Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-09-03

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 diagram provides the complete process of building a water block from the scratch. The process usually takes place in seven steps. Materials required for building water clock are two plastic bottle out of which one should have its neck cut off, tape, glue, straw and lastly a stand.

The first stages commences with placing the water bottle below the tap letting it to get filled with water with finger to cover the hole below the water bottle to prevent it from leaking and this is done until the bottle is filled and starts overflowing marking the commencement of stage three.

After this the level of water is checked and only marked complete when the level of water is constant, following this the finger is removed from the allowing the water to fall into the water bottle with cut neck and began to store there marking the end of stage five.

As the water continues to flow from the upper bottle to lower bottle it being measured in level and monitored every minute and this process is done until the bottle is empty and timing is recorded.

In conclusion in order to determine the time this process is done numerous time throughout the day in order to calculate the passage of time.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response covers the main stages of the process, but the description is somewhat confusing and lacks clarity regarding the specific components shown in the diagram. While you identify the materials and the general steps, the explanation of the mechanism—specifically how the water flow is regulated and measured—is imprecise. For instance, the mention of 'finger to cover the hole' is a literal description of a step, but it fails to explain the technical function of the apparatus clearly. To improve, ensure you provide a more logical overview of the entire process in the introduction and focus on describing the function of each part rather than just listing actions.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive (e.g., 'After this', 'following this', 'as the water continues'). The transition between sentences is sometimes abrupt, making the flow feel disjointed. For example, the jump from describing the filling of the bottle to the measurement process lacks a clear logical link. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear thematic focus would enhance the overall coherence of the report.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the precision required for a higher band. There are some awkward collocations and word choices, such as 'water block' instead of 'water clock' and 'from the scratch' instead of 'from scratch'. Additionally, the repetition of basic verbs like 'done' and 'filled' limits the sophistication of the response. To reach a higher band, you should aim to use more precise technical vocabulary related to processes and measurements, such as 'calibrated', 'graduated', 'interval', or 'mechanism'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

There is a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but the accuracy is inconsistent. You frequently omit articles or use them incorrectly (e.g., 'two plastic bottle', 'the water bottle with cut neck'). There are also issues with verb forms and sentence construction, such as 'letting it to get filled' and 'it being measured'. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to distract the reader. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles would significantly improve the quality of your writing.

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