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)

Here the given diagram illustrates how a mechanical arm operates and how the joints that make up the arm function in the same way as human arm.

Overall, mechanical arm is a highly modern equipment and contains various electronic parts such as motor and computer which makes these motor to operate simultaneously .

To start with, mechanical arm's shoulder is mounted on a stationary base which is also move occasionally via motor. Shoulder enables mechanical arm to raise or lower its arm also pivot is attached to this shoulder which enables arm to rotate freely. Further, elbow allows movement and flexibility which is also powered by motor.

Moreover, wrist is attached to elbow which is responsible for gripper to allow rotate in certain directions. In addition, at the end of the mechanical arm gripper is attached to this wrist. On this gripper there is a built in sensors control force and this gripper is also powered by motor. Lastly, all motors inside this machinal arm is powered by computer which control this entire mechanism with high precision,

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response successfully identifies the main features of the mechanical arm, including the base, shoulder, elbow, wrist, and gripper. You have clearly described the function of each component and how they are powered. However, the task specifically asks to compare the mechanical arm to a human arm. While you mention this in the introduction, you do not elaborate on the comparison in the body paragraphs. To achieve a higher band, you should explicitly link the mechanical parts to their human counterparts (e.g., comparing the mechanical shoulder to the human shoulder joint) to fully address all parts of the prompt.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, each focusing on a specific part of the mechanical arm. You use some cohesive devices such as 'To start with', 'Further', 'Moreover', and 'In addition' to guide the reader. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the sentence 'which makes these motor to operate simultaneously', where the antecedent is vague. Improving the flow between sentences and ensuring that pronouns clearly refer back to their nouns would enhance the overall coherence of the response.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using technical terms like 'stationary base', 'pivot', and 'gripper' correctly. However, there are some word choice errors and awkward collocations, such as 'highly modern equipment' (which is slightly unnatural in this context) and 'machinal arm' (a spelling error). To improve, try to use more precise verbs and adjectives to describe the movement and operation of the components. The vocabulary is sufficient to communicate the main points, but lacks the flexibility and precision required for a higher band score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors, particularly with subject-verb agreement and article usage. For example, 'makes these motor to operate' should be 'makes these motors operate', and 'all motors... is powered' should be 'are powered'. Additionally, there are missing articles throughout, such as 'in same way as human arm'. These errors occur frequently but do not impede overall communication. Focusing on proofreading for basic agreement and article usage would significantly improve your accuracy.

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

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