Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

The process diagram illustrates the making process of water clock, and a stand requires to complete the overall process.

Overall, the whole process follows a linear multi stages sequences, which starts from the tap on before emptying the bottle and repeating process for timing things.

At the first stage the tap should be placed on the top. Then, the second stage requires covering the hole with fingers so that water can not pass through it. At this point use a straw and make sure to use glue so that it sticks to the bottle firmly, and it allows water to pass through it.

After completing this stage it requires to fill up the bottle till it reaches to the top bottle at a constant level.

Now remove the finger from the bottom hole of the bottle so that it can allows water to pass to a plastic bottle. Consequently, it needs to count how many drops are passing and mark it by a pencil. At the last stage empty the plastic jar and repeat the process to count time.

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 equipment involved. While you mention the 'stand' in the introduction, the connection between the components (the two bottles and the straw) could be described more precisely. The summary of the process is functional, but it lacks the analytical tone expected in an Academic Task 1 report. To improve, ensure you clearly identify the purpose of each component and the relationship between the two containers, rather than just listing the steps in a sequence.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the process. You use some cohesive devices like 'At the first stage', 'Then', and 'Consequently' to link ideas. However, the flow is occasionally hindered by awkward phrasing, such as 'the making process of water clock' and 'repeating process for timing things'. The transition between the preparation of the bottle and the actual operation of the clock could be smoother. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that referencing (e.g., 'it', 'this') is always clear will help elevate your score.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it is somewhat repetitive and lacks precision. Phrases like 'timing things' and 'make sure to use glue' are quite informal and imprecise for an academic report. There are also some minor collocation errors, such as 'linear multi stages sequences'. To achieve a higher band, focus on using more precise technical vocabulary related to diagrams and processes, such as 'apparatus', 'calibrated', 'interval', or 'demonstrates'. Avoid overly simplistic phrasing and try to incorporate more sophisticated synonyms for common verbs.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader. For example, 'a stand requires to complete' should be 'a stand is required to complete', and 'so that it can allows water' contains a subject-verb agreement error. There are also issues with article usage, such as 'making process of water clock' (should be 'the making process of a water clock'). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to limit the score. Focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles.

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