Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-11-13

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The diagram below shows the process for making a water clock.

Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information below.

HOW TO BUILD YOUR OWN WATER CLOCK

Student answer (Band 5.5)

The diagram given illustrates a detailed process to make a water clock.In the first stage we are required to place a plastic bottle under a running tap.The water flows into it,the bottle is taped against a stand ,it also has a small hole at the bottom.The hole is covered with finger until the the bottle overflows.A straw is attached at the neck of the same bottle to indicate a constant level.

As the botlle overflows take the finger away from the hole .The dripping water from the hole is collected in another plastic bottle below it.The level of the water per minute is observed and calculated .We can then empty the bottles and repeat the process for timing things

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify the main purpose and several key stages, including filling the upper bottle until it overflows, releasing the hole, collecting the dripping water below, and repeating the process for timing. However, the report only partially covers the diagram: it does not explain that the lower bottle is marked with calibration lines or clearly describe how those marks show the water level per minute. The sequence is also unclear in places, particularly when the finger is removed in relation to the overflow. The response is 119 words, below the required 150, which limits the detail you can provide. Add a concise overview and describe the apparatus and stages more fully, using only information shown in the diagram.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response follows a broadly chronological order, moving from setting up the upper bottle to collecting water and repeating the process. Linking phrases such as “In the first stage” and “As the bottle overflows” help the reader follow the procedure. However, the whole report is presented as one paragraph, and several ideas are joined with commas rather than clearly separated, as in “The water flows into it, the bottle is taped against a stand.” This makes some relationships between steps difficult to follow. Organise the report into a brief introduction and logically grouped stages, and use full stops or suitable linking expressions to make the sequence clearer.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant vocabulary for describing a process, including “overflows,” “attached,” “dripping water,” and “repeat the process.” These choices make the basic procedure understandable. However, the range is limited, and some wording is imprecise or repetitive: “bottle” appears frequently, while “the level of the water per minute is observed and calculated” does not clearly explain the calibration marks shown on the lower container. There are also spelling errors, including “botlle,” and the phrase “covered with finger” is not idiomatic. Use more precise terms for the components and actions, and check spelling and collocations when proofreading.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt to combine steps using clauses, for example, “As the bottle overflows take the finger away from the hole,” and the reader can generally understand the intended process. However, the range of sentence structures is limited, and errors occur frequently enough to make some sentences awkward. The opening has a missing space after the full stop (“clock.In”), and “until the the bottle overflows” contains a repeated article. In “As the bottle overflows take the finger away,” a comma is needed after the introductory clause. Several sentences are also joined with commas where a full stop or conjunction is needed. Practise accurate sentence boundaries, articles, and punctuation while varying sentence patterns.

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