Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-07-27

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)

first you need to open the tap for the water to fill up the bottle than you need to cut the bottle into half and than cover the hole with finger under the bottle and fill the top bottle with water to overflow and make the level constant take you finger away from the hole wait for the levels per minute than empty and repeat the process for timing things now your water clock is ready you can see the flow of water which is felling into the bottle telling you the time and here you can empty the water from the bottle and repeat the process after some times when it get filled again

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, reaching only 115 words. Consequently, the description of the process is significantly underdeveloped. While the student attempts to outline the steps of the water clock, the lack of length prevents a full and detailed explanation of the stages shown in the diagram. The response lacks an overview or a clear introduction, which are essential for an Academic Task 1 report. To improve, the student must provide a more comprehensive description of each stage and ensure the response meets the minimum length requirement to fully address the task.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is written as a single, long paragraph without clear logical progression or paragraphing. There is a lack of cohesive devices to link the steps of the process; the text relies heavily on repetitive use of 'and' and 'then'. The flow is disjointed, making it difficult for the reader to follow the sequence of the water clock construction. To improve, the student should use a variety of linking words (e.g., 'subsequently', 'following this', 'once the process is complete') and organize the information into distinct paragraphs for the introduction, main steps, and conclusion.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is very basic and repetitive, relying on simple verbs like 'fill', 'cut', 'cover', and 'empty'. There is no attempt to use more precise, academic vocabulary suitable for describing a technical process. Phrases such as 'timing things' are vague and informal. The student needs to incorporate more specific terminology related to the diagram (e.g., 'reservoir', 'aperture', 'calibrated', 'flow rate') to demonstrate a wider range of lexical resource. Spelling errors such as 'felling' instead of 'falling' also detract from the overall quality of the writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The grammatical range is limited, consisting mostly of simple imperative sentences. There is a lack of complex sentence structures, which are necessary for higher band scores. Punctuation is almost entirely absent, with the entire response lacking full stops or commas, which makes the text difficult to parse. There are also errors in word form and tense consistency (e.g., 'wait for the levels per minute'). To improve, the student should focus on using a mix of simple and complex sentences, incorporating subordinating conjunctions, and ensuring correct punctuation throughout the report.

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