Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-08-16

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)

This diagram shows how to build your own clock which is based on water. There are several steps to build a fully functional water clock.

For this, we need some accessories like water bottle, tape, stand, pencil and a straw. Firstly water bottle is tied with stand. And then bottle is filled with water. There is a hole at the bottom of bottle. When we turn on tap, we have to cover the hole with finger. We also added a straw at the top of bottle to maintain water level. When water is filled to the desire level, hole will uncovered so that water fell into the another bottle which is placed below the first bottle. At last, plastic bottle is marked with pencil every minute after water fall. This process is repeated several times to makes 100% accurate water clock.

This clock work as timer and it's time limit is proportional to the size of bottle and hole inside the bottle.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main stages of the process, but the description is somewhat mechanical and lacks a clear overview of the mechanism. While you identify the necessary materials, the explanation of the process is occasionally confusing, such as the instruction to 'turn on tap' and 'cover the hole with finger,' which is not clearly linked to the diagram's logic. To reach a higher band, ensure you provide a clear summary of the overall process in the introduction and ensure the sequence of steps is described with greater precision and clarity.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the steps. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat repetitive and basic (e.g., 'Firstly', 'And then', 'At last'). The logical flow between sentences is occasionally interrupted by awkward phrasing, such as the transition between the water level maintenance and the marking process. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that referencing (e.g., 'the bottle', 'another bottle') is more precise would significantly enhance the flow of the report.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but remains quite limited and repetitive. You rely on basic terms like 'accessories', 'bottle', and 'water'. There is an attempt to use some technical language, but it is often imprecise (e.g., 'desire level' instead of 'desired level'). To improve, try to incorporate more specific vocabulary related to processes, such as 'apparatus', 'calibrated', 'inflow', or 'graduated', and ensure that word forms are used correctly in context.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors. Issues include missing articles (e.g., 'at bottom of bottle'), incorrect verb forms (e.g., 'hole will uncovered'), and subject-verb agreement errors (e.g., 'This clock work'). While these errors do not completely prevent communication, they are frequent enough to distract the reader. Focusing on consistent use of articles and correct tense usage for process descriptions will help improve your accuracy.

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

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