Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-08-22

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 flow chart illustrates step by step procedure for making ones own water clock.

Overall, its a simplified way of how to build ones own water clock using just simple things like plastic bottles, glue, staw and a stand.

First, we need a stand to place the 2 plastic bottles. The first bottle is tied to the stand it has a hole at the bottom with a straw attachment. The second bottle whose neck is cut off is placed beneath to collect the water.

The water flows through the tap in the first bottle in a steady flow but maintain constant the level of water while a straw is attached just above the level for excess water to be poured out. Then the bottom of bottles is covered with a finger till the water overflows from the straw.

Secondly, the finger is taken out and the level per minute is measured. this same process is repeated to timings things. Also, everytime you time it note to empty the content previous water and start again.

In conclusion, the 7 stages are easily explained for overall functioning of a water clock.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers the main stages of the process, but the description of the mechanism is somewhat unclear. For instance, the explanation of how the water level is maintained and the purpose of the straw is confusingly phrased, making it difficult for the reader to visualize the actual process. While the response identifies the key components, the technical explanation lacks the precision required for a high band score. The overview is present but could be more effectively integrated to highlight the key stages of the process rather than just listing the materials.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the sequence of steps. Cohesive devices such as 'First', 'Secondly', and 'In conclusion' are used to structure the report. However, the flow within paragraphs is occasionally disrupted by awkward phrasing, such as the transition between the description of the bottles and the explanation of the water flow. Referencing is sometimes unclear, particularly when referring to 'the tap' or 'the straw', which were not clearly introduced in the context of the diagram.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it is somewhat repetitive and lacks precision. Phrases like 'simple things' and 'timings things' are overly informal and imprecise for an academic report. There are also some minor errors in word choice, such as 'straw attachment' or 'the tap in the first bottle', which do not accurately describe the components shown in typical water clock diagrams. To improve, you should use more specific technical terminology related to the process.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors, including missing articles ('the 2 plastic bottles', 'the bottom of bottles'), punctuation issues, and awkward syntax ('it has a hole at the bottom with a straw attachment'). Subject-verb agreement and preposition usage are also inconsistent. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to lower the score. More attention to proofreading for basic grammatical accuracy is recommended.

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

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