Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-08-19

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 given diagram illustrates information about the process for making a water clock in 7 stages.

According to the diagram, water from the tap comes out when it is on and it reaches the plastic bottle which is joined with the stand through the tape . In the 2nd stage water from the bottle drops down to another neck cut off plastic bottle. 3rd stage indicates that when water reaches to the top of the first bottle then there is a straw attached to the top of the bottle to prevent overflow.

Furthermore, 4th stage is to measure the constant level of the water. 5th stage is somewhat similar to the 2nd stage. Level per minute of the water is checked on the second bottle and it is considered as 6th stage. The Last stage is to empty and repeat the process as per requirement.

To conclude, process for making a water clock requires time and proper equipment to complete the activity.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main stages of the process, but the description is somewhat superficial and lacks the necessary detail to fully explain the mechanism. For instance, the explanation of the straw's function and the measurement process is vague. While you identify seven stages, the connection between the components (the bottles, the stand, the straw) is not clearly articulated, making it difficult for a reader to visualize the assembly. To improve, you should focus on describing the physical relationship between the parts more precisely and ensure the purpose of each stage is clearly linked to the overall function of the clock.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the sequence of events. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive (e.g., 'In the 2nd stage', '3rd stage indicates', '4th stage is'). The progression between sentences is occasionally disjointed, particularly when moving between the description of the bottles and the measurement process. To achieve a higher band, try to use a wider variety of linking words and phrases to connect ideas more fluidly, and ensure that referencing (e.g., 'the first bottle', 'the second bottle') is consistent and clear throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision required for a technical description. You rely on basic terms like 'joined', 'drops down', and 'cut off', which do not accurately describe the mechanical nature of the process. There are also some awkward collocations, such as 'neck cut off plastic bottle'. To improve, you should incorporate more specific technical vocabulary related to processes and equipment, such as 'inverted', 'secured', 'calibrated', or 'overflow mechanism'. Expanding your range of descriptive verbs and adjectives will help you convey the information with greater clarity and sophistication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally hinder the flow. For example, 'water from the tap comes out when it is on' is wordy and imprecise, and 'water reaches to the top' is grammatically incorrect (reach is a transitive verb here). There are also issues with article usage and prepositional phrases, such as 'joined with the stand through the tape'. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. Focusing on sentence variety and proofreading for basic subject-verb agreement will be beneficial.

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