Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-08-05

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 6.0)

The diagram shows how to build your own water clock in seven stages.

The things that are required to build water clock are tape, a straw, some glue, two plastic bottles and a stand.

At first two bottles are arranged on a stand, a plastic bottle is attached to the upper part of the stand using a tape. A straw is inserted into the bottle at exactly 90 degrees to the bottle. another plastic bottle is placed at the Bottom of the stand.

The process starts with turning on the tap and covering the hole with a finger which is made at the bottom of the plastic bottle. Now in the next stage, we fill the top bottle to make it overflow and since the excess water is flowed out through the straw, a constant level is maintained in the bottle. Slightly move away the finger from the hole so that the water levels per minute in to the plastic container placed at the bottom. At last we empty and repeat the process for timing things.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers all stages of the process, from the required materials to the final operation of the clock. The overview is clear, and the sequence of steps is logical. However, the description of the mechanism is slightly imprecise in places, such as the instruction to 'move away the finger' which lacks detail regarding the rate of flow or the specific function of the water level. While the main features are highlighted, the explanation could be more precise to fully meet the requirements of a technical report. Overall, the response is well-structured and addresses the prompt effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized into an introduction, a materials section, and a process description. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different aspects of the task. Cohesive devices such as 'At first', 'Now in the next stage', and 'At last' are used to guide the reader through the process. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the referencing could be smoother. For instance, the transition between the setup and the operation could be more fluid. Despite these minor issues, the progression of ideas is clear and easy to follow throughout the response.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, using technical terms like 'inserted', 'overflow', and 'maintained'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and phrasing, such as 'The things that are required' (a bit informal) and 'water levels per minute in to the plastic container' (which is grammatically awkward and imprecise). The range of vocabulary is sufficient to convey the meaning, but it lacks the precision and sophistication required for a higher band score. More varied and precise terminology related to mechanical processes would improve the quality of the report.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'a plastic bottle is attached... using a tape' (article usage), 'another plastic bottle is placed at the Bottom' (capitalization error), and 'water levels per minute in to the plastic container' (incorrect preposition and verb usage). While these errors do not significantly impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. The control over complex structures is inconsistent, and punctuation could be more precise in certain areas to improve readability.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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