throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You have a sufficient range of vocabulary to describe the mechanical components, such as 'end effectors', 'flexibility', and 'sensors'. However, there are some awkward collocations and word choices, such as 'rendered diagram chart' (which is redundant) and 'third motor is being as controller'. The phrase 'considerable amount of steps' is also slightly imprecise. To improve, focus on using more precise technical terminology and ensuring that your word choices are natural and fit the context of a technical description.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text, such as 'this process involve' (subject-verb agreement), 'third motor is being as controller' (missing article/preposition), and 'drill holes and weld metals' (parallelism issues). While these errors do not prevent the reader from understanding the main points, they are frequent enough to limit the score. Increasing the accuracy of your verb forms and prepositional usage will help elevate your score in this criterion.

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

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