Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-08-20

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 figure tell us about the process of building a water clock.

The construction of water clock includes several steps.Turning on the tap is the first step to allow a continous flow of water into the the bottle where the bottle has a hole so you have to cover the hole with your finger so that water will not fell into the beaker right below the bottle. Furthermore, the third step is to cover the hole untill the bottle become to overflow and the next step is that the mark which is written as 4 is your level constant.

The next stage is to put your finger away from the hole so that the water will start to fell into the plastic bottle(neck cut off) which has levels marked on it where each level will be filled right after one minute, that is why this stage is also called level per minute stage. The last stage is to empty the neck cut of platic bottle and repeat the exact same process for timing things.

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 or summary of the process. While the steps are identified, the explanation of the 'level constant' and the 'level per minute' stage is slightly confusing and lacks the precision expected for an Academic Task 1 report. To improve, ensure you provide a clear introductory summary of what the diagram illustrates and use more precise terminology to describe the physical components and the scientific purpose of the steps shown.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the sequence of events. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat repetitive and basic (e.g., 'The next stage', 'The last stage'). The flow between sentences is occasionally hindered by awkward phrasing, such as the transition between the bottle hole and the beaker. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that referencing (e.g., 'the bottle', 'the hole') is consistently clear would help the text progress more smoothly.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but remains quite simple and repetitive. Phrases like 'put your finger away' and 'timing things' are informal and lack the precision required for a technical description. There are also some minor errors in word choice, such as 'fell' instead of 'flow' or 'fall'. To reach a higher band, you should incorporate more precise, process-oriented vocabulary such as 'initiate', 'submerge', 'calibrate', or 'interval'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains several grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'the bottle where the bottle has a hole', 'water will not fell', and 'bottle become to overflow'. There is a reliance on simple sentence structures, and the attempt at complex sentences often results in errors in verb tense or preposition usage. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and ensuring consistent verb forms (e.g., 'falls' instead of 'fell') will significantly improve the accuracy of your writing.

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

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