Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · IELTS Momentum Workout · 2026-10-08

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 6.0)

The illustration depicts how each component is joined to enable a mechanical arm function similar to the human arm.

Overall, the arm machine is often set up on a stable base that is movable and operates through a computerized system where three different motors are used to control the gripper, elbow and the shoulder for flexibility.

The arm machine is built on a still base that is easy to carry. Right above the base, a motor controlled shoulder is attached with a pivot that can rotate in different directions. Furthermore, an elbow is attached to the shoulder that allow movements which are powered by another motor. The last component is the gripper that has bult-in sensors working through a different motor that enables it to use the exact amount of force required to grip anything. However, the gripper is attached to the elbow through a wrist that give adaptability to move to the gripper.

The most significant component is the computer which is linked to all three motors helping the arm machine to work efficiently otherwise few alternate tasks that include spray paint, drilling and welding would have been difficult to complete.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You identify the main components and explain several functions, including the pivot’s rotation, the elbow’s movement, and the gripper’s force sensors. The overview also recognises computer control and the three motors, while the alternative uses—spraying, drilling and welding—are relevant details. However, some relationships are unclear or inaccurate: the diagram says the base is usually stationary and only occasionally movable, whereas you describe it as both “stable” and “movable” and later “easy to carry.” You also say the shoulder is controlled by a motor, but the diagram does not specify this connection, and the wrist’s role in allowing the gripper to flex or rotate is not clearly explained. Covering these details more precisely and developing the comparison with a human arm would make the summary more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview and two paragraphs describing the components and their functions. The sequence from the base and shoulder towards the elbow and gripper is generally easy to follow, and linking words such as “Furthermore” and “However” help connect points. At times, though, the progression is less clear. The final paragraph introduces the computer and alternative tasks after the component-by-component description, and the relationship between the computer, motors and arm is compressed into one sentence. “However” also suggests a contrast between the gripper and its wrist, although they are connected parts rather than opposing ideas. Grouping the control system and end-effectors more deliberately, and using clearer references between components, would improve cohesion.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of task-related vocabulary, including “pivot,” “built-in sensors,” “gripper,” “flexibility” and “alternate tasks.” These terms help convey the diagram’s technical content, and the meaning is generally clear. Some choices are imprecise or unnatural, however: “arm machine” is repeated, “still base” does not clearly express that the base is usually stationary, and “use the exact amount of force required to grip anything” is less concise than the diagram’s description. There is also a spelling error in “bult-in.” Aim for more precise collocations and avoid repeating general phrases such as “component” and “arm machine”; this would make the description more fluent and accurate.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex forms, including relative clauses (“that can rotate in different directions”) and a subordinate clause beginning “where.” Most sentences communicate the intended meaning, but some grammatical errors remain. In “an elbow is attached to the shoulder that allow movements,” the verb should agree with “elbow” (“allows”), and the relative clause’s reference is unclear. “The wrist that give adaptability” also needs subject–verb agreement (“gives”), while “a motor controlled shoulder” needs clearer grammatical construction, such as “a shoulder controlled by a motor.” The final sentence is awkwardly joined: “otherwise few alternate tasks…” does not form a clear relationship with the preceding clause. Check agreement and make clause connections explicit to improve accuracy.

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