Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Momentum Workout · 2026-10-05

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 figure below illustrates the working principle of a mechanical arm and how the joints of the artificial arm work similarly to a human arm.

Overall, it is clear that various motors are installed in the arm that is controlled by the computer. And it can work in various fields like spray paint, drill holes and weld metal it is alternative to the human arm in these fields.

Starting with the motors, there are 3 motors which are installed in the mechanical arm each motor precision is controlled by the computer. One motor is installed just infront of wrist which works as a gripper in which built-in sensors are installed which are responsible for the force control. Second motor is installed at an elbow which helps in movement along with that, it gives flexibility. Third motor is located at the base which is usually stationary but it requires occational movement.

Futhermore, wrist is located just behind a gripper and it is responsible for rotation and flexion of the gripper or it is an alternative end-effector. Addiotionally, pivot is located at the base area it enables arm to rotate. After that, shoulder is located which helps in an arm upwards and downwards movements.This arm is an alternative option which can perform spray paint, drill holes and weld metal.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the task by outlining the main features of the mechanical arm and comparing its functions to a human arm, including its alternative end-effectors for tasks like spray painting and welding. However, some aspects are unevenly developed. For instance, the description of how the computer controls the motors and the specific placement of components lacks full elaboration. The overview provided in the second paragraph captures the general function, but overall, the ideas remain somewhat limited and under-developed, preventing the response from reaching a higher level.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response demonstrates a coherent overall arrangement with a clear attempt to structure the information chronologically or spatially, moving from the computer and motors to individual joints like the wrist, elbow, base, pivot, and shoulder. However, cohesion is sometimes mechanical and referencing is occasionally unclear, as seen in abrupt transitions between paragraphs and sentences like 'Futhermore, wrist is located...' without proper article usage. Paragraphing is present, but the logical progression within paragraphs is occasionally disrupted by disjointed sentence structures.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, successfully incorporating topic-specific terms such as 'mechanical arm', 'gripper', 'pivot', and 'end-effector'. The writer attempts less common vocabulary, but there are noticeable inaccuracies in word choice and spelling, such as 'occational', 'infront', 'Futhermore', and 'Addiotionally'. While these errors do not severely impede communication, they reflect limitations in lexical control that restrict the score to this band.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response employs a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating some capability to handle relative clauses and multi-clause sentences. However, there are frequent errors in grammar and punctuation, particularly missing articles ('infront of wrist', 'at an elbow'), incorrect prepositions, and run-on structures or comma splices (e.g., 'Movements.This arm...'). Although these grammatical slips rarely impede overall understanding, they persist throughout the text and demonstrate inconsistent control over complex structures.

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.