Band 4.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.5 · IELTS Complete Catalyst · 2026-09-04

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 4.5)

in this task it to show how to make or build your own water clock there are several stages before building water clock that should must follow and implements let us start from tap on by swinging tap to drop some water into bottle and then bottom of bottle just make sure to drill small hole and cover with finger connect the plastic bottle or cover with l shape rod which actually hold plastic bottle and place small jar on that rod on bottom of surface then release finger slowly on above bottle the water will drop into jar below to check the level of water and measure how fill and and need to be refill required these several stages can help to build water clock with accuracy and make sure each step should be clear and before and after into each other the last sraw will be connect to upper plastic bottle when it full the water will come out through straw.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response attempts to describe the process of building a water clock, but it fails to provide a clear, logical overview of the stages. The instructions are presented in a fragmented, stream-of-consciousness style rather than a structured report. Key components of the diagram, such as the specific materials required or the sequential nature of the assembly, are not clearly delineated. The response lacks an introduction or a summary of the overall process, which is essential for an Academic Task 1 report. Consequently, the information is not well-developed, and the reader struggles to follow the technical steps involved in the construction.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 4.0

The text lacks paragraphing entirely, which is a significant issue for a report. There is no clear logical progression; the sentences are linked by repetitive use of 'and' or 'then', making the flow mechanical and difficult to follow. Cohesive devices are largely absent or misused, such as the confusing transition 'before and after into each other'. The lack of punctuation, particularly the absence of full stops to separate distinct steps, forces the reader to guess where one instruction ends and the next begins. This makes the overall arrangement incoherent.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is very basic and repetitive, relying on simple verbs like 'make', 'build', 'connect', and 'drop'. There is little attempt to use academic or technical terminology appropriate for describing a mechanical process. Phrases like 'swinging tap' and 'on bottom of surface' are imprecise and unnatural. The student struggles to name the components accurately, leading to vague descriptions that do not clearly convey the technical nature of the task. The range of vocabulary is insufficient to demonstrate the flexibility required for higher band scores.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 4.0

The response contains frequent grammatical errors that impede communication. There is a total lack of sentence punctuation, resulting in run-on sentences that make the text difficult to parse. Basic grammatical structures are often faulty, such as 'there are several stages... that should must follow' and 'the last sraw will be connect'. Subject-verb agreement and article usage are inconsistent throughout. While there is an attempt to use complex ideas, the lack of control over basic sentence construction and punctuation prevents the use of a wide range of structures, keeping the accuracy level low.

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

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