Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-08-26

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 process illustrates that how to build your own water clock.

Overall, several stages are involved in making and functioned of water clock. while, which begin with water preparation and ending with its operation.

The process begin with functioning of water a tap which turned on filling water into bottle. During the process of filling, the hole at the bottom of the bottle is covered using a finger, after which water allowed overflow of though the straw attached at the upper position of the bottle.

Moving further, On reaching a constant level the finger is removed from the hole allowing the water to flow drop by drop into the second bottle. Each level marked on the second bottle marked act as a unit for measuring time in minutes. The second bottle then emptied and process repeated for timing things.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response covers the main stages of the process, but it fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 150 words, which significantly impacts the score. While the key steps are identified, the description is somewhat brief and lacks the necessary detail to fully explain the mechanism. The introduction is slightly awkward, and the conclusion is missing. To improve, you should expand on the physical interaction between the components, such as the role of the straw and the specific function of the overflow mechanism, to ensure a more comprehensive overview of the process.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into short paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the sequence of events. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate, such as 'while, which begin with' and 'Moving further, On reaching'. These transitions do not flow naturally. The referencing is sometimes unclear, particularly when referring to the bottles. To achieve a higher band, you should focus on using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring that each sentence connects logically to the previous one without relying on repetitive structures.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision required for a higher band. There are several instances of awkward phrasing, such as 'making and functioned of water clock' and 'water allowed overflow of though the straw'. These errors indicate a limited control over word choice and collocation. To improve, you should aim to use more precise technical vocabulary related to processes and mechanisms, and ensure that your word forms (e.g., 'functioned' vs 'functioning') are used correctly in context.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the flow of reading. Examples include 'illustrates that how to build', 'The process begin with functioning', and 'water allowed overflow of though the straw'. There is a lack of complex sentence structures, and the existing sentences often contain errors in subject-verb agreement and preposition usage. To improve, you should focus on mastering basic sentence construction and ensuring that your verb tenses are consistent throughout the report. Proofreading for simple errors like missing articles or incorrect verb forms is essential.

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

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