Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

The diagram describes the process for making a water clock . The process includes seven different steps .

The equipment includes : a water tap , a plastic bottle with a small hole at lower side , a tape for attachment of bottle with the stand , a glue to attach straw to bottle and another plastic bottle marked with equally distanced levels for collection of water released by the bottle above it .

The process starts after make all the attachments and place the fitted stand below the tap . First of all open the tap and and cover the hole at lower side of the bottle to make sure that no water drips down from it . Wait until the water level reaches the level of the straw and then remove the finger from the hole to make water drops fall .

Note the number of levels filled by water drops in one minute . Then empty the bottle after it becomes full of water and it can be used for timing the things .

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response covers the main stages of the process, but it lacks a clear overview, which is essential for Task 1. While the equipment is listed, the description of the process is somewhat fragmented. The instructions provided in the text are a bit simplistic and do not fully capture the mechanical nature of the process shown in the diagram. To improve, you should provide a clear summary of the overall process in the introduction and ensure that the steps are described with more precision, focusing on how the components interact to create the water clock.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the sequence of events. However, the use of cohesive devices is quite limited and repetitive. Phrases like 'First of all' and 'Then' are used, but the transition between the equipment list and the procedural steps is abrupt. The logical flow could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear thematic focus. The referencing is generally clear, but the overall structure feels a bit mechanical rather than fluid.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but remains quite basic. You use words like 'things', 'make', and 'place', which are functional but lack the precision required for a higher band score. There are also some awkward collocations, such as 'attachment of bottle with the stand' and 'after make all the attachments'. To achieve a higher score, you should aim to use more specific technical vocabulary related to the diagram, such as 'apparatus', 'calibrated', 'reservoir', or 'dispense'. Expanding your range of verbs and nouns will help convey the process more professionally.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The response contains a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with verb forms and articles, such as 'after make all the attachments' (should be 'after making') and 'the equipment includes : a water tap' (unnecessary colon usage). There are also minor punctuation errors and issues with subject-verb agreement. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to impact the overall fluency and accuracy of the writing. Focusing on consistent verb tense usage and article placement would be beneficial.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.