Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-08-31

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 chart illustrates the information about the manufacturing own water clock .

At the onset , it is evident that it is a easy process . Furthermore , this linear process consists of seven stages .

Initially , a plastic bottle is taped to a vertical stand and the other neck cut off plastic bottle is placed on the stand base . The taped bottle has a hole on its bottom surface and a straw is attached in the horizontal direction with the help of glue .

Moving further , in the first step tap is on and the flow of water starts into the bottle . Second , the bottom hole is covered with the finger and wait until the bottle is overflowing . then , extra water flows outside the bottle through the straw . During this time remove the finger from the bottom . After that time is recorded with every level of water . At the final stage , the bottle is empty and repeat the process for timing things .

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers all stages of the process, from the initial setup to the final timing phase. However, the description is somewhat mechanical and lacks a clear overview of the process as a whole. While the steps are identified, the explanation of how the water clock actually functions—specifically the relationship between the water level and the time measurement—is slightly underdeveloped. The instructions are followed, and the report is presented in a logical sequence, but more precise detail regarding the physical interaction of the components would improve the clarity of the explanation.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The response is organized into logical paragraphs, and the progression of the process is clear. Cohesive devices such as 'At the onset', 'Furthermore', 'Initially', and 'Moving further' are used to link ideas. However, some transitions feel slightly repetitive or mechanical. The paragraphing is appropriate, separating the introduction from the procedural steps. While the flow is generally smooth, the connection between the final steps could be improved to better reflect the cyclical nature of the timing process described in the diagram.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, using terms like 'vertical stand', 'horizontal direction', and 'overflowing'. However, there are some awkward phrasings, such as 'manufacturing own water clock' and 'the other neck cut off plastic bottle', which indicate a limited range of collocation. The use of 'easy process' is somewhat simplistic for an academic report. To reach a higher band, the student should aim for more precise technical vocabulary and avoid repetitive or slightly unnatural word combinations.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'the other neck cut off plastic bottle' (which is syntactically unclear) and 'the flow of water starts into the bottle'. Punctuation is generally functional, but there are issues with article usage and word order. While these errors do not significantly impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. More attention to sentence construction and article placement would enhance the accuracy of the writing.

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

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