Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · IELTS Momentum Workout · 2026-09-14

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 4.0)

The provided diagram illustrates 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.

Overall, it is readily apparent that computer experienced stable trend, whereas motor followed a contrasting pattern. Meanwhile, the remaining categories showed distinct variations, with human arm being particularly noticeable.

A closer examination of the data reveals that in pivot, gripper stood at built in sensors control force, which was considerably lower than elbow Over the subsequent period, wrist steadily, eventually reaching a peak by the end. Conversely, movement exhibited a persistent upward trend, eventually reaching. This represented a significant change compared with its initial figure.

With regard to the remaining data, computer commenced before remained stable, ultimately settling at elbow in the final stage. Meanwhile, gripper followed a similar pattern. Overall, these figures demonstrate clear differences among the categories, particularly in terms of their starting points, subsequent changes, and final outcomes, while the overall pattern remained relatively clear and consistent throughout the period under review overall.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 3.0

The response attempts to describe a technical diagram showing how a mechanical arm works and its comparison to a human arm, but it fails to address the visual data accurately. Instead of describing mechanical parts, joints, and corresponding human anatomy, the student uses language typical of a line graph or data table, referring to trends, data points, peaks, and figures ('computer experienced stable trend', 'gripper stood at built in sensors control force'). This indicates a fundamental misunderstanding of the task prompt, treating a structural diagram as statistical data. As a result, the main features of the mechanical arm and its joints are not accurately reported. Under the descriptors, the response falls into the lower bands due to this irrelevance to the prompt's source material, earning a 3.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 4.0

Although the text is divided into paragraphs, the overall organizational structure is problematic because the content lacks logical progression and does not suit the source diagram. Cohesive devices are used awkwardly or incorrectly, such as 'Meanwhile' and 'Conversely', connecting unrelated mechanical and conceptual elements without clear logical relationships. Referencing is also unclear, as pronouns and category names like 'computer' and 'gripper' appear out of context and fail to guide the reader through a coherent description of the visual process. Consequently, the arrangement feels disjointed and mechanical. Paragraphing is present, but it does not effectively group related information about the mechanical arm joints, leading to a score of 4.0 for coherence and cohesion.

Lexical Resource — Band 4.0

The vocabulary deployed in the response is heavily misapplied. The student uses statistical and analytical terminology ('trend', 'peak', 'initial figure', 'data') to describe a structural and functional diagram of a mechanical arm. While some words like 'sensors', 'force', and 'joints' appear, they are placed in ungrammatical or nonsensical collocations, such as 'gripper stood at built in sensors control force'. There are no successful attempts at less common vocabulary used with precision, and the lexical choices severely impede the reader's understanding of the subject matter. This performance aligns with the Band 4 descriptor, where vocabulary is inadequate and repetitive for the demands of the task.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.5

The student attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but many sentences are incomplete, grammatically flawed, or lack essential predicates. For instance, phrases like 'whereas motor followed a contrasting pattern' show some structural awareness, but sentences such as 'eventually reaching' and 'remained stable, ultimately settling at elbow in the final stage' suffer from missing objects, verbs, or awkward syntax. Punctuation is basic, and frequent grammatical errors disrupt the flow of reading. However, because some basic clauses are correctly formed and punctuation is used to separate sentences, the control is slightly above the lowest levels, justifying a band score of 4.5.

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

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