Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Momentum Workout · 2026-10-01

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 illustration gives information about how the mechanical arm and its joints work like a human arm. Overall, there are three motors in mechanical arm which are connected with the computer for precised control.

It is quite evident from the diagram that how mechanical arm works, and how the joints that make up the arm works in the same way like human arm. This mechanical arm is used as an alternative to human in such kind of works like spraying paint, drilling holes and welding metals.

Furthermore, there are three motors that allows arm to work like human arm. These motors are connected with computer for control. The first motor is connected at the shoulder that allows arm to raise up and down. The second motor is connected at elbow that allows movements and gives flexibilty. The third and last motor is attached with gripper to gripe the things like spary gun and drill gun.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

The response addresses the task only partially. While it manages to cover some basic elements of the diagram, such as the three motors and their general functions, the overview and feature selection are rather limited and repetitive. For example, the second paragraph largely reiterates the prompt's instructions rather than synthesising visual information. Important mechanical features like the pivot, base, and the specific roles of the wrist or alternative end-effectors are omitted or treated superficially. To reach a higher level, the writer needs to select and report all main features of the diagram comprehensively, avoiding repetitive phrasing and providing a clearer, more fully developed summary of how the various components interact.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The text shows some basic organisation with paragraph breaks, but there is no clear overall progression of information. The transition between sentences can feel abrupt, and cohesive devices are used rather repetitively or inaccurately, such as starting multiple sentences with 'Furthermore' or 'It is quite evident from the diagram that how...'. Referencing is also occasionally unclear, leading to a choppy flow of ideas. To improve coherence, the writer should ensure that each paragraph builds logically upon the previous one, employing a wider variety of accurate cohesive devices and referencing words to connect the mechanical stages smoothly from the base up to the gripper.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is limited but minimally adequate for conveying simple ideas. There are noticeable lexical and spelling errors that affect precision, such as writing 'precised' instead of 'precise', 'gripe' instead of 'grip', and 'spary' instead of 'spray'. The range of vocabulary is restricted, relying heavily on basic terms borrowed directly from the prompt. While the writer attempts some less common terms like 'flexibility' and 'alternative end-effectors', word-choice and spelling slips do occur. To achieve a higher band, the writer should incorporate a broader and more precise range of vocabulary, demonstrating better control over word formation, spelling, and collocations related to mechanical processes.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response features a very limited range of grammatical structures, relying mostly on simple sentences and basic complex clauses. There are frequent grammatical errors that can cause some difficulty for the reader, such as awkward clause constructions ('It is quite evident from the diagram that how mechanical arm works...'), missing articles ('like human arm'), and subject-verb agreement issues ('joints that make up the arm works'). Attempts at complex sentences are often faulty in their phrasing. To progress, the writer needs to demonstrate a greater variety of complex structures with improved accuracy, paying closer attention to word order in dependent clauses, prepositions, and grammatical agreements.

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.