Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Momentum Workout · 2026-09-05

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 given diagram illustrates how a mechanical arm works and how much it is similar to human arm in normal functioning.

Overall, computer is the main brain controlling the robotic hand, this robotic hand consists of several parts which are base, shoulder, elbow, wrist and gripper.

Furthermore, robotic hand uses three motors to function, as computer signals the motor, a specific part which uses this motor will operate, combining the use of every motor the hand fully operates, first motor is connected to shoulder part, second is connected to elbow part, and lastly third motor is connected to gripper.

Moreover, the gripper comes with built in sensors to detect how much of a force an object can handle, wrist that can rotate if needed, and elbow flex and allows to move object from one place to another place, base is tightly secured so that mechanical arm do not fall over if heavy object is picked.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main features of the mechanical arm, identifying the key components and the role of the computer and motors. However, the comparison to the human arm, which is a central part of the prompt, is mentioned only in the introduction and not developed in the body. The description of the mechanical process is somewhat simplistic and lacks a clear, analytical structure. To reach a higher band, you should explicitly contrast the mechanical joints with their human counterparts (e.g., the motor acting as a muscle or the sensors as nerves) to fully address the 'make comparisons' requirement of the task.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into three short paragraphs, but the logical flow is somewhat disjointed. While you use transition words like 'Furthermore' and 'Moreover', the connection between the sentences is occasionally mechanical. The second paragraph is quite dense, attempting to explain the motor system and the specific connections in one long, run-on sentence. Improving the use of paragraphing to separate the general overview from the specific mechanical functions would enhance the clarity. Additionally, the referencing is sometimes unclear, making it difficult for the reader to follow the progression of the mechanical process.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks precision and variety. You rely on basic verbs like 'works', 'uses', and 'connected'. While you successfully use technical terms like 'sensors', 'gripper', and 'rotate', the overall range is limited. There are also some minor issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'how much it is similar to human arm' (should be 'how similar it is to a human arm') and 'combining the use of every motor' (which is slightly unnatural). Expanding your range of descriptive verbs and nouns would help convey the information more professionally.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. For example, there are missing articles ('the' computer, 'a' human arm, 'the' base) and issues with subject-verb agreement and punctuation. The sentence 'as computer signals the motor, a specific part which uses this motor will operate' is a run-on that lacks necessary commas and clarity. While the meaning is generally understandable, these recurring errors in basic grammar and sentence construction prevent the writing from reaching a higher band. Focusing on article usage and sentence boundary punctuation will significantly improve your accuracy.

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

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