Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-08-15

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 5.0)

The given diagram illustrate about the building of our own water clock. Furthermore, the diagram show steps to build this.

Overall, there are total 7 steps through which a water clock works. As there are some challenging steps which we discuss in upcoming paragraphs.

Firstly, the main required material for building a water clock is a plastic bottle, glue, one straw, a tape, a stand and at last a transparent plastic bottle. In addition, you need to attach a plastic bottle on the top of stand, you can use tape to keep it still. After that, make a hole on the neck of bottle then put a straw and stick it with some glue. Nevertheless, make a small hole in bottom of the bottle.

At last, attach another plastic bottle in the bottom of stand and cut the neck of the bottle, and start making with a pencil to measure the time. Moreover, if the bottle gets filled up then you can empty the bottle and can start again.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response attempts to describe the process but fails to provide a clear, accurate overview of the stages. The summary of '7 steps' is inaccurate, as the description provided is disjointed and misses key technical details shown in the diagram. The instructions are presented in a somewhat confusing manner, and the description of the process is not sufficiently detailed or logical. To improve, you must carefully observe the sequence of the diagram and ensure that each step is described clearly and chronologically, rather than grouping them into vague categories.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into paragraphs, but the logical flow between sentences is weak. While you use some cohesive devices like 'Firstly', 'In addition', and 'Nevertheless', they are sometimes used incorrectly or do not effectively link the ideas. For instance, 'Nevertheless' is used inappropriately to introduce a step in the process. The progression of ideas is somewhat disjointed, making it difficult for the reader to follow the exact sequence of building the water clock. Improving the use of transition words and ensuring a logical sequence of steps would significantly enhance the coherence.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is limited and repetitive, relying heavily on basic terms like 'bottle', 'make', and 'put'. There is little attempt to use more precise or technical vocabulary related to the process (e.g., 'fasten', 'secure', 'calibrate', 'aperture'). Some word choices are awkward, such as 'start making with a pencil', which is unclear. To reach a higher band, you should aim to use a wider range of vocabulary that is specific to the context of describing a technical process, and focus on more natural collocations.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text. Subject-verb agreement issues are common, such as 'The given diagram illustrate' (should be 'illustrates') and 'the diagram show' (should be 'shows'). There are also issues with article usage and prepositions, such as 'on the top of stand' (should be 'on top of the stand') and 'in the bottom of the bottle'. While you attempt some complex sentence structures, they are often marred by these errors. Focusing on basic grammatical accuracy and proofreading for subject-verb agreement would help improve your score.

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