Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-08-30
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 diagram illustrate the process of how to build your own water clock. Overall, the picture consist of two plastic bottles used with variety of other instruments to make a water clock for a university lecture.
First of all, there is a bottle with a tap on it which is attached to a stand by using tape. On the right side of the bottle a straw is joint with the help of a glue in the top bottle. However, it is filled overflow by water into it, and the drops are falling down through that straw.
On the lower side of the stand, there is also a plastic bottle but with neck cut off. On the bottom of top bottle a hole can be seen which could be covered with finger. Moreover, when the finger take away from hole water started falling in the lower bottle and we can count the levels filling by per minute. When it would completely filled than refill it by repeating the process for timing things.
In the end, the whole process is significantly jaw dropping to the viewers.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response covers the main stages of the process, but the description is often unclear and lacks the precision required for a technical report. While you identify the components, the explanation of how the water clock functions is confusing. For instance, the phrase 'it is filled overflow by water' is inaccurate and fails to clearly describe the mechanism of the water flow. Additionally, the final sentence, 'the whole process is significantly jaw dropping,' is subjective and inappropriate for an academic report, which should remain objective and formal. To improve, focus on describing the mechanical steps clearly and logically without adding personal commentary.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or misused. For example, 'However, it is filled overflow' does not function as a logical contrast. The progression of ideas is sometimes disjointed, particularly in the third paragraph where the description of the hole and the finger becomes difficult to follow. While there is an attempt to use linking words like 'First of all' and 'In the end,' the overall flow is hampered by awkward phrasing and a lack of sophisticated transition between the steps of the process.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is somewhat limited and repetitive. You rely on basic terms like 'bottle,' 'hole,' and 'thing,' which do not demonstrate the range needed for a higher band. There are also several word-choice errors, such as 'joint' instead of 'joined' and 'take away' instead of 'removed.' The phrase 'timing things' is too informal for an academic context. To reach a higher band, you should aim to use more precise terminology related to mechanical processes, such as 'apparatus,' 'components,' 'calibrated,' or 'mechanism,' and ensure that your word choices are appropriate for a formal university report.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
There are frequent grammatical errors throughout the text that occasionally impede clarity. Subject-verb agreement is inconsistent, such as 'The diagram illustrate' (should be 'illustrates') and 'picture consist' (should be 'consists'). There are also issues with article usage and prepositional phrases, such as 'filling by per minute' and 'when the finger take away.' While you attempt some complex sentence structures, they are often marred by errors, such as 'When it would completely filled than refill it.' You need to focus on basic sentence construction and proofreading for subject-verb agreement and verb tense consistency.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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